The San Francisco call., 1896-02-14
FATE AGAINST
THE FIGHTERS,
Peter Maher Disabled by
the Blowing Of Sand
in One Eye.
SPORTS IN THE DUMPS.
The Big Mill Postponed and May
Be Declared OF Alto .-
gether.
POOR PROSPECT OF A BATTLE.
Many Who Went to Attend the Fistic
Carnival Are Leaving El Paso
in Disgust.

| Ell PASO, TEX, Feb. 13.-Robert Fitz-
simmons and Peter Maher will not battle
| in O prize-ring tomorrow morning. To-
| night it is confidently asserted by many
| of the downcast sports that the proposed
! mills are off for good. This condition
of affairs is not due to the efforts OF the
Federal State and Mexican authorities to
| prevent the two men from coming to-
gether, or to any inability on the part of
| Dan Stuart to guarantee a safe battle
ground, but solely to the fact that Maher
| is suffering from a temporary afflictiou OF
the eyes that would make it impossible for
him to put up a decent showing in the
ring.
About week ago, while taking morn
ing spin at Las Cruces in brisk wind
several particles of sand were blown into
Maher's left eye, and later in the day while
kicking football a quantity of dust was
knocked into the same member. The ne xt
day Inflammation set in and the services of
local doctor were called into requizition.
The trouble, however. was obstinate and
refused to yield to treatment and a couple
of days since the right eye also became
affected. Visitors to the training quar-
ters from Sunday to Tuesday noticed the
trouble and regarded it as of so trifiing a
nature that nothing was thought or said
of the matter until to-day when word was
received that the Irishman was in a bad
shape and that fight tomorrow was next
door to an impossibility.
kilograms were at once sent to Las
Cruces urging him to come to the city by
the first train. The regular daily pas
senger train had, however. already passed
the training and nothing re-
mained but to wait for the Silver City
freight and to which a passenger caboose
is attached. This arrived over the Santa
Fe shortly before Z o'clock, and large
crowd of local and visiting sports gathered
at the depot to see something of the would
be champions condition for themselves.
In this, however, they were disappointed,
for Maher, who was accompanied by his
manager, ]. J. Quinn, and Pete Lowry left
the train at the smelter, three miles out.
Here carriage was in waiting. and the
party was driven to the offices in the
Grand Central Hotel of Dr. S. T. White.
the leading local oculist.
After thorough examination DIR. White
came to the conclusion that Maher was
suffering from an aggravated case of
ophthalmia, caused by alkali dust entering
within the eyelids, and expressed the
opinion that he could not enter the ring
with any prospect of being on equal terms
with his opponent in the matter of eye-
sight at least.
Maher was considerably disheartened by
this opinion, and after a conference with
Quinn message was dispatched to Juarez
with the request that Fitzsimmons and
Julian come across the river as quickly as
possible.
When pressed for more definite state
ment DR.. White said that With care Maher
might be able to get into the ring in three
days, but that it would be better to allow
himself week. He prescribed wash of
sulphate of zinc and atropia. and advised
Maher to keep away from the sunlight.
1t would be safer, he added. if he would