The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-02-13
A'FITzsIMM0NS ROAST.
Apparent Preparations for the Fight
False Start of the Crowd

False Start of the Crowd.
Ell PASO, Tex, Feb. l3, 1996.-There are
probably 500 strangers in town who will go
to the fight if they can get the tip in time.
Most of these are from New Mexico Ari-
zona, Colorado, and throughout the States.
Joe Vendig and Secretary Wheelock were
busy all day yesterday stamping the long
strips of cardboard which will sell from $40
to $40 each. Many of them have been sold
to persons whobelieve implicitly in Stuart's
ability to pull off the fight. There is pro-
yiso that the money-will be refunded if the
fight does not come off.
Fitzsimmons is in the best of condition
and capable of making the fight of his life.
He has eased up a little in his work and is
only taking enough exercise to keep himself
in good condition. He weighed 1853 pounds
yesterday, and probably will enter the fight
very close to that figure.
Reports from Las Cruces are to the effect
that Maher has completed his training and
is also in excellent shape. 1t is expected he
and his party will leave the training quar-
tiers today and come to Ell Paso. where he
can be ready to start for the battle ground
at moments notice. The pugilists of less
note are hard at,work. 1t is generally con
ceded that the big fight will be a test case,
and the fate of the others are to some extent
dependent upon the fortune that follows the
lsparticipants in the big battle Dixon has
let up considerably in his work He is down
rather fine, and he is afraid TO train hard for
fear of overriding it. Waleott is above
| weight and is trying to work off three or
four obstinate pounds that still cling to him.
Everhardt, Leeds, Barry and Murphy are all
ready to fight any time. Barry in particu-
lar is in good shape and if Murphy wins over
him he must work for his life
| Fitzsilnmons caused sensation at the
| Southern Pacific station yesterday after
| noon. An excursion party made up of
| residents of Ell Paso had chartered private
car for a trip to California. Fitzs1mmons is
acquainted with several in the party and
accompanied them to the train. It soon was
| reported he was on his way to the fighting
ground, and the report was IN everybody IS
mouth in ten minutes. By the time Fitz.
| reached the station there were a thousand
| persons there, conspicuous among whom
| were dozen rangers ready to follow him.
| Fitz entered the car and the excitement in
creased as he disappeared. Anxious inquiries
were made of the engineers as to his destina-
| tions, and when he told the truth doubling
| Thomases7 winked and refused to believe
| him. The conductor was besieged and he
also told the truth, giving the same route
and destination Inc engineer mad. The coin
cidence was sure sign to the inquirers
there was plot to throw everybody off the
scent. Some people got on the cars and
declared they would stay until Fitzsimrnons
| got off. Among these were half d dozen
Rangers. They did stay, 100, about three
minutes. When the train left hitzsimmons
jumped from the private car. Then the peo-
pie looked at each other said few things in
the Texas dialect and strolled away, Fit2-
simmons returning to his training quarters
at Juaiez
One load of the platform and other para
pheinalia for the istic carnival has reached
It's destination and at breakfast ii he this
morning lhe pro motors We're smilng more
broadly than ever.
The platform, stakes, ropes, etc., we're
made and padded in duplicate several days
/ ago and loaded into cars adjacent TO the
main tracks OF the Southern Pacific and
fexes and Pacific 50 thar quick transporta-
tion might be effected IN the event of cir
cumstances compelling a change in the pro-
posed scene Of operations at the eleventh
| nOur.