The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-02-22


warning sounded; five seconds later
the call Of time" followed. Up sprang
Fitzsimm3ns advancing with his little
eyes fiasaing like balls of FURNISHED
blue. Maher's advance was rapid
enough to meet Fitzsimmons at the
middle of the 24-foot ring. His eyes
were circles from the recent attack of
'alkali eye" and seemed staring like
a stage makeup without the deceptive
foot-light glare. The big fight for the
heavyweight championship Of the
world was at last a reality.
FIRST AND ONLY ROUND.
First round-Fitz landed with his
left, Maher backed towards his corner.
Fitz landed with his right and a
clinch followed. Maher struck Fitz
with his right and while they were
clinched, and referee Siler warned him
that il he did so again he would give
the fight to Fitz. After a break away
Peter landed his left on Fitz's neck.
Close in-fighting followed and Maher
succeeded in landing his left on Fitz's
upper lip, drawing blood, Fitz landed
with left and right. Clinch followed,
Maher feinted and Fitzsimmons led
with his right but fell short. A mix up
followed in which Maher landed both
right and left on either side of Fitz's
head. Maher led with his left and an
other clinch followed Fitz seemed a
bit bothered and broke ground on
Maher's leads. Maher followed him up
and led with his left when Fitz side
stepped and swinging his right landed
full on the point of Maher's left chin.
Maher measured his length on the
floor, his head striking the canvass
with great force. lie yainly attempted
to arise, but could not do more than
raise his head. His second called on
him to get up but he failed to respond
and sank back to the canvass.
Maher yaiDly tried to rise. The fatal
tenth second was counted, Maher was
declared out and Fitz announced the
victor, after one minute and thirty-fve
seconds Of rather lively fighting. Fitz-
simmons admirers cheered him to the
echo and Maher's seconds carried the
defeated Irishnan to his corner. 1t
was several minutes before he realized
what had happened to him and Fitz-
simmons walked over to his corner
and shook him by the hand. Fitz also
shook hands with Quinn and the sec
onds in Peters corner. Barring the
slight bleeding at the nostrils occa-
stoned by the left hand jab of Maher,
the Australian showed no marks of
injury and appeared as fresh as at the
opening Of hostilities. Maher showed
no signs OF punishment except a slight
break in the skin just above the point
| Of The left chin where Fifzsimmons'
| master stroke had landed.
MAHER DONE FOR.
As Maher fell to the floor, Eitzsim
mons stepped back, his eyes sparkling
and smile playing around his mouth.
He razed upon his fallen foe for about
thrge seconds, and then walked over to
his corner and sat down. Julian,
Mcfoy and Evehardt crowded around
him Urging him to get up and fight.
"Lool out for him, Fitz.," yelled
Julian, look out for him!"
Stand up, for heavens sake, plead
ed Everhardt, che may come at you"
sect away from me, get away from
me, / tell you" snarled Fitz, sits all
over, he's out" And before he had
finished speaking, Maher's champion
ship was a thing Of the past.
There, didn't / tell you he was out,
| remarked Fitz, in peevish tone, as
he turned to pull his bath robe up
| around him TO keep out of the cold
| drizzIinp rain that was falling. He
| sat for a few minutes in his corner
| looking across at Maher, and then
| jumping briskly to his feet he walked
rapidly across the ring and offered his
| gloyed hand to Maher. Peter reached
| for it, but Fitz drew it back with a.
| laugh, and getting Julian to unite the
string at the wrist, he walked back to
Maher and offered his bare hand with
| the remark, "WeII, Peter"
Maher reached for the extended
| hand and shook it heartily without
| rising from his seat or raising his
| head to look at his conquerer. Julian
then called TO Fitz and the victor walk
ed over to the side of the ring nearest
| the gate where Julian stood. The
crowd was beginning to stream out,
but loud calls of gentlemen, gentle
men" from Julian, supplemented by
few whacks on the gong, stopped them.
| FITZSIAfMONS' CHALLENGE.
"Gentlemen," yelled The short and
| fat Julian buiging himself out in a
/ frantic manner to make his voice
| reach, MIR Fitzsimmons has now
| worked his way mp to the top and is
! now the champion Of the world. lie
/ is now ready at any time and place to
| defend his title against any man in the
/ world" "
/ The declaration was greeted with
loud yells of approval, from the crowd,
| and Fitz bowed and grinned his usual
capacious grin and then hurried away
/ to dress himself. Maher was uncon-
| scious Is seconds. Tt was fully min
| ute after he had been carried to his
/ corner before he regained entire con-
| sciousness. He was not disposed TO
/ talk much.
"Ife got me good and hard and that
| was all that there was to it," he said.
II heard the referee counting and
heard the men in my corner calling
| me to rise but / could not rise. When
] knew anything at all ! was IN my
corner, and they we're rsbbing my face
with water"
Fitz was very modest considering