The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-02-22

doffed dhe bd,Ih robe. julian ard Ever
karrlt removed FHZslmmons' renlfn-
ing raiment sod the Au7trlHan stood
| fouth In shoC,t thlgtl trIlKs OF darE
blue. wSsll BELT showing lie American
colons. He had on black hose rolled
| down mon me top Of his ring pshoea.
Whel a similar Office had been pcr-
formed for MaheT ne showed up IN
black trunks, half way To the knees
with q green belt. lis hose and Shoes
| were similar to those OK
Fjtzsimmons. The Australian
| Throughout the prellminar'es had
shown the ytmoat confidence. Maher's
lips seemed rarched aad ne molstened
! them with his tongue and took deep
/ lnhalstions Us II dls mouth and throat
shake hands" Referee siler said.
The mon advanced, Ir!tSs!nmons with
| the air of confidence stiii showing
plainly; Maqier promptly and WIKI more
OF a familiar air than he had yet shown.
They retired to their corners. In an
| instant the whistle oi warning sound.
ed. Ave seconds Ia,.er the call OF Time
followed.
with tfs little eyes flashing Ike balls
| OF punished blue. Maher's advance was
| rapid enough TO meHt F1tzsim:nons at
the middle OF the bweGty-fOnr foot ring.
| HIS eyes were c!rcied fiom fhe recent
! attack Of 'ialkah eye" and seemed star
ing like stage mnke-up without the
decelving footiight glare. The nSht FOR
the heavyweight championship OF the
world was at last reality.
IL was a Hurricane Battle.
First and last round, FitzsFmmons
led with his LETT, Maher backed to-
| wards hi scorner Fitzsimn1ons land
| ed with his right ard clinch followed.
Maher struck Fltzslmmons with his
right hand while they We're chnched
| and Referee Siler warned him that II he
| did so again he would give the fight TO
| FHEslmmona. After a breakaway,P Peter
landed his left On Fttzglmmons' neck.
| Close figiJ.inE followed and Manner sue
| ceeded In land.ag his le9t on Fitzstm-
| mons upper lip. drawing blood, Fitz-
simmons landed with left and right.
| CIlnch followed. AfAheT fe!nted and
| FItzslmmous led wish his right but fell
short. A miX-up followed, in whloh
| Maher landed btch right and ieft on
| either side OF FltzsinEno7s' head. Ma
| her led with his left and another
| olinuh followed. FhEsimmons seemed
a bit bothered and troke ground on
| Maher's leads. Mnher followed him up
and led with his left when Fitzstmmons
sIde-stepped and swinging his riEhe.
! landed full on the point Of Maher's left
| chin. Maher measured his length on
the floor. his head striking the canvas
with great force. He Nainly attempted
| TO rise, but could not do more than raise
his head. HIS seconds called upon him
70 get up. but ne failed to respond and
sank back 10 the canvas. The fatal
tenth second was counted, Maher was
declared out and Fitzsimmons an
nounced the Victor after one minute
and thlrty-nve seconds OF rather lively
fighting. FGtzSlmmontS' admirers
cheered him to the echo and MaheT's
seconds carried the defeated Irish
man 10 his corner. il was several min
utes before he realized what had hap
pened to him. Barring the slight bleed
Ing at the nostrlls occasioned by the
len hand tab of Mather. the Australian
showed no marks Ok injury and APP
peared as fresh as %. the opening Of
hostilIties. Maher showed no signs OF
punishment, except slight break m
the skin jrS. above the point of the
left chin where FltEsinmols' master
stroke had landed,
Amer the Fight.
As Maher fell to the floor Fitzsim-
mons stepped back, his eyes sparkling
and a smile playing around his mouth.
He gazed upon his fallen foe for about
three seconds and then walked over TO
his corner and sat down. Julian, Nc
Coy and Everhardt crowded around
him urging him TO get UP and fight
Look out for him, Fitz" yelled Ju-
iian, look out for HIM"
Stand UP for heavens sake" pleaded
EVerhardt; "he may come ut you"
Get away from me, get away from
me. / tell you." snarled Fltzsimmons.
TITS all over: he's out" and by the time
he had finished speaking Maher's cham-
pionship was thing OF the past
There. didn't tell you he was out"
remarked FitZsimmons In a peevish
tone us he turned 10 pull his bath robe
UP around him to keep out OF the cold,
drizzling rain that was falling. He sat
for n few minutes in his corner, looking
across at Maher, and then. jumping
briskiy to his feet. he walked across
the ring and offered his gloved hand
to Maher. Peter reached for II, but
Fitzslmmons drew 1t back with laugh.
and getting Julian to unite the strings
at the wrists, ,shc walked beck TO Peter
and offered his bare hand, with the re-
mark. "well. Peter!"
Maher reached for the extended hand
and shook II heartily, without raising
his head to look at his conqueror, Ju-
lian then called to FltzsImmons and the
victor walked over to the side OF the
ring nearest the gate where Julian
stood. The crowd was beginning to
stream out. but loud calls Of Gentle
men, gentlemen" from Julian. supple-
mented by few whacks on the gong,
stopped them.
Champion ofthe World.
Gentlemen" yelled the short and fat
Mr.. Julian. bulsing himself out In n
frantic manner to make his voice reach
AL within a mile or two of the ring.
"Afr. FltEsimmons has now worked his
way up to the top and is now the cham
pion OF the world. He ls now ready at
any time and place to defend his title
against any man In the world"
The declaration was greeted With loud
cheers OF approval from the crowd.
and Fit1simmons bowed and Erinned
his usual capaclous grin and then hur-
ried away to dress himself
Mnher was unconscious fifteen sec
oIds, and II was fully n minute after
he had been carricd TO his corner be-
fore he fully regnined CONSEQUENCES. He
was not disposed 20 talk much. He is no
talker at any time and would have had
little TO say II he had won.
He got me good and hard, and that
was all that there was TO IT," he said.
II heard the referee counting and heard 4
the men in my corner calling me TO rise,
but could not rise, When / knew any
thing at all l was in my corner and
they were rubbing my face with water"
Sitzslmmons was very modest, con-
adering the brilliant victory he had
won. 81 would have put him out the
tirst punch" he snid, but did not reach
him hard enough"
There was never n minute since the
match was made that l have nntIcl-
pnted any other result than this. /