The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-02-22
ONLY ONE ROUND NEEDED
FITzSTMMONS KNOCKED OUT PETER MIHER IN NINETY SECONDS.

Langtry, Tex. Feb. 21.It took Rob- ert Fitzsimmons just ninety second this afternoon to defeat Peter Maher and become the heavyweight champion of the world.
 The fight took place at the bottom of Sthe Rio Grande river on the Mexican sside, a mile and half distant from the Langtry depot.
 < Even to his friends it was evident ssthat the Irish lad was not in 1t from lithe start. Before the round had pro Ygressed thirty seconds Maher attempted flto foul and was warned. Fitzsim- $mons coup was in the form of one or This famous upper hooks with which he 5knocked out Hall and broke the nose of sJack Stelzner, his trainer. Maher 8made a gallant effort to get upon his Fleet when time was called, but after kgetting half way to a recumbent posi- $tion he fell back and still had his head ton the floor when time was called and athe decision was awarded to the Corn ssh man.
 
 St1l Paso at 2:30 there was no evidence &hat anything unusual was about to >bccur. The excursionists from Eagle
 Pass and other points had been belated And only some fifty residents of the
 ountry about had gathered at the de- Bot. One company of the Texas Rang Sers guarded the depot while the re- Anainder went down to the bottom on Hlhe Texas side, but not the slightest ef- Riokt was made to interfere with the 8borts.
 -S When the word to move had been $iven the visitors speedily found that AIthough they had been on the road spver Is hours and journeyed 400 miles Ghe hardest part of the entertainment Twas yet to come. Following guides. in Sstraggling procession they went across She prairie of 800 yards and then com Enenced the precipitous descent of a teldom used wagon road that went in &l circuitous way down to the Rio XErande. Over rocks and boulders, now .f}lipping on their backs, now clutching EEt bramble to save themselves from kfall and broken ankle and now stubbing sIheir toes against huge cobblestones or Rn cavities of the rocks the sports toiled Nn double and single file until the bank Eff the river was reached.
 s Then there was a tramp of 800 yards -4lore through sand and mud full ankle Neep to a point where the 75-foot pom Boon bridge had been stretched across She Rio Grande, which swollen by re- Bent rains had been changed from a Sluggish stream to a roaring torrent. ~Tonce across the sports were at the bot &om of the Mexican side and the canvas Enclosure was to be seen in the distance. Five minutes more brought the perspir- Eng and sore-footed pedestrians to the Entrance stiles where Bat Masterson End Joe Vendig examined the creden- Eials and passed the holders within. ,A better spot for such an event could lmardly have been selected. To the Mest sloping down to the very foot of 1he enclosure was a mountain 800 feet yan height, rugged and almost perpen- Hiicular. Across the river on the Texas Hide was it's counterpart and fringed EAlong its summit, commanding a full sEiew of the ring, were some 300 men Gnd women, who looked like pigeons to Whose below.
 b Between the two mountains and with En stone's throw of the ring rushed ghe river Heavy laden clouds over rnead and occasional drops of rain com hleted the picture.
 M The circus canvas with which the bat 2Rle field was enclosed was 200 feet in Circumference and 16 feet In height. The Ming was composed of white pine cover Ed with white duck and had an eleva- Zion of four feet. Over the corner to Fhe west were the two diminutive tents for the convenience of the principals Sn making final preparations. FitZ- kimmons and Maher with their attend knts in front rank of the procession Nalked down but a few yards apart Both reaching the enclosure in pro- .Huse state of precipitation. They were Taken to their tents and rubbed down. At 8 o'clock, when Referee Siler an- Bounced that all was ready, 1892 people Eere at the ringside, the remainder of she visiting party with the local con- .Tingent having decided that view From the Texas hills was preferable to Rhe expenditure for a ticket In re- -~nponse to Siler's call Julian asked for Fen minutes delay. Quinn consented, Y End it was readily granted. At 3:15 Fitzsimmons, enveloped in a Tannel bathrobe, emerged from his 1Nuarters and bounded up the steps of she ring and selected as his corner the soint to the west, with his back to the Eiexican mountains. Maher appeared 8 Slinute later and took his chair in the
 Opposite corner facing the Mexican <side. Maher had in his corner Jim
 sIall, Buck Connolly, Peter Lowrey, ' Rack Quinn and Peter Byrnes, while
 eParson'' Davies acted as his time
 keeper. Fitzsimmons had behind him
 Eartin Julian, Jack Everhardt, Jack 4telzner and Jack Mccoy while Burt 3need of New Orleans acted as time Keeper. Then five ounce gloves were j Produced and fitted on.
 -sf The men were about to strip their \ SSercoats when Julian called George 3ilver to the center and the two con 3ersed quietly for couple of minutes 5Et it's conclusion Silver demanded in lentorian tones:
 !"Is MT. O'Rourke here?"
 $"I am." responded the Bostonian,
 Those head barely came up to the level
 % the ring floor
 R Have you the purse money?" Silver etemanded,
 (f Tt is here" said O'Rourlle. as he pro kuced his wallet and waved two checks
 a the air.