The San Francisco call., 1896-02-11
Troops of Two Nations Patrol
the Borders and Watch the
PugiliStS.
WITHIN FIVE MILES OF Ell PAso
That Is the Quiet Tip Stuart Gives as
to Where the Contests Will
Be Held.

Ell PASO, TEX, Feb. 10.-Late tonight
Dan Stuart gave out the information that
the big fight will positively occur on the
morning of Friday, February IA, on Mexl-
can soil. and within five miles of Ell Paso.
The same air of tranquility and confidence
pervades the headquarters of the big,
good-natured fight manager, and not even
the increasing activity of the militia oi
the State and Territory disturbs his equa-
nimity.
The information as to time and place
has been telegraphed to numerous personal
and railroad friends, and it is taken as an
assurance that the pugilistic promoters are
becoming desperate, and have decided to
pull of the prize-hghts and take all
chances OF penalty. If this proves true,
the fight between Fitzsimmons and Maher
will occur on February IA, in the early
morning, on Mexican soil, and the action
Of the authorities will determine the
course to be pursued in regard to the minor
fights.
During the afternoon the gendarmia. so
called the custom guards" was ordered
out with instructions to closely patrol the
Mexican. frontier and acting under orders
of the customs officials its mem bers have
been closely patroiling the frontier to
watch the emissaries of the prize-fighting
corps. So close has this scrutiny been
that few of the local interested pugilists
ventured across to Mexican soil.
Fear OF the militia has been so great ap-
parently that only Dan Stuart has ven
Iured across the Rio Grande River since
yesterday. Early this morning the United
Press representative met Peter Maher,
Jerry Marshall and Peter Burns at their
training quarters at Las Cruces. Maher
said he never felt better in his life, but
that he was afraid to 90 to Ell Paso to pre-
pare for the fight because he dreaded a
sojourn in a Mexican Jail. The other
pugilists were indiffe rent and were willing
to come to Ell Paso and place themselves
in the hands of their hackers. Fitzsim-
mons said this afternoon that he had tenn
porarily relinquished mis- training quarters
and would await word from Stuart for
fugfher action.
United States Consul Buford of Paso del
NoIte, Mexico, stated this afternoon that
the prize-fghts would not be permitted to
take place on any soil, either on disputed
or undisputed territory, within the iuris-
diction of the United States Government.
If this be true it will only leave the fight
ers recourse to Mexico. To counteract this
Senor Manuel Bauche, customs collector
OF the Mexican Government, has decided
to take extreme measures and has re-
quested the local commandant to have a
force of mounted troops patrol the Mexi-
can frontier. These men are well mounted
armed with modern equipments and are
determined to prevent the advent of any
body of men intent upon prize-fghting,
United States Consul Buford is in tele-
graphic communication with the military
authorities and has instructions to send
the regular troops wherever there is an eIe-
meEt of danger.
Martin Julian was satisfied to-day that
the original purse of $4,000 for the fight
between Maher and Fitzsimmons would be
posted with Stakeholder Lawler The
money did not come from the pockets of
the citizens, as had been planned, but
from the people who will receive greater
pecuniary benefit from the big battle.
The money of the merchants of Ell Paso
is posted with long string back of it that
unless the fight is pulled off on the
scheduled day it will be drawn down.
That is why the big fighters, who are al
most certain to meet within seventy-two
hours, wanted a purse in sight.
1t is needless to say who posted the
$4,000. But Julian is not satisfied that it
is up, and as Maher is of the same opinion.
the two great fighters are trimming down
for the ringside.