The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-02-22


Langtry, Texas, February s1.-It took
Robert Fitzsimmons ninety seconds this
afternoon to defeat Peter Maher and be
come the heavy weight champion of the
world. The fight took place in the bottom
OF the Rio Grande river on the Mexican
side, mile and half from Langtry
depot. Even to his friends, it was evident
| that the Irish lad was not in it from the
start Before the rOundsprOgressed thirty
| seconds. Maher attempted foul and
was heatedly warned by the referee.
Fitzsimmons coup was IN the form of
| one of his famous upper hooks with
which he knocked out hail and broke the
nose OF Jack Stelzener, his trainer.
Maher made gallant effort to get upon
his feet when time was called, and after
getting half way to a recumbent position,
he fell back and still had his head ON the
| floor. when time was called and the de-
cision awarded to the Cornishman.
| When the train of sports arrived from
| e Paso ut $50 there was no evidence
| that anything unusual was about to
| occur. Ex3ursionists from Eagle Pass
and other points were belated and only
some afty residents of the country about
had gathered at the depot. One company
of Texas Rangers guarded the depot and
the remainder went down to the Bottoms
on the Texas side Not the slightest effort
was made to interfere with the sports in
any of their movements. When the word
| to move was given the visitors speedily
found that, although they mad been OH
the road over sixteen hours and had jour-
| neyed four hundred miles, the hardest
| part OF the entertainment was to cOme.
| following the guides in struggling pro-
cession, they went across the prairie five
| hundred yards and then commenced the
| precipituOus descent of the seldom used
wagon road that went IN circuitous
| way down to the Rio GIande. Over rocks
and boulders, now slipping on their
backs, now clinging at bramble to save
themselves from a fall, now STUN bling
| their toes against huge cobble stones, or
| incavities of rocks, the sports toiled in
| double and single file until the tank of
| the river was reached, Then there was a
tramp OF five hundred yards more through
| sand and mud full ankle deep TO a point
| where a seventy-iive foot pontoon bridge
stretched across the Rio Grande, which
Was swollen by the recent rains, had been
changed from sluggish stream to a
rOari torrent. Once across, the sports
were on thu Bottoms of the Mexican side
and the canvas enclosure of the ring was
seeIi in the distance. Five minutes more
brought the perspiring ahd sore footed
| pedestrians to the entrance stiles, where
| the Battle Masterson and Joe Vendig ex-
amined the pasteboard tickets and passed
| the holders within. A better spot for
such an event could hardly have been
selected. To the west, sloping down to
the very feet of the enclosure, was a
mountain five hundred feet in heighth,
rugged and almost perpendicular.
+ Across the river on the Texas side was
it's counter part, fringed along it's sum-
nit. com manding full view of the ring,
with some 300 men and women, who
looked like pigeons to those below Be-
Tween the two meetings within stone' s
throw OF the ring, upon the bottoms,
the river rushed with dull roar. Heavy
laden clouds were overhead and OCCASION
al drops of rain completed the picture
The circus ground with which the battle
ground was enclosed, was 200 feet in cir
oumference and 16 feet in height. The
ring was composed of white pine covered
with white duck and had an elevation
of four feet Over in a corner to the west
there were two diminutive tents for the
convenience of the principals in making
their final preparations.
Fitzsimmons and Maher, with atten-
dants in the fronu rank of the procession
walked down but few yards apart, both
reaching the enclosure in profuse state
of perspiration. They were taken to their
tents and rubbed down. At when Re-
feree Siler announced all was ready 1872
people were at the ringside, the rematnd-
er OF the visiting party with uhe local
contingent having deuided view from
the Texas hills was preferable to the
expenditure of $50 FOR ticket.
In response to Siler's call. Julian asked
for 10 minutes delay, Quinn consented
and 1t was readily granted.
AT =. l8 FltzslmmOns, enveloped in d
flannel bath robe, emerged from his
quarters and bounded up the stairs OF
the ring and selected his corner, point
ing to the west, with his back to the
| Mexican mountains
| Mol hor , L. L
chair in tho opposite corner facing the
Mexican side. Maher had In his corner
Jim Hall, Buck Connolly, Peter Lowery,
Jack Quinn, Peter Byrnes, while "Par-
son" Davies acted as time keeper.
Fitzsimmons bad behind him Martin
Julian, Jack Eyerhardt, Jack Stelzener,
Jack Mccoy, while Burt Sheed of New
Orleans acted as time keeper. Five ounce
gloves were produced and fitted on. and
the men were about to strip off their
coats when Julian called George Siler
to the centre of the ring and the two
conversed quietly for a couple of min
utes. At Its conclusion Siler demanded
here?"'I am, " responded the Bostonian.
"Have you the. purse money! Siler
again demanded. ''It is here," said
o. Rourke, as he produced his wallet and
waved two checks in tue air.
!. Fitzsmmons was watching the proceed
| 1n&S WIN keen interest,". AS the papers
were produced his lips curled and he
yelled: "That stuff don't go, Julian,
want cash. How do we know what
those are worthP"
"Did you cash these checks last night?'
asked Siler of o. Rourke. while the crowd
was pressed in the neighborhood Of the
two men.
z "Yes, 1 did," shouted the Boston man,
"Do you think I Was fool enough tt
bring 500, 900 with me into such digging
as these? Its the first time my honesty
has been questioned l tell you the money
is in the bank"
Matters looked squally for time.
Julian looked O'Rourke squarely in the
face deflantly and said: "Nobody ever
questioned you honesty, We want mon.
ey. We will take no checks''
Then addressing the crowd, he con.
tlnued; ''If there is any dissatisfaction,
1t is not our fault. We notified respon-
sipie people several days ago that Fitz-
summons would not fight unless the mon
ey was in the ring"
Yes" ohirruped Fitzsimmons from
Inns corner, They said 1t would be.
Rarson Davies remarked that Julian