The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-02-22
f|TZSIMM0NS VICTORIOUS
He Knocks Peter Maher Out in just
Ninety.fiye Seconds.
STORY OF THE BRIEF BATTLE
Enthusiastic Sports Travel Hundreds of
Miles and Pay Twenty Dollars u
Ticket to Witness One Round
OF Modern Brutality.

I.angtry. Tex. Feb. 21.-It took Bob
Fitzsimmons Just ninety seconds this
afternoon to defeat Peter Maher and
become the heavyweight champion of
the world. The fight took place in the
bottoms of the Rio Grande river. on the
Mexican side, u mile and IL half dis
tant from the Langtry depot. Even to
his friends 1t was evident that the Irish
lad was not in it from the start. Be
fore the round had progressed thirty
seconds, Maher attempted II foul. and
was heatedly warned by the referee.
FitZSimmons coup was in the form Of
his famous upper hooks, with which
he knocked out Hall and broke the nose
of Jack Stelzner, his trainer Maher made
II gallant effort To get on his feet when
time was called. but after getting half
way to IL recumbent position, he fell
back and still had his head on the floor
when time was called and the decision
was awarded TO the Cornishman.
When the train of sports arrived
from I'll Paso at 80 there was no evil
dcnce that anything unusual was to
occur. There We're excursions from
Eagle Pass and other points, but they
had been helated and only some fifty
residents of the country about had
gathered at the depot. One company
Of Texas rangers guarded the depot,
while the remainder went down to the
bottoms on the Texas side, but not the
slightest effort was made to interfere
with the SPORTS in any Of their move
ments. When the word to move had
been given the visitors speedily found
that they had been on the road over
sixteen hours and iourneyed 400 miles.
The hardest part of the entertainment
N,s.lS At tn '.lI nc tp11t n
struggling procession, they went across
the prairie for distance of 800 yards,
and then commenced descent of a
seldom used wagon road that went in
"a circuitouS way down and over rocks
and boulders. Now Slipping on their
backs, now clutching ut a bramble to
save themselves from a fail and q
broken ankle. and now stubbinG their
toes against huge cobblestones. or in
cavities of the rocks, the sports toiled
in double and single file until the bank
of the river was reached Then there
was tramp of 500 yards more through
sand and fun ankle deep to the point
where the 15-foot nontoon bridge had
been stretched across the Rio Grande
river, which, swollen by recent rains,
had been changed from "a sluggish
stream, to a roaring torrent
An Ideal Battle Ground.
Once across, The sports Were on the
bottoms of the Mexican side and the
canvass enclosure that enclosed the
ring was to he seen i'm the distance
They passed through, and a more ideal
spot for such an event could harly have
been selected. Across the river on the
Texas side was mountain and fringed
along its stern summit commanding a
full view of the ring We're some 800
taan .t,1
pigeons to those below. Between the
two mountains and within IA stones
throw of the ring upon tle bottoms the
river rushed with IA duN roar. Heavy
laden clouds overhead and occasional
drops of rain completed the picture.
The circus canvas with which the
battle ground was enclosed was 200 feet
i'm circumference and sixteen feet in
height. The ring. was composed of
white pine covered with white duck
and had an elevation of four feet. Over
in the corner to the west were two dim
inutive tents for convenience of the
fighters in making their final prepara-
tions. FitZ and Maher. with their at
tendants in the front rank of the pro-
cession walked down but few yards
apart. both reaching the enclosure in
a profuse state of perspiration. They
were taken to their tents and rubbed
down.
At 3 o'clock when Referee Siler an
nounced that all was ready 1S2 people
were at the ring side the remainder Of
the visiting party with the local con-
tinGent having decided that a view
from the Texas hills was preferable to
the expenditure of twenty dollars for a
ticket.
The Warriors Appear
At 3.13 FitZsimmons enveloped in a
flannel bath robe. emerged from his
quarters and bounded up the steps of
the ring selected as his corner, the point
to the west. with his back to the Mexi-
can mountains. Maher appeared a
minute later and took his chair on the
opposite corner. facing the Mexican
side and his back to the spectators on
the Texas hill Mnher had in his corner
Jim Hall. Buck Connolly. Peter Low
rey. Jack Quinn and Peter Byrnes,
while "Parson' Davies acted as his
timekeeper. Fitzsimmons had behind
him Martin Julian, Jack Everhardt,
Jack Stelzener and Jack Mccoy. while
Burt Sneed. of New Orleans. acted as
timekeeper. Then the fiye-ounce gloves
were produced from the boxes and fitted
on. The men We're about to strip their
overcoats when Siler demanded i'm
strenuous tones: is Mr.. O'Rourke
here" 'I am responded the Boston
ian. WflOSt Htdu bdFtlE came up 10 Iilt'
level of the ringtloor. Have you the
purse money" Siler again demanded
''It is here" said ORourke. as he pro-
duced his wallet and waved two checks
in the air. F'itZsimmOns was watching
the proceedings with keen interest. AS
the papers were produced his lips curled
and he yelled: ''rhat stuff, don't go.
Julian. I want cash. How do we know
what those things are WORTH
Ibid you cash these checks last
night?' asked Siler of O'Rourke while
the crowd pressed in the neighborhood
of the two men.
"Yes, ! did" shouted the Boston man.
"But do you think ! was fool enough to
bring 10000 worth with me into such
digginss as these. It's the first time
that my honesty has been questioned.
I tell you that the money is in the
bank"
Wransle over Checks.
Matters looked squally for a time
Julian looked ORourke squarely in the
face defiantly and said: Nobody ever
questioned your honesty. but we wan,
the money. We will take no checks. .
Then addressing the crowd. he con.