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


to his feet and made bound to the
centre of the ring, and with his face IN
famed with passion, fairly shrleked
Well take checks, / give in to every
bloody thing they want. Do you under-
stan,d' san,a ,os we give in to this even II we
The crowd breathed more freely and
rousing cheer was given for fltzslm-
mons.
The pugilists then stripped.
fitz had chosen for his riIg costume
navy blue breech olout with belt or
the stars and stripes. His legs were bare
and his shoes were of the standard run
ming shape.
.. Maher wore short-legged fighting
pants with green belt. From the
moment the men entered the ropes. 1t
was patent to every body that while the
Cornish man was full of confidence, ms
opponent was nervous and Ill at ease.
Maher's mouth moved inoessantly as
though he was chewing gum. his eye
brows twitched and he kept his thumts
revolving. Fitzsimmons eyed him with
sarcastic smile, and his breast heaved
like that of all animal ready to bound
for its prey.
1t was nearly 4.25 when Referee Siier
called both men to the center of the
ring to give them Instructions and warn
them against fouling or other infrac-
enjoyed the first opportunity of seeing
the men face to face. Fltz presented
better appear anoe than in any of his pre-
Vious encounters. His flesh was hard
and pink and his veins stood out like
whip cords while Maher appeared some
what fabby and his movements on his
feet lacked the ability that characterized
those of Fitzsimmons.
Manager Quinn was evidently honest in
the opinion he gave a couple of days ago,
pete is not in good condition as would
like him to be-"
Time was called at L. % and the specta-
tors pressed to the ropes.
First ROund-Fitzsimmon led with
| the left. Maher backed towards his coz
ner. Fitzsiminons landed with his right
and clinch followed. Maher struck
Fitzsimmons with his right hand while
they olinched. Referee Siler warned him
If he did so again he would give the fight
to Fitzsimmons. After the break away
Peter landed his left on Fitzsimmon's s
neck. Close in fighting followed and
Maher succeeded in landing his left on
Fitz's upper lip, drawing blood. Fltz
landed his left on Maher and followed it
with his right. In the clinch that fol-
lowed Maher feinted and Fitz led with
the right, but fell short. A mix up fol-
lowed in which Maber landed both right
and left on either side of Fitz's head.
olinoh followed. Fitz seemed bit
bothered and broke ground on Maher's
lends. Maher followed him up and led
with his left, when Fitz stepped aside and
with swinging right 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
valnly attempted to rise, but could not
do more than raise his head. His second
called him to get up, but he failed to re-
spond and sank back to the canvas. The
| fatal tenth second was counted. Maber
was declared "out' and Fitz was an
nounced the victor, after one minute
and thirty-five seconds of rather lively
! fighting.
| Fitz's admirers cheered him to the echo
and Maher's second carried tina defeated
| Irishman to his corner. 1t was several
minutes before he realized what had
| happened to him. Fitz walked over to
his corner, shook him by the hand. Fitz
also shook hands with Quinn and the
seconds In Peter's corner.
| Barring a slight bleeding at the
nostrils, oecasione by Maher's left hand
jab, the Cornish man showed no mark S
| of the injury, and appeared as fresh as at
the opening OF hastilities.
| Maher showed no signs of punishment
except slight break in the skin just
above the joint of the left chin, where
Fitz's stroke landed.
| When the cheering of the people around
the ropes subsidized, Julian took the centre
of the ring and said: Gentlemen Mr..
| Fitzsimmons has worked himself up
from the bottom of the ladder, and by
the decision OF the referee is now the
champion of the world. He Is ready to
defend his title against all Corners at any
time or place. No man is barred, all
comers will receive recognition
| Then came the shouts of warning that
the pontoon bridge was in danger of be-
| ing washed away by the strong current
and the fighters and assistants hastily
gathered their traps together and the
crowd rushed for the Texas side. All got
over safely
Maher and his following were a disap-
pointed looking lot of individuals rs they
| tramped back over the rocks and sand tc
the train. Maher said: swell it was q
chance blow that did the work. I did the
best onuld under the circumstances. My
condition was not of the best, but as a
further postpoDement was not to be con-
sidered by the Fitzsimmons crowd was
Obliged to go into the ring. My eyes were
in a worse condition than l believed
them to be. / found my gauge oil
distance at fault. I still believe that
am able to whip Fitzsimmons or any
other man in the world. If Fits proves
himself champion, will challenge him
again and will be ready to meet him a,
any spot or any time. 1 am not bit
ovar confident. / knew my condition
better than any one else and fought Fitz-
simmons only when his arbitrary action
made it necessary to do SO or be pro-
claimed a coward.
Immediately after tho fight Mr.. Rector
on behalf of the Kinetescope people,
offered Fitzsimmons and MabeF aIpursesot
$4,000 TO be battled tor tomorrow. Fitz-
simmons declared that he would agree to
put Maher out In six rounds, and insisted
on selecting his own time and place. He
declared under no circumstances would
he fight before the Kinetosoope unless for
a purse of 10000 and fifty per cent of the
profits Nothing came OF the proposition
and negotiations are off for the present.
After returning to the depot Fitz was
surrounded by crowd Of admirers who
shook his hands and congratulated him.
He bore his newly made honors with
characteristic self satisfaction and re-
minded The newspaper men that he said
all along that his opponent was only q
stiff, and would be done up without
difficulty. He admitted the battle was
almost too short for his liking. He would
have been glad of little more oppor-
tunity of showing his shape. Julian was