The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-02-22
FITZSIMMONS IS CHAMPION.
Maher Only Stood Up RG'0re the Cornish
mai Fig lty-FlVo Seconds.
FIRST ROUND SETTLES TIE QUESTION
The Irishnan Drew First bi"o"
Opponents Upper Lip-They fongh''"
Ne,ico-Naher Lays Defeat to Hts
Tyes-Wants To Meet Fitz AGAIN

Onds this afternoon 10 uei'1e hSNS'
her and become the heavyweight chahi-
pion OF the world. The fight TOOK place
ia the bottoms of the Rio Grande riNer'
on tho Mexican side, mile and a hail
distant from the Langtry depot.
Even to his friends it was evident that
the Irish lad was not in II from the start
Before the round had progressed thir'y
seconds Maher attempted foul, anu was
hestedly warned by the referee. tl'z-
simmons coup was in the form of one of
his famous upper hooks, with whlch ne
knocked out Hall and broke the nose oi
Jack stelzener. his trainer. Maher mauc
a gallant effort to get up ON ms leee
when time was called, but after geltSs
half way TO a recumnent position he iel
back and still had his mead on the hoor
when time was called and the decision
was awarded TO the Cornish man
ARRIVAL AT THE RING.
When the train of sports arrived from
FL Paso at 2.aJ there was no eNiueHce thd'
anytnlug unusual was about 70 occur.
IN. eNcuf-ionists from Eagle Pass ana
otner points had been beiated, ana oniy
some nIty resiuents OF the country "vout
had been gathered at the ucpOl. VnS
company ol Texas Rangers guarded thc
depot, while the remainder went dO"ii 10
the bottoms on the Texas Slde, uul Aol
the slightest effort was made 10 inter-
fere wtth the sports I'm any or thelr move
ments Wnen the word to move hao pteh
given tho visitors speedily found that al
though they had been on the ROAD lor
over sixteen hours ana JOurneytd io,f
hundred miles, the hardest part ol the
entertainment was yet 10 come. foi-
lowing the guides IN strdgEnnb plONeo-
sion they went across the prairie for a
distance of FIVE hundred yatus, ana theh
commenced a pIecipitous descent OF
seldom-used wagon road tnat went IN Il
oilCuitOus way down TO the lilo Gidndc.
Then there was a tramp of four nun
dred yards more through sand ana mud
fun ankle deep TO the point where the
seNenty-iivo-foot pOntoon bridge had peen
stretched across the Rio Glande river.
which. swollen by recent rains. had Deen
changed from sluggish stream TO roar
ing torrent once across, the sports were
on the hottoms of the Mexican side, and
the canvass that enclosed the rins was
20 DE seen i'm the distance. Five minutes
more brought the Yefsriring and sore
footed pedestrians TO the entrance stiles.
where Bat MastersOn and Joe Nendig ex-
amined the pasteboard tickets and passed
the holders within.
THE RING.
A more ideal SPOT for such an event
could hardly have been selected. The cir
Gus canvas with which the battle ground
WAS enclosed was 20 feet In circumfer-
ence and sixteen feet In height Tho
ring was composed OF white pine covered
with white duck. and had an elevation Of
Tour feet. over IN the corner 20 the west
were TWO diminHtiye tents for the con-
yenience Of the principals in making their
inal preparations. tltzsimmons and Ma
htr with their attendants in the front
rank or the procession walked down but
Few yards apart. both reaching tho en-
c.osbre ih prOiuse state Of perspiration.
Inty were taken TO their tents and rub
bed down.
At O'Clock when Referee silcr an
holnctd that all was ready lS2 people
were at the ringside. the remainder of
the party. with the local contingent
having decided that a view from the
Texas NILS was preferable 10 the expon-
dlture OF so FOR a ticket. In response 10
Silar's call. Julian asked for ten minutes
delay. Quinn consented. and IL was read
ny granted AT 3:iJ FitzsimmOns, In
flannel robe. emerged from mis- quarters
and bounded up the steps OF the ring,
and selected as his corner the point 10
the west with his back 10 the Mexican
mountains. Mahor appeared minute
later and took his chair in the opposite
corner. facing the Mexican side and his
back 10 the spectators on the Texas
hill Maher had in his corner Jim Hall.
Buck Connolly. Peter Lowry Jack Quinn
and Peter Ryrnts while "Parsou' Davies
acted as his time.keeper. ifitZsimmons
bad behind him Martin Julian. Jack
Everhardt Jack SteleZener, and Jack Nc
Coy. while Burt Sneed, OF New Orleans
acted as time-keeper Then the i've
ounce gloves We're produced and fitted on.
QUARREL OVER THE STAKE.
The men We're about 10 strip their over
coats. when Julian called George Siier
10 the centre Of the ring. and the two
conversed quietly for couple Of minutes.
Al its conclusion SHcr demanded I'm
strenuous tones, rs Mr. O'Rourxe here2"
Il am" responded the BostOnian. whose
head barely came up to the level Of the
rims floor.
Have you the purse money!" sller
1T Is here" said O'Rourke. as he pro-
duced his wallet and waved two checks
in the air Fitzsimmcns was watching
the proceedings with keen interest AZ
the papers We're produced his lips curlei.
ana hc yelled. ."rhat STUFF don't 20. Ju-
liam. / want cash. How do we know
what those things are WORTH
asked Siler OF - tourke. while the crowd
pressed ia the neighborhood OF the TWO
men.
Yes. did" shouted the Boston man.
but DO You think | was fool enough
20 bring s-DOD with me in such dig
gngs as thesef 10 Is the frat time that
my honesty has been questioned | tell
you that the money is in the bank"
REFUSED 1nr.Jn3.
Matters .DoAcd aq.auy lOr time.
Julltu rocked g kOLfht sqsarciy In tne
lace deuuuty ana zala.
-NoDouy ever quesuoned your honesty.
bun Ne want ,ne money. NE VIII taAe
no cnecks.
Tnen addressing the crowd. he con-
tinueu.
~Ir there is any dissatisfaction. il IS
not Our fauit. We noulicd tne Iespou-
slDIe people several nays ago tnat ritz
simmons would not nsht unless tne money
was IN the ring.
Yes" ciifTupcd FltZslmmOns from his
corner. and they said u would De-.
PaIson Dawes MADE a remark az this
iuncture Ia the erect that Julian was
WastiIf time on boys nonsense. and stF-
eral or the spectators cried, Go on with
the light" Julan Fetorted that the
crowd had better keep their mouths shut.
as he did not intend 10 stand any oicta-
ZION from outsiders ana serious trouble
seemed imminent. when. Ike a tiger. the
COrnishman lCapcd 10 his feet and made
hls face lntaGomed with passion. fairiy
shrieked.
wen take the checks Z siye. IN 10
every bloody ihing they want 90 you
understandf We give in 10 this. even II
We don't get g."
The. crowd breathed more freely. AMI
Il rousing cheer VAS given for fitzsim-
mons. They then stripped
THEIR APPEARANCE.
Fitzsimmons had chosen for his ring
costume a nayy-bluc hreech cloth. with
"a belt OF stars ana stripes. His legs
wer. barr and his shoes Oi the standard
running shape Maher wore short-legged
black llghting pants. with a green belt.
From the moment the men had entered
the ropes it was patent TO everybody
that While the COrushwan was logged
for the fray and full OF confidence. his
ND AT