The Monmouth inquirer., 1897-09-02
THE GREAT FIGHT.
As SEEN BY A YOUNG MAN IN THE
vERIScOPE PRODUCTION.

An Entertaining Letter From One who
witnessed the veriscope's Reproduce
tien of the Now Famous Corbett-Fitz-
simmons Fight.
The papers, large and small, all ov-
er the country, have for sometime
been SO full of statements, most of
them contradictory, made by experts
on the subject of the recent Corbett-
Fitzsimmons prize fight at Carson
City. that l wondered, as | settled into
my seat at the Academy of Music if
your readers would not be interested
in hearing how the veriscope's repro
duction of that now famous event
struck one not wholly initiated-in
reading a simple statement of what he
saw and how it impressed him. That
is why the following is written. With
out apology for my subject, ] invite
them to see the contest, as reproduc-
ed through my eyes. (No charge for
use of eyes
The Academy was well filled with an
assemblage mostly masculine, though
there were some women present, all OF
whom seemed eager to see the battle
of science and Drawn fought over
again; a partisan crowd, with admir-
ers of both the American and Austria
lian in it; a vociferous crowd, too.
like most New York crowds-not afraid
to speak its mind. Everybody was in
tent on seeing how much of what has
been written about these pictures is
true. and bent. on finding out the rights
of the disputed points.
The stage appeared just as it used to
at home when the good old magic Ian
tern lectures were given, and suave
and gentlemanly individual in dress
suit was present to tell the crowd what
it was seeing. The orchestra played
my Gals High Born Lady, the gall
lery-gods hooted energetically and
then the house grew dark and the can
vass sheet light. Suddenly it darkened
again and then, out of the blackness.
appeared the ring with a group OF
men in it, and tall rows of seats all
about, like the bleacherieS at the Polo
Grounds, all packed with men, and,
in the distance the snow covered Sier-
ras. At one side of the ring, lanky
figure in a bath-robe is wandering up
and down, restless, as wild beast
roams about it's cage. That is Fitz-
simmons. Looking past him, over into
the audience, one can see Mrs. F'itz-
simmons and John l.. Sullivan. In the
ring are Billy Madden, AL. Smith, the
stake holder; Geo. Siler, the referee;
Charley White, Corbett's trainer
Martin Julian, Billy West, of Primrose
& West, and the physician. The ropes
are about as high as mans shoulders.
In front of the ring is seated Muldoon,
the official time keeper, in charge OF
the gong. Now Corbett vaults lightly
over the ropes, greeting his friends
with a smile. He, too, is clad in a
bath-robe and dances about the ring,
testing the floor. During a delay that
is maddening, the doctor examines the
gloves of both men. Corbett, too, is
now pacing the floor, and, accidental
1y, but as if by previous arrangement,
the two pugilists march forward, side
by side, and lean against the ropes di-
rectly in front of the ffesh-and-b blood
audience. CorDett looks like big
school-boy, ready for game OF tag.
Fitzsimmons makes one involuntarily
think of serpent; he lobks crafty and
mean. Martin Julian watches for
F'itz., as Corbett's gloves are put on,
while White sees Fitz's. donned for
Corbett Then off come the bath-robes,
there is activity in both mems corners
as the preliminary rub down is taken
and then Billy Madden introduces Cor
bett, Fitzsimmons and Siler to the au-
dience and orders the two former to
shake hands. Corbett comes forward
with bound Fitz. refuses. Then the
gong sounds and the battle royal is
on!
You see all this. Perhaps it isn't
edifying but it makes your heart thump
and sends chilly feeling over you and
you grasp the arms of your chair and
watch with all your eyes. You see the
two men come together and almost
hear the sound of Corbett's blow as
his glove strikes Fitz's mouth. Clinch-
es come often, too often, one feels, and
Coi5ett always strikes Fitz. in the
breakaways It's a shame that the
sound of the blows and the cries of
the crowd could not have been repro
duced, for they would have made per-
feet a thrilling scene. 1t is thrilling!
AS they follow each other about the
ring, Corbett dancing away from the
Australians savage blows, only to
come back and hit him one that makes
him reel, you forget that it's fearfully
emotional and you laugh and stamp
alternately, animal that you are, and
whistle, yes whistle!
Up to perhaps rhe tenth round Fitz
never seems to hit Corbett ef-
fectively. Corbett, on the contrary,
showers blows on his adversary. You
can see that Fitz's face is covered with
blood, but he fights like a demon and
it must hWe discouraged Corbett to
see how little effect his powerful blows
had on that iron frame. He is made a
chopping- block Of for Corbett hits
him as he pleases. but those blows,
though they tear his skin and open
his lips do not seem to weaken him.
The fighting is rather yellow" in the
fifth round but the sixth is vicious and
Corbett drives his man about the ring,
punching him again and again, It'll
Tys L.