The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-05-18
STIRRING SCENES
AT THE OLD FIGHTS
Story Of the Days Of Jem Mace and
COburn.
BARE KNucKLEs AND TURF PERIOD
One Enthusiast Robbed Six Times.
Tough Mob of Biacklegs, Crooks
and Dead Games Were the Patrons
ofLong Ago and the Bruising Had
to BE Done on the Quiet.

If you want to hear some good stories
get a lot of the old-time sports together
and listen to the tales they tell or
events that happened so far back that
none of the younger members OF the
party can tell whether or not they are
confning themselves to the truth or
drawing on their imaginations.
1t was such a group as this, writes
Hyder All, chat | ran into the other
evening in a downtown sporting resort,
and here is one of the stories spun by
an old-timer, who declared that he was
telling the truth, the whole truth and
nothing but the truth-a statement
that was received rather incredulously
by the listeners:
Il used to be an enthusiast regarding
ring matters when / was young
man." he said, but that was long be-
fore glove contests became popular,and
when battles were fought with bare
knuckles and on the turf, and when
sheriffs or their deputies had either to
be lodged or squared before a mill
could be pulled off.
Il had been present at the ringside
when John c. HCenan, the Benicia boy,
fought Morrissey, and had crossed the
big pond to see the famous battle with
Tom Sayers and so when Mace and
Coburn began talking fight l made up
my mind that would see that battle,
if there was any possible way to get
to the ringslde. / was pretty prosper
Gus In those days; knew almost every
member of the sporting fraternity in
the country that was worth the know
ing, and was ripe for anything in the
sporting line that came alorg.
BLACKLEGS AND THIEVES.
"The match, as some of you will
remember, was to have been pulled off
in Canada, at a point not so very far
from Erie, Pa, and it was there that
found myself one night surrounded
by about as tough a mob OF black
legs, thieves and sports as ever a man
! ran across. 1t was in the dark hours
of the night that we took boat for
the scene of the proposed battle-a
battle that never took place, by the
| way.
II had a gold watch and $3.50 in my
pocket and a diamond stud in my shirt
when 1 started, but l did not have
them for long. Before we had gotten
gone, how, when or where I could not
for the life Of me have told.
BILLY Tracey, of New York, was in
the party, and there was not a bank
burglar, pickpocket, sneak thief or con-
| fidence man In the country in those
| days that Billy did not know and stand
in with him. Seeking MIN out, told
him Of my predicament.
fhpN,,N,n
| spark and turnip already, have they?'
he laughed. Well you stand right
here and I'll get them for you
Il stood there. and in a few mo-
mnts he came back with all of my
| belongings, and as he handed them to
me he cautioned me to be more care
| full in future. 1 was careful; but just
as sure as you're born they had ev-
erything away from me again in less
than twenty minutes. Again 1 sought
! Tracey out and again told him my
tale of woe. He bade me stand still
and await his return as before.
| did so, and was again given my prop
erty.
How about the fight? oh, the Devil;
| there wasn't any fight Somebody had
! tipped off the spot where the ring was
tiles, and Just in the gray of the morn
ing, after the ring had been pitched
| and the men had faced each other
there went up cry Of 'Police!'
WAS A REGIMENT.
Lord, what a scattering there was.
IT wasn't the police, though, but
regiment called the Queens Own, that
| had been sent out to see the battle
| should not take place on Canadian soil.
! The glimmering Of their scarlet coats
| through the trees was the first warm
ing of their approach that we had.
! over the fences and through the un-
| derbrush we scurried like a lot of
| scared rabbits, and, though the greater
part of the crowd managed to get away,
| there We're some of us who were not so
lucky, and what fell into the hands of
| the Philstines. / ran straight into the
| arms of a stalwart red-coat the first
crack Of the box, spent three days in
a Canadian jail, paid fine of $50 and
| shook the dust of Canada Off my feet,
declaring that would never again set
| my foot across it's border
| Did | go south to see them when
they came together the second time?
Not on your bootjacks / didn't. l had
! one nice little experience in following
up the fighters and ! made up my mind
then and there that l had enough Of
| the game. ] have never been to a pro-
| vide since-that is, one that was not
Vduchsafed by the law It's much
nicer to be protected in the pursuit OF
! sport than it is to be hunted like a
wild animal, and on that fact you can
| W a