The San Francisco call., 1897-07-24
The Referees Decision Meets
the Approval of the Spec
tatOrs.
Elmer, the Actor r-Pugilist, Puts George
Allen, the Australian, to Sleep in
Half Round.

| in his engagement with Dal Hawkins al
| the Mechanics Pavilion last night he
learned that there are ''others" - one
other, anyhow.
Hawkins was the short-e ender in the
betting, as was no more than natural, see
ing that he was going against the best
| little man of his inches, proba bly,, that
| the world ever produced Tor the roped
! arena.
The battle was fought out to the end,
twenty rounds being the limit, and
| Referee Welch's decision was that it was
| draw. And scarcely dissenting voice
was heard among the thousands who
attended the bruising match when he
announced his decree. He could not
| have done otherwise, for although from
| the scientific standpoint the coffee-col-
| ored lad from Boston might possibly
have had a shade the better of the scufhe,
still Hawkins acquitted himself so well
and returned the champions assaults
with so much zeal ard effect that TO have
| INDUCED in any hair splitting and given
| the decision 10 the visitor would have
ce rtainly met with demonstrative disap-
| proval on the part of the spectators.
But it was a great fight, the like OF
| which may not be again witnessed in
many a moon.
The only credit that the Empire Ath-
letic Club can take out of the affair is that
| 1t drew big house and was fortunate in
having the control of SO clever show.
Outside of that nothing but censure is due
this new mushroom concern. Its man
agement of the seatin arrangements, for
| instance, would have been disgrace to
an amateur affair. Many people who
gave up their good money for reserved
| seats went here to find others who had
tipped" the so-called ushers occupying g
their chairs, and being able to get no re-
dress from the management, had to con-
! tent themselves with standing up.
| Then none other but the promoters
were to blame for the squabbe that took
place in the ring previous to the main
event over the selection of referee. This
| is a matter that all well organized and
| managed clubs attend to before the men
strip for The fray and something for which
| the spectators do not pay to hear argued
| on the platform. The club selected Hiram
| B. Cook to supervise the contest des pite
the fact that Hawkins and his hackers OBJ
| iected to him. Cook is undoubtedly a
the club should not seek to force him into
the arena. The crowd. for some reason or
other, also objected to Cook and he was
finally compelled to retire.
But as to the tight-for that was the all
important event of the evening"" as
Master of Ceremonies Billy Jordan has
siereotyped ii.
Dixon and Hawkins came into the ring
shortly before 10 o'clock, accompanied by
their respective retinues, buckets, sponges
and towels. Hawkins was the first to ar
rive. He received great ovation from
the crowd in addition to all sorts of ad
vice.
He started to take the corner that AL
len, the defeated Australian had occupied
just previous to the big event, but his
frien in the gallery would not listen to
it, and he had to move. The Californian
was attended by Tim McGrath, Spider"
Kelly and Martin Murphy.
The men who we're behind Dixon were
Young Mitchell, Tam O'RourKe and Jack
Everhardt. The men scaled 128 pounds at
O. clock.
Cook was accorded a nasty Kissing when
Master of Ceremonies Jordan went to
in troduce him.
He smiled and seemed willing enough
to act, but when "Spider" Kelly, Haw-
kins' chief second, went into the middle
of the ring and protested, the oid-time
referee retired. Then there was long
spell of arguing.
These folks signed to fight under the
MARQUIS of Queens berry rules, and that
means hitting in the cllnches with free
arm," shouted Tom O'Rourke, Dixon's
mentor. Now they don't want to liyeu up
TO their agreement.
Master of Ceremonies Jordan announced
in behalf OF The management that
Hiram Cook was the choice for referee
and would have to be accepted.
Thereupon Cook reappeared within the
ropes and aroused more kissing.
"Anvbody but Cook" shouted Haw-
kins' hosts.
Look here" yelled Jim Neil, one of
Hawkins grooms, 1.-THE betting against
Hawkins was $100 to $75 at first, and now
1t is 500 to $40 What's the matter2 We
won't have Cook"
The crowd howled and hooted, hissed
and whisted in spells, and finally de-
mand ed that the battle GO on. Jordan re-
announced the managements decision
regarding Cook, but the Hawkins contin-
gent would not hear to it.
Dixon stepped out in the center, but
Hawkins would not meet him. Then there
was more noise, and it was kept up un til
Cook finally announced that he would
Withdraw in favor of Jack Welch of this
City.
Then the gong changed and the cham
pion and the clever local lad, who has his
eyes on the title, tripped up to the center
for their game OF fstlcuffs. 1t was seen
at a glance that Hawkins had the best of
it so far as height and range went and he
also looked TO be somewhat the heavier.
But 10 offset this Dixon had with him
that familiar agility, those steel like
muscles, all of his oid-time confidence.
He was the more scientific of the two, but
not the punisher. 1t was a eft-handed
battle on both sides.
The hostilities began with a light left
lead from Hawkins on the visitors mouth
that did no particular damage, but had
the effect of informing the local lad as to
his distance.
He tried again with his left, but this
time the colored boy ducked cleverly and
escaped, at the same time winning the
plaudits OF the admiring crowd. Dixon
then inaugurated series of rushes and
| clnches, driving Hawkins to the ropes,
and in the mix-up landing some fairly
hard blows, yet not damaging enough 10
jar Hawkins to any serious extent.
He landed one thump on the local lads
throat that caused him to guip, but DaI
recovered himself in ample time to pre-
vent any disaster He waited for the Bos-
ION wonder to come again, and this time
caught him with two hard let's on the
body-something that caused the little