The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-11
DICkEN AND STUART.
A Little Contest in Which the Prize
Fight Manager Was knocked Out.

Chicago Record.
In Omaha j talked with ]. j. Dickey, su-
perintendent of the western division of the
Western Union and he told me many in
teresting things about telegraph expert
ences at fights of later days. Colonel
Dickey went TO Ell Paso in his special car
to give personal supervision to the Fitz-
simmons-Maher contest and he says he
had the most instructive little visit which
ever befell a man trying to get out sew
eral millions of words and thereby earn
money for his company.
THE Mexican fight might just well
have been pulled off right there in Texas"
Colonel Dickey said 1T is true that the
miltia-or rather the state rangers-were
gathered to prevent it, but it always
seemed to me that a little daring and "a
few careful abductions the part of Stu
art would have solved the problem. OF
course, L speak as a telegraph man who
felt the hungry desire to have the event
somewhere near a telegraph line. L al
ways thought the long trip to Langtry was
unnecessary, and / believe so yet.
when | got to FL Paso." said the colo
mel, Il found things in the queerest con-
dition you could imagine. The first thing
which was thrown against me was an in
vitation by Dan Stuart TO contribute 2,C00
or he debarred Of ringside privileges for
nay lines. He said for the amount he would
allow me to string two wires up to the
ring. and If / did not pay il there would
be no telegraphing. / sat back and thought
for n little while, and calculated that there
was no earthly way for any other teie-
graphic concern to get any of the business,
as we were the only line within whole
lot of miles of that section. and i told him
| guessed we were not investing in prize
fob i1lSf 10 q N 10 a
hot. but / stood out.
ION the day before the train started for
Lanstry stuart came 10 me WIN Anxiety III
his eyes and asked If | couldn't help him
i'm particular way. He said he had
fixed upon Langtry as the only place to
hold the battle, but that If ii got out the
Mexicans might send lot of rurales there
and stop proceedings. He wanted me to
tell him how to prevent the operators on
the line from talking about the affair He
was going TO send a tralnload OF stuff
ahead, and if the operators goSSiped about
IL the intelligence was likely to reach the
MexicanS and his game would be up. The
superintendent of telegraph along the rail-
road line had refused to instruct the men
to keep out of the circuit with fight train
talk for he was afraid that such instruc-
ton might be construed as aiding and
abetting a prize fight according to the
Texan law. / agreed 10 help him, for
was by no means anxious TO have the
thing snoied and so informed our man at
Langtry that il was "A case where the com
pany expected to handle lot OF tele-
graphing. anu dlll tdih NOulu Dt uk6I- 10
jeopar dize our chances The train conduc-
tor was also asked to keep the destination
of his train a secret as was the dispatch
ing force. The result was nobody knew
about the train. ard even the operators
along the road did not understand that the
special they were 'o-s-ing' was carrying
the kaleidoscope and ring material.
ION the way 10 Langtry Stuart sent word
10 our manager. who was on board that
il would cost $500 for him to equip u tele-
graph office at Langtry. Stuart repre-
scented that unless that amount was paid
he and his men would that no tele-
graphing was done.
None at all?' | asked
a. oh he said. Il may want you to send
some kilograms for me. but you won't be
allowed TO send out any press matter or
other message
. Well. Mr.. Stuart he was told, we are
running this telegraph business. You can
run your fight il you want 10. but We shall