The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-18
WON By fllZ
CORBETT DEFEATED IN THE GREAT
BATTLE AT CARSON CITY.
Knocked Ont by n Left-Hand Punch
Below the Heart in the Middle
of the Fourteenth Round.
1T WAS A STAGGERING BLOW
AND WAS QUICKLY FOLLOWED BY
ANOTHER VICIOUS JAB
That FIoored the Californian and
Caused Him to Yell with Pain
Until Counted Out.
WILD SCENE in THE ARENA
DESPERATE EFFORT BY THE VAN
QUIsHED TO REACH THE VICTOR
And Renew the Fight. Despite the
Fact that the Referee Had Awarded
Ii to the New Zealander.
RING FILLED WITH A MOB
THAT HOwLED WHILE JIM WAS
CRYING FOR ANOTHER CHANCE.
Request of the Fallen Hero ScOrned
of the WorId-Fight by Rounds.

CARSON CITY, New. March 17.-Under
clear sky and in valley five thousand feet
above the sea, encirced by snow-capped
mountains which glistened in the bright
sunlight, making a picture such as was
never seen before on an occasion of the
kind, James j. Corbett went down to de-
feat to-day before Robert Fitzsimmons,
who became champion heavyweight pugilist
of the world. The victory was not gained
without a struggle; in fact, victory did not
seem possible for Fitzsimmons until the
last moment of the battle. He was giving
every indication of slowly going TO pieces
when he delivered a blow in vital part
and followed it with two others which sent
the Californian to the floor with the agony
Of pain and despair imprinted on his face
and he unable to rise within the limit
which would save him. When the defeated
champion finally arose. with the assistance
of his attendants, and recovered sufficiently
from his dazed condition TO realize the
calamity that had befalIen him he broke
out with all the fury of an enraged animal
and, discar>.ing all the rules which govern
the art of which he is a disciple, rushed at
his victorious opponent and made a vain
struggle to beat him over the ropes, only
desisting when his own seconds and friends
forced him away. And then the new cham
pon was borne to his dressing room amid
the cheers of the 5000 people who were in
the arena, accompanied by his seconds and
trainers and also by his wife. who had
watched the contest from position within
a few feet of the ringside, and who had
taken in every detail, even at the time
when Ii seemed that her husband would be
knocked insensible at her feet.
1t was a great contest, but notwithstand-
ing the cheers for the victor the majority
of those who witnessed the fight could not
but feel a sense of disappointment at the
result believing they did that victory
was taken from Corbett at moment when
he seemed sure of gaining it himself.
The contest was accompanied by the
usual delays which attend such affairs, due
largely to a wait for the hour when the
sunlight would be the brightest so that the
new electrical device the verascope. which
was located at the ringside, would be able
to obtain the best results in taking an
actual living picture of the fight. For two
hours before the men entered the ring the
crowds gathered in the arena, temporary
structure of vast dimensions, having the
canvas-covered ring in the center. with
row after row of plain boards, each rising
from each side, and with no covering but
the clear blue sky above.
CORBETT HAD EVERY ADVANTAGE.
1t was a moment after the noon hour
when the principals and their seconds ap-
peared, and both were greeted with great
cheers. George Siler. the referee. arranged
the few preliminary matters in short
time. and about 1910 the battle commenced.
Little was accomplished by either of the
men in the first round, but in the next few
rounds Corbett had every advantage. In
the fifth round he punished Fitzsimmons
severely, battering him on the face and
body until the blood streamed from his
face, and in the sixth he sank to his knees
to avoid punishment, remaining there
until nearly all the allotted time had ex-
pired. when he arose and succeeded in con-
tinuing the contest for the few remaining
seconds of the round. Nearly all the spec
| tators thought the end was at hand then.
but the Australian rallied and fought a
| game battle for nearly eight rounds more.
| though there were several occasions during
| that time when Corbett seemed to have had
him going He did land a number of blows
| on Corbett, and they were hard, too, but
they seemed to have little effect on him.
| AT the opening of the fourteenth and last
round Corbett looked the winner. Though
| somewhat tired, he was still strong and
was displaying more science. and continued
| TO pound the Australian and keep up the
| flow Of the stream of blood. And then came
| the final blow and the end. The blow
which ended the fight was a left-hand
punch delivered just below the heart 1t
WAS all the more effective for the reason
that Corbett was leaning backward when
il came. 1t caught him on the tenseIy
drawn muscles just over the spleen, and
must have caused the most intense agony.
| Corbett was more unconscious from pain
| than from the force OF the blow. AS he lay
writhing and groveling the floor his
| face presented the most CHASTITY appear
| ence imaginable. No man in last death
| struggle could have horrified the specta-
tors more. and his agonlzing cries of pain
could be heard above the cheers for the
| victor. And then followed the widest
scene of the day, when he arose to his feet
ana with all the strength he had left
rushed at has opponent and tried to finish
the contest. Those nearest the ring jumped
over the ropes in spite Of the efforts OF the
| police TO prevent them, and in moment
the entire inclosure was filled with a howl