The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-09
ART ENJOY A MIDNIGHT
REVEL
UNDER A SIXTH STREET STORE
AL ROY AND BILLY BoEsEL, LOCAL
LIGHTWEIGHTs, FOUGHT TO A
DRAW,
IHterruptfng the Match Just When
the Fever of Battle Was ut Its
Height.

Hit 'em again! Soak him on the
jaw! Bravo! Wasn't that beaut?
Fine, go it old boy! Gee, whiz! did
you see that upper cut? If it had ever
landed it would have been knock
out, sure. Reckon this amt the real
lads can't fight little bit; they are
just sparring for points, amt they?
Nit, yes! 1 don't think"
A bell sounded and all was still.
Gradually a hum of voices arose, too
low to be distinctly heard, but I'M
mistake bly, voices in animated CONVEX
sation.
"rime!' suddenly called a gruff voice
easily discernable over the murmur-
ings, and all other sounds died in
scuff1ing of feet.
Biff, bang, and then the strange
cries could again be heard. Good,
swing on his head" and a gutteral
ugh told that some one had followed
instructions.
Strange sounds these to be issuing
from the basement of a store in the
business district, but they smote upon
the ears of pedestrians near bust
ness house on Sixth street, near Wa
basha, at 11:30 Friday night, and be-
lated citizens paused to discover their
source. No lights were visible in the
store, and no signs of occupancy could
be seen about the place. But the uh-
usual sounds continued. Hurry1ng
feet, low murmurings, occasional
CHI thOn0h
from a distance, and frequent out
bursts of gutteral laughter, came ap-
parently from the bowels of the earth,
suggesting a revel of the inferno. Be-
wildered and unsatisfied, those seeking
to locate the sounds gave up the rath-
er uncanny investigation and wended
their respective ways in mysuhed
WOnderment.
After while three policemen ap-
preached the store and cautiously stole
through all alley-Way to the rear. They
evidently had a date with the strange
sounds, or were intent upon surprise
party. Cautiously gaining rear door
way, the bluecoats listened intently.
They smiled and nodded to each other
in undoubted recognition Of the Sepul-
chral sounds. They appeared to have
heard the same noises before. one OF
the policemen knocked on the door. In
1t was nearly fifteen minutes before
the knock was answered by the open
ing of the door, ard then the policemen
found themselves in the brilliantly
lighted basement around which was
gathered a number of well known cit
liens. Lawyers, doctors and politicians
were alike represented in the company.
An alderman shrank, to the size OF an
ordinary mortal, as the bluecoats
walked into the room, and the poi1ti-
clans chewed viciously on the ends Of
their cigars At the far end Of the
basement a leading young legal light,
who once cherished congressional am
billions, stood beside a table in oratori-
cal pose. His lips moved and an occa-
sional gesture told that he was ad-
dressing the audience. The audience
did not seem to mind this however, and
all with their backs to the speaker,
gazed anXiously at the policemen.
MY friends the lawyer was saying,
'this is a crucial movement. We are
on the eve of a great battle, and it ap-
pears that treachery is at the last mo-
ment to prove our undoing. Already
two rCunds-er, that is, I mean the
struggle for supremacy has been partly
settled, and we find the enemy in our
midst, spreading CONSERVATION through
out our ranks. Our party is in dan
ger Only ten minutes more and the
match beg pardon, you must excuse
my phraSeology, | mean the battle,
would have been won. Had we but a
little more time in which to carry on
this bloody fray, it's cinch we would
have seen as pretty knockout as was
ever pulled off. In other words this
fight would have been Waged to a finish
and every one would have gotten his
81 worth, but unfortunately there must
have been a traitor in our midst, every
party has it's Judas, fellow citizens,
bear that in mind, but, DIS [ was about
to remark, while the contest ragged it
! was good fight of which we may we'll
be proud, and now that the stuff is off
we may as we'll call it a draw and de-
clare all bets Off"
The policemen were somewhat puz-
zled at first and thought they had
broken in upon a Fourth ward political
meeting, but upon meditation conclud-
ed this could not be, as the Chairman
whose address they had interrupted
| was a red-hot Democrat, the alderman
who got small with their entrance, a
| dyedin- the-wool Republican, while
throughout the audience were recog-
| niZed citizens of every political faith
| Still the policemen might have gone
| away with the idea that a new party
was being formed, but a sight of two
| red-faced young men with disheveled
! mar, leaning against the wall with
strained efforts to appear interested in
| the remarks OF the chairman" was
like search light upon a sea of I'M
| certainty.
The young men We're CAP Roy and
Billy" Boesel, local lightweight pugi-
lists of more or less ability and loca-
| fame. Boesel has not done much fight
| ing except in exhibitions, but Roy is
regarded as "a few" and mutual friends
who admire the art of self defense. ar.
ranged for finish fight between the
scrappers for purse of 5000 In order
| that there might be no police inter.
| ference to stop the fight before g
| Knockout the practically isolated
| ba sement was selected for the meeting
place and those on the inside" giver
the tip where to assemble. They spent
from to nearly half past II O'Clock
sneaking in, one at time, in order tc
avoid suspicion, but the police "go1
next and got around in time to put 81
end to the scrap shortly after the sec.
ond round opened. The men had hard.
| ly gotten warmed UP and as neither
had any advantage at this stage of the
| contest the fight was declared a draw
and the purse divided equally between
the principals. No arrests were mad,
as every evidence of the fight excep
the audience and the "pugs'' had van.
ished before the police were admitted
Both Roy and Boesel were fully dressed
and no mats, gloves or other ring para.
phernalia could be found.