The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-09-22
ROEBER STRANGLED
WRESTLER M'GEE
JACK sKELLY's UNKNOWN is
THROWN BY THE CHAMPION.
But the Trick Was Accomplished
Only with the Use of the Strangle
Hold--Barring That 1t Was Pain
That Roeber Could Not Have Done
the Trick-Large Audience at the
Academy Went Wild During the
81 Minutes and 20 Seconds That
the Bout Lasted.

Ernest Roeber, champion GraeCo-
Roman wrestler of the world at the
Academy of Music last night, succeed
ed in throwing Jack Skelly's unknown.
Jim McGee, Of Hamilton, Ont. inside
the stipulated twenty-five minutes.
Eoeber incidentally saved his $50.
which he was to have forfeited If he
failed, and won side wager of $50
The house was packed with sport -lov-
ing people who had become interested
through ROBBERS failure to throw Nc
Gee Tuesday night and his loss of $50
thereby.
MCGEE is better known as ATLAS" of
Boston. Under that name he has given
champions and aspiring champions lots
of trouble and has won much of the
latters' money during the rast few
years. He knows every trick in the
wrestling trade, is a man of prodCious
strength and. while not claiming the
ability to throw the champion. has
risked his money on the proposition
that Roeber could not throw him. Put
he made a mistake in not barring the
strange hold for last nights match.
by the use of it Rceber choked McGee
until he was blue in the face and had
his two shoulders on the mat after
II minutes and 90 seconds from the call
of time.
REFEREE SELECTED,
There was no repetition of Tuesday
nights delay in selecting a referee.
The principals knew that in the audi
ence was "Eilly" Roche, of New York
city, manager of Mysterious Billy"
Smith, who is to box Jim Judge in this
city next Monday night. They agreed
upon him and he was called to the
stage. According to the articles sign
ed at the Westminster hotel Tuesday
night no holds We're barred and flying
and rolling falls oft the mat were
not to count. Only pin falls We're to
count and ii was agreed on the stage
that three seconds down must elapse
to constitute a fall.
At the call of time the men fiddled
for hold for the space of minute.
| MCGEE finally went down and for four
or live minutes prevented Roeber from
finding a hold. MCGEE finally wrig-
gled off tha mat and after a brief de-
lay work was resumed. McGee again
chose the defensive and after slipping
out of a half Nelson secured body
hold on Roeber from the rear. The
champion was occupied nearly two
minutes in breaking it.
McGee had been angered by an elbow
blow in the face and rushed Roeber
off the mat and against the arch at
the left of the stage. McGee's temper
was no better when they were called
to the center. He rushed the cham
| pion again this time to the rear of the
stage and under the curtain. After re-
| turning to the mat McGee quickly
sought a PROSTATE position. He broke
| a second and then a third half Nelson
and finally half-strangle hold.
GOT THE STRANGLE HOLD.
Roeber worked his left arm into an
opening and twisted McGee almost
upon his back. Roeber got one arm
! free and secured a full stomach hold
| Roeber was in sitting position with
NcGee's back upon his left knee. The
champions muscles began to contract
and McGee's eyes to protrude. The
| latters face grew darker as Roeber
continued to stransle and to force his
opponents head downward to the floor.
| The head finally dropped from ROBBERS
knee but with a last grand burst of
strength he kent his shoulders above
the canvas. The strain, however, was
more than he could stand. Gradually
his shoulders sank and at last settled
| squarely on the mat
Referee Roche waited the full three
seconds and gave his decision to Roe
Der after q minutes and 20 seconds of
wrestling. During the progress of the
bout the audience was wild with en-
thusiasm. The sympathy was with the
beaten man. At the conclusion of the
match, Skel'y in McGee's behalf chal-
lenged Roeber to wrestle for $3.50 a
side at Music hall next Monday night
as a curtain raiser to the Smith Judge
boxing contest. Roeber was forced to
decline as the bookings for his com
pany interfered with such an arrange