Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-11-23

snating rink. Inc ring is pitched in the
center of the house and the boxes are
Duilt around 1t. On each end of the box
enclosure tier upon tier Of chairs are
ranged on gradually inclined structure
winch very nearly touches the roof at
ooth ends of the building. Along each
size OF the structure are long galleries
running nearly the entire length of the
mouse. and these were partitioned into
small boxes which were considered the
pest possible places of vantage. The view
from any part of the building was unob-
structed.
The doors of the big building were
thrown open shortly after 5 O'clock AT
thats early hour hundreds of people were
waiting patiently in front of the club
| mousse on Lexington avenue. AS soon as
! the iirst corners proceeded through the
tufhstlies others took their places on the
| OUTSIDE, and this continued for over three
hours. The crowds were kept in order
by large force of police under Inspector
Mclaughlin and Capt. Brown.
| Inside the building all was hustle and
excitement, but at o'clock, the house
was. scarcely half filled. This was ac-
counted for by the fact that the big
event was not scheduled to take place I'M
| til about 10 o'clock The gambling in
stinct was in evidence as soon as the
sports began to gather in the boxes.
| Corbetts stock was always in prefer
| ence and the odds on the big Californian
opened at 100 to so. The betting was as
| lively as on former occasions, when fight
ers of less note have met in this arena.
So much betting had been done during
!, ~,
ing resorts throughout the city that the
slackness of the wagering on the spot
did not indicate any lack of interest in
| the heavyweight bout.
A few minutes before o'clock, Sharkey
arrived. He received an ovation from
the crowd outside as he drove up to the
club house accompanied by George
Dixon and Bob Armstrong, his colored
handlers.
BY $50 nearly every seat in the house
was occupied. Bankers and brokers of
prominence, lawyers of note and bust
ness men. representing nearly every
phase of trade mingled with well
known politicians and held animated
conversations in close proximity to the
ringside. One well-known member of
the Produce Exchange took the Sharkey
end of one of the largest wagers of the
night, which was $500 to $1,000 on Cor
bett Joe Vendig laid the odds on the
Californian.
The first of two preliminary bouts
was begun at S.45 o'clock. The princi-
pals were two local boxers, Jack Sui
livan and Charley Schultz, who We're
announced to go 10 rounds at 135
pounds. This proved to be a smuggling
match totally devoid of science. 1t
was full of ginger, however and it
amused the spectators. The men had
hardly shaped themselves for the sew
enth round when Schultz put over a
straight right hand smash full on Sui
livan's jaw, down and practically out.
The referee, Charley White then stop
ped the bout and declared Schultz the
winner.
During the progress of this bout
there was a connection in a box at the
ring side. Kid Mccoy, the pugilist,
who is to meet Peter Maher at Coney
Island, next month. had gained adfnis-
sion to the arena disguised with false
black whiskers and moustache. Some
days ago, Tom O'Rourke the manager
of the club, forbade Mccoy the priv
ilege of entering the clubhouse al
though the Kid had been engaged by
a morning newspaper to write the
story of the big fight A careful watch
was kept by the men at the doors so
that he could not get in, but he baffled
their vigilance With his disguise.
AS soon as he took his seat at the
ringside. Mccoy was recognized
and he removed his false whiskers.
Detective Sergeant Armstrong ordered
Mccoy to leave the building but the
Kid refused. Then Armstrong and
Detective Mulholland urged Mccoy to
leave, and caught him by the arms, at
the same time pushing him through
the crowd. Mccoy left very reluctant
w. protesting as he went. The officers
left Mccoy at the entrance to the
building and he walked out on Lexlng-
ton avenue. AS he passed the door
on his way out Mccoy demanded
passout check and was accommodated.
The incident caused a great deal of eX-
citement but the spectators soon calm
ed down.
The second preliminary bout brought
| Kid Harris of Chicago, and Charlie
| Roden of Jersey City, together. They
| boxed at 10S pounds. Harris had the
Roden had a wonderful supply of
pluck and aggressiveness. In the
! ninth round Harris almost Knocked
| Roden off his feet with a cross on the
law. Harris then went after his man
and had him reeling when the gong
sounded with lefts and rights on both
| laws. When Roden went to his cor
ner it was found that his jaw was
broken and Charley White stopped the
bout and awarded the fight to Harris.
Roden was cheered for his gameness.
During the interval between the Har-
| ris-Roden bout and the arrival of the
big fellows betting of the livelieSt kind
| took place.
Many big wagers were taken, some OF
| them amounted to thousands of dol
lars. Some of the biggest bookmakers
in the country were among the most
interested bettors and they bet both
WAYS whenever an opportunity offered.
Some of them were simply gambling
on the event trying to pick winner,
while others could not forego the chance
of making a per cent book. Joe Uli-
/ man was one of the latter sort and his
bets were as varied as they were num-
erous. He always looked for the shade.
Corbett's hackers forced the price OF