Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-11-09
Teffries Gets Decision After
Twenty-Five Rounds.
FIGHT TO THE LIMIT.
After Being Knocked Down In the Secs
ond Round tho Sailor Sets a Ter-
rifle Pace, but is Unable
to Hold Out.

Afies Is SUN the champion heavyweight
pugilist of the world. After twenty
five rounds of fierce fighting between
the boiler,naker and Thomas Sharlsey
last night, Jeffries got the decision on
points. For Il moment the crowd that
thronged the Coney Island Sporting
clubhouse could not believe that Ref
cree George Siler had so decided, but
when ii realized that the big boiler
maker had won it went wild with de-
light, for Jeffries was easily the favor
lie. He had Sharkey very weak and
tired In the last round and was trying
hard to finish him when his left glove
came off. AS the glove fell to the
floor he punched the sailor with his
right just as the gong ended the ter
rifle battle between the two greatest
giants that ever met in an American
prize fight. So fierce was the struggle
that Tom o'Rourke announced that
two OF Sankey's ribs were broken.
Sharkey was the aggressor from the
start. he opeced up the fighting in
each round without ceremony and kept
insisting on fighting every inch of the
way. 1cffres let him have his way
for the most part superbly defending
himself, and after the sailor had tired
himself out took the initiative and was
the finish. He freshened at the last
and was strong and fast, while the sail
or had hard work to go the distance.
Jeffries wins fortune. The gate is
very large. few vacant seats appearing
in n house shat sells out at something
over 100000. Of this amount the
fighters get G6 2-3 per cent; rs per cent
OF this goes to Jetfries, rs to Sharkey,
the loser.
At .9:45. after the close of the pre-
liminhry, Sharkey Followed by Jetfries.
entered the building, and the crowd
arose us one man TO yell for the giants.
Several minutes elapsed before any
movement was made 20 get the men
into the ring, and the crowd showed
its impalience. Il had not long 10
wait, however, but the glare from the
mutoseope picture lights was bad and
proved 10 he douisly hard on the fight
ers.
In spite ofTtlie storm there was hard
" Il vacant sea. in the enormous barn
when, on The s,.olss of 10, sharkey en-
tered the ring. The Irish sailor was
greeted WIFI Wild cheers long pro-
longsa and he climbed quickly under
the fierce white l'eat that beat down
upon The ring. He wo-e the green
4crochctea trunks Ilade by his mother
in old Ireland ard 4 belt of red, white
and blue. Sharkey's seconds, Tom
O'Rourke (his manager), Tim Nc
Grath CHS .rairer) and George Dixon,
followed him and stood behind him
when he took his seat in the southwest
corner.
Eslotclscs on JefFriex' body.
The cheers that greeted the sailor
were surpassed in intensity aud dura-
tion when The favorite. Jetfries, clam
bered through the ropes three minutes
later The big{ Matchmaker was met
half way hys Sharkey and the two men
shook han,lss Jaffries then going to his
corner, the same from which he came
when he whippe, Fitzsimmons. His
seconds were his brother, jack, Tom
my Ryan and Ernest Roeber, the wres-
tier, Delaney being conspicuously alb
sent. Jeffries wore dark trunks belt
ed with an American flag. His appear
ance surprised his admirers, for his
body was covered with red blotches.
All the fighters noticed the terrific
heat, and McGrath put wet sponge
on Sharkey's head to protect him.
Timekeeper Riley Madden and George
Siler had entered the ring, and they.
too, felt the heat While the men were
waiting Jim Corbett and Bob Fitzsim-
mons each challenged the winner. AT
1872 O'Rourke fastened pair of
bright orange-colored gloves on the
sailor, and Tommy Ryan at the same
time was putting on a pair Of dull ecru-
shaded ones on the hands of the boiler
maker. Three minutes later the men
received their instructions from Refe-
rec Siler, and at 1916 the clang of the
sonorous gong started the great fight.
Story OF the Fight.
The detail Of the fight follows:
Round 1-Sharkey rushed in, swing
ing his left and landed on Jeff's Jaw.
They broke away and spared cautious
ly until Tom rushed again with a left
swing, but Jeffries sent him back with
left jab to the face Sharkey, after
some sparring ,essayed left swing and
followed it up with right which land
ed back of the head. Then in another
rush he forced JEFF to the ropes with
out doing any damage, but moment
later he sent right to Jeff's cheek and
jeff clinched. They came to the CEN
ter and jeff tented with his left. Shar-
key broke ground, but came right back
only to get stiff left hook from jeff
which landed on face. JEFF seemed a
trifie slow, while Sharkey was all ac-
tion. and jeff sent his right to the necl,
and Tom tried to rip his right across
the body, but failed to land. They went
to clinch, from which they were sep
arated by the bell.
Round 2-They met in the center OF
the ring, with Shhrkey doing the rush
ing, swinging his right for the head,
but JEFF got inside of it, and Sharkey
rushed again, but at close quarters got
his left to the face. JEFF returned the
blow, landing his left squarely on the
chin, and Tom went down in neutral