Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-02-28


ING MATTERS.
"Siler says as low Hill 'av' to fight.
Him gettin' old a bit, and Pearce is
a bloomin' 'usky fellow. If Hi mixes
wi i'm, Hi may get 'urt. Him sure of
the bloody losin' end, and if Hi don't
warm up bit, the blarsted blokee II
stop it for a fake, an we're both out.
Blow me if Hi don't quit"
Some such soliloqy was made by
Stanton Abbott, the erstwhile cham
pion pugilist of England, in his class,
before he came up for the eleventh
round OF his battle with Leslie Pearce
last night. Abbott is a fakir of the
first water. He is not even a clever
actor in the ring. His conduct was
palpably clear case of quit" He had
such a tender regard for his own feel
ings that he could not, or would not ev-
en- attempt to color his yellow streak. Il
he IS a fair sample Of the pug from
across the pond, Gardner will have an
easy thing with the British champion.
Abbott has given the boxing game in
Wheeling another discolored optic.
AS a defensive fighter, Abbott is a
wonder. His block ng was remarkable
but no man ever won a fight without
doing some punching on his own ac
count. Abbott didn't punch. He con-
centrated all his knowledge of ring
tactics in the effort to prevent Pearce
from punching him. George Siler, of
Chicago, was the referee. Siler is all
right 1t would be high treason to say
anything else of him in Fistiana. He
saw there was no fighting, and after
consulting M. A. c. officials, he warned
the men that they would have to mix
matters.
Pearce acted in accordance with his
advice He took longer chances than
at any other stage of the game. Then
Abbott did truly remarkable thing
a thing which iustifes the suspicion
that. he coguitated along the lines in
Dictated in the opening chapter of this
pugilistic farce. He went down from
a shove, dropped again from clincb,
and Rugged the floor a third time
from the breeze caused by a sudden
motion from Pearce's business arm
above his head. Siler saw through the
scheme, as did everybody else. 1t was
transparent Siler did the proper
thing, although it is not in evil
dence that Pearce, who also fell under
suspicion was a party to the rankest
pugilistic fake in the history of the
M. A. c.
The preliminary was a six round go
between George Garlic, Of the Eighth
ward, and kid" Wank0, of Washing
the appearance and style of beginner
He worked on the defensive, but raised
lusty cheer in the first round by plaC-
ing several stiff let's on the neck and
chin. In the second earle was knock
ed sQuarely through the ropes. In
the fourth Wanko landed a right
handler suspiciously low, and weakened
Garlic. earle was going when the
gong sounded. In the fifth WankO
pushed earle against the ropes, and
as he bounded hack caught him square
ly on the chin with his right. He
went after Garlic fast. and the latter
Rugged to save himself. Wanko's
pace told on himself, and as the round
closed both were weak and groggy, and
earle unable TO land a blow In the
sixth earle was weak and resorted
to hugging Wanko handed out rights
and lefts to the jaw, but the local boy
stayed the limit. The decision was
very properly given to Wanko.
It was about $50 o'clock when the
principals in the main bout crawled
through the ropes. Each was cheered.
When Referee Georges Siler was intro
duced he was applauded, and the
crowd demanded a speech. Il am sor-
~ to say, gentlemen" he replied, that
| AM very poor speaker | have
never made a speech in my life I'M
less it was a short one like this We
have here tonight local man against
a stranger. We all want to see the
best man win, and as fair play is the
best and cheapest thing on the market.
! hope we will have it here tonight"
Siler announced that Jack Donovan.
Of Cleveland, challenged the winner.
and would post forfeit Of $50 at the
Register Office to-day.
The principals and seconds were
called to the center of the ring to re-
eeiye Instructions. and then retired to
heir corners.
Pearce opened up aggressively and
in the first round did practically all
the leading. No effective blows were
landed. At the close Of the round
Siler announced that the men agreed
not to hit in breakaways, or with one
lrm free.
In the second Pearce put hard left
swing on the face. There was some
very clever leading and blocking, but
40 punishment was inflicted. The