The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-08-20

van one of the most enjoyable events in
his public career.
Mitchell challenged him for a prize
fight, London ring rules, and they met
at Chantilly. France, on March 10, 1888.
The battle lasted tEirty-nine rounds and
was fought in the rain. Mitchell, after
his experience in New York, dreaded an
other blow from that powerful hst and
spent the entire time running around the
ring eluding Sullivan.
Sullivan was exhausted after chasing
the Englishman for so many rounds. He
repeatedly knocked him down but could
not knock him out. Mitchell was afraid TO
close in with Sullivan, even in the lat
ter's exhausted condition. and the referee
finally called the fight a draw.
After his return to America Sullivan
was very I'll with typhoid fever. largely
due to his intemDerate manner Of living.
When he recovered he was matched to
fight Kilrain. The affair took place in
July, 1889. at Richmond Mass. rI:der
London prize ring rules. and the suns
rays were so intense that the backs OF
both men were actually blistered by tine
heat. Kilrain was almost whipped at the
end of the sixth round. He began TO
tally after that and hung OH until the
seventy-fifth round, when, utterly ex-
llusted by running so Taucn ami by re-
p.ated knockdowns, his seconds gave uD
the fight
In the fall OF 1889 SuIiiyan concluded
that politics was his forte. He announced
that after thinking the matter over he
gresham from Boston. In his address II
the public he said: "Tha-e isn't a self
respecting American, no matter y hat
tomfool ideas he may have about boxing
II general who does not feel patriotic
pride at the thought that native born
American, a countryman Of his. can mex
any man on the face of the earth. AS to
my fitness for the place, can prove that
in a few words. A MON IS elec-td to
congress to look out fer the interests Of
those who send him there. Tint will DC
my motto. and living up to 1t will DC my
business" But he didn': 60 20 congress.
The people of Boston refused to take him
seriously as a politician, and in spite of
the fact that he made some speeches anc
that his friends made quite a campaign,
he devoted the next winter to the stage
as usual
Sullivan's last fight was in 1892. He met
Corbett September Z, at New Orleans
The amount of money, $500 was the
largest ever fought Cor. Dat Of this sum
$4,000 was offered 10y the club and s2o.J 800
was wagered by the hackers Of The prin-
C'pals. Sullivan fought for 4 lev rounds
nf ol7
corbett kept steadily away from him.
oniy crossing in now and then when he
lad good opportunity t. jab the cham
p:on with the clever punches for which
he was famous. He wore Sulli-an down
until he could resist no longer, and at the
end of the twenty-first round the ring
had a new champion.
No man in the history Of prize fight
ing was given the ovation that Sullivan
received that night, when he staggered
p.tifully to the front of the ring AMI
made short speech, in which he referr-
ed to the fact that he had fought once
too often.
From that time until the present, and
even before that, Sullivan passed the
winter months as the star attraction of
some play written to introduce him for
few minutes, or in giving exhibitions in
vaudeville entertainments. On the stage,
as well as In the ring, he earned ancrrl-
Gus sums Of money, of which he has
saved not penny.
For twelve years 1t is )es.ima led that
his total income was at least $500, 30. or
that amount he threw every cent to the |
winds. Sullivan has been known to order
"a much as $1,000 worth OF wine at a |
bar in a single night. There is little |
doubt that in the days of his prosperity |
he gave away at least $4,000 or SlOG.OO) |
each year to his friends. Any intimate |
of his who had bad luck could count |
upon ready assistance from 1.-The big fel- |
low" He gave his father and mother |
costly presents, for which they had lit |
lie use. and like the thrifty persons that |
they were. they sold many of them and |
realized hard cash on the gifts.
When Sullivan first started on the stage
he posed as model in representations OF |
Greek statuary. He was quite successful |
and the first company with which he ap- |
peared on the road played to crowded |
houses from New York to Chicago |
Wherever the company went Suli, an
would be followed about the city by a |
motley crowd, sometimes numbering as
many as two or three hundred persons |
\ stated intervals he would stop at some |
saloon and buy drinks for everybody.
l. was Sullivans daily habit in the |
DAYS of his prosperity. to get so or 80 |
worth Of silver in the morning and when |
h walked out in front of the hotel, or
on the streets where the urchins were |
who sold newspapers or BACKED /
shoes. Sullivan would scatter handfuls of |
silver in the crowd.
William MIldoon was the only person |
VINO ever seemed capable of putting Sui
livan in good condition for a fight He
trained him for his battle with kilrain. |
and sent him into the ring weighing ten
pounds more than was generally expect
ed. Muldoon explained it this way: 81
don't believe in sending a fighter into the
ring keyed up 10 his furtherest point OF
endurance. Sullivan. being a big man,
can readily take of ten or twelve pounds
In the first two or three rounds. II he
were down to finer weight he would begin
10 so backward after the first round of
BY carrying extra weight he
was in the best Of condition at the end |
~ the fourth round at Richburg"
Muldoon had Sullivan completely az his
mercy when training. He could handle
The big fellow easily when wrestling. Sui
livan got mad at MuldoOn one day and
attempted 10 whip his trainer. Muldoon
lodged the blow and caught hold Of Sui
livan and wiped up the floor with him"