Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-03-27

Returned Last Night and Will Remain
Here Several Weeks.
THE CUT OVER HIS RIGHT EYE
HAS NEVER HAD AN OPPOR-
TUNITY TO HEAL--DIXON WILL
NEVER MEET THE KID"
A AIN, BUT is WILLING TO
BACK HIM-THE TRUTH ABOUT
CHARGES AGAINST THE NAT
IONAL GAME-AVERAGES OF
OWLERS-OTHER SPORTING
MATTERS.

Oscar Gardner returned hor,e 'yester-
day afternoon from Hot Springs, after
fighting a ten-round draw with Eugene
Bezenah in indianapolis, Saturday
night. The busiest boxer in the bust
ness has a good color and clear eye,
but there is long cash over the right
eve. which he received in his fight with
Flaherty in New England some weeks
ago, and which his many subsequent
ENGAGEMENTS in the roped arena have
prevented from healing. Gardner per-
sists in ignoring the advice OF his
friends, and will probably continue IN
his present course until ne goes
against it" right, and receives a knock
out blow from an inferior man.
Somehow, such thing as defeat
never appears to figure in the calcula-
tions of the kid" If a man is top
notcher. Gardner will insist that he
weigh approximately the same as him-
self; il he is a recognized dub, ne
can come in at a ton. Show him a
reasonable purse. and he will have to
be overmatched in everything II ne de-
clines to sign articles OF agreement.
If three boxers want to take advantage
Of his popularity to pull few dollars
for themselves, and all want the same
date. he will compromise by hshtlns
the three inside of week. so ne mas
gone up and down, and across tne
country, handing out a sassy slap mere
and a stomach jab there, nipplng cham-
nionsbin aspirants in the bud, and de-
stroying pugilistic regulations. IL
bo don't come out on top, he at least
gets a draw.
Occasionally the "Kid" listens to rea-
son long enough to announce tna' -
proposes to take rest. hen INC p- 17
and little guns in Flstlaha aie
uointed toward him, ana nre lneil
hroa0sides until he finally loses lelhpoi
and invites them to come on one a. q
time. In this manner was ual uiioi
derived of the much neeueu VS.
which he sought at Hot Springs. ne
had no sooner settled down to recuper-
ate his strength and energy than there
was a barking and snarllng OF al! tne
"would-be's" and "has-beens until Ne
fought three of them, two OF whom, al
least. were big enough to eat MIN anu
store him away in one corner OF thelr
capacious and rapacious bellies.
Gardner fought Flaherty IN New
Haven. CT. Flaherty is fellow whose
construction of Marquis OF Queensoury
rules permits scratching, biting ana
gouging. He carried a cast-lron head,
with which he butted the Kid in the
face, cutting a deep cash, two lnches
long, over his right eye. physician
dressed the wound temporarily win
court-plaster. That night, before retlr-
ing, Gardner removed the plaster The
wound was black, the bone was reveal
ed. Gardner tainted A physician
was called, and took several stitches IN
the wound. Two or three days later,
Gardner met and bested Joe Hopkins,
but the wound was reopened. 1t has
been reopened three times since.
There was never gamer fighter
than Oscar Gardner. His pluck COM
mands the admiration of every lover
of pugilism. But how long will it be
until his long record OF victories IS
spoiled by clear defeat? He is en-
titled to the worlds championship in
his class, and if he is wise he will avail
himself Of one of the prerogatives OF
championship, the selection Of his OPP
ponents from the big body of chal-
lengers.
=, George Dixon told me that he
would never meet me again. said
Gardner, last night, and this is virtual
admission of Gardeners title to cham
pionship claims. Gardner says that in
the same conversation, Dixon expressed
a willingness to back him with $4,000
of his own money against any boxer in
the world in his class. With reference
to his contemplated trip to England,
Gardner stated that negotiations are
still in progress.
will you remain in Wheeling until
your eye heals?"
"Well-well, don't know-I can't
say