The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-11-07

Coney Island, New York, November
3.-James j. Jeffries retains the cham
pionshlp Of the world, Referee George
Sler giving him the decision at the
end OF the twenty-ffth round over
Sailor Tom Sharkey at the Coney L.
Ian sporting club tonight. 1t was one
OF the most marvellous battles that has
taken place, and the greatest crowo
that ever gathered in the Coney Islano
Club house witnessed the desperate
struggle for supremacy.
In five rounds Jeffries had the better
OF the fight, in the first two and in the
last three. During the other twenty
Sharkey forced the issue. and like q
bullterrier was at his man with both
hands increasingly. In those twenty
rounds Jefries' great weight and Drawn
helped him to hold off the sailor, and
in the twenty-second round he swung
in a couple of vicious uppercuts that
made Sharkey groggy. Tom came
back again in the tWenty-fourth and
twenty-fifth, but he was weakened
greatly by Jeffries' vicious blows. One
minute before the gong sounded to end
the fight Jeffries' left glove came on,
and practically the contest was over.
The referee motioned to Jeffries corn
er; an american flag was flung around
the champions shoulders and the
crowd, outside and in the arena, cheer
ed wildly. The crowd on the opposite
n in S~harkey's corner, yellod for
Sharkey, and the men were led back to
their dressing rooms.
1t seems at first as though it would
be a short fight, for in the second
round Jenries put the sailor to the
ropes with a left on the jaw, and the
referee began to call off the econds
as Sharkey kneeled on the floor. But
from the third round on Sharkey with
his vicious swings to the ribs and the
jaw, kept the crowd on it's feet waiting
for a knockout. Jeffries stood the ter
rifle punishment, and with his eye, nose
and ear split, came back just as vici-
ously in the last three rounds and al
most retrieved himself. It was notice
able that Jeffries used his weight to it's
best advantage, throwing himself all
over the sailor, but the latter did his
share of the hugging, too, and both
were warned repeatedly.
Jeffries weighed PIP pounds n
Sharkey twenty-five pounds less, but
the latter seemed to be in better con-
dition.
No one could say who would get in
the knockout blow and neither SEEM
ed able to put force enough into the
blow to dispatch his man. In the
midst Of the t~wenty-ffth round, nearly
one minute before the close, Jeffries'
glove flew across the ring and Sller ran
to help him on with lit. Sharkey held
back until his friends yelled at him
not ITO stop, and it was a three cor
nered fight for a few minutes The ref
cree got Jeffries glove and tried to
draw it on. This was difficult to do,
and then Sharkey rushed. JeFfrles
threw up his gloved and ungloved hand
and with the former uppercUt Sharkey.
Siler ran between them and made q
second attempt ito assist Jeffr1eS. Tht
sailor waited a moment, but wildly ca
cited by the shrieks of the spectators.
Siler dragged Jeffries away, and the
gong rang and the fight ended.
Sharkey was inconsolable and cried
like a child when he went to his qua
tiers, and refused to talk, but Tom
O'Rouke. his manager, expressed the
opinion that the sailor should have re-
ceived the decision. He said that two
of Sharkey's ribs were broken and
that during the last four rounds Toms
left hand was useless, having beer
broken on Jeffries' head.
THE FIGHT BY ROUNDS.
Round 1. Sharkey rushed in swing
ing his left and landed on Jeffr1es
law. They broke away and SPARED
cautiously until Tom rushe' again
with a left swing, but Jeffries sent hin
back with a left jab to the face. Shar-
key, after some sparring, essayed 6
left swing and followed it up with g
right which landed back of the head
Then in another rush he forced JEFF
fries. to the ropes without doing any
damage, but a moment later he sen
his right to Jeffries cheek and Jeffr1es
clinched. They came to the center 81
the ring and Jeffries tented with his
left. Sharkey broke ground, but cam
right back, only to get a stiff left hooi
III L. ~ n n "a
Jeifries seemed a trif1e slow, Whllf
Sharkey was all action and Jeffrles
sent his right TO the neck and Tom
his to ribs, and his right across TIT
body, but failed to land. They wen
to a clinch from which they were sep
arated by the gong.
SHARKEY DOWN.
Round 2. They met in the center
of the ring with Sharkey doing thu
rushing, swinging his right for tn
head, but Jeffries got inside of it
Sharkey rushed again, but at clos
quarters, got his left to the face. JET
fries returned the blow, landing his
left squarely on the chin and Tom wen
down in q neutral corner where h
laid for six seconds. Sharkey rushed
again, but Jeffries stepped aside ant
Sharkey slipped to the floor on hi
hands. He was up again with anothe
rush, only to be driven back with
right jolt on the body. Jeffries got il
another right jolt and in the breaka
way from a clinch which followed Ton
hooked his right over the head. Shar
key rushed once more and landed RICH
and left on the face in the breaka
way. Jeffries then rushed Sharkey {
the ~laibter's corner and Tom slipped [
the floor in lodging a swing; when n
got up they clinched and were hooke'
together when the bell rang. Sile
walked over and cautioned Sharke,
for holding.
Round 8. They came together an
Tom sent left swing which went aroun
Jeffries' head. They came ITO a cline,
and Sharkey was again cautioned
Sharkey again rushed, but jim me
him with a right jolt on he body
Toms next attempt was more success
full as he landed a left on the ear. JET
fries drove him back with left an
right to the BODY. After a little spar
ring, Jeffries stepped in with a RICH
soJf IIndar TOMS haor4t Taffr;oc fha