Waterbury Democrat., 1901-04-19
FIGHTS AND FIGHTERS.
"Reminiscences of the Jim Cor
 bett and John L Battle.

The Stock Yard Men in Chicago Bet On Him to a Finish and They We're Knocked Out When the Big Fellow Was-Jim Hall a Christian scientis, George Gardiner Aims High. f There have been numerous violent i surprises in pugilism, Boxers who
 were not supposed 70 nave gnQsI W oi 1 a chance have won in hollow style, to the consternation of the oracles. The wise men of pugilism never received I so stunning a shock as that accom- panying the defeat of John l.. Sullivan bv James J. Corbett. Based on his success in putting to sleep frightened noyices. the public had come to the conclusion that the Boston strong boy
 was fnyincible. The presumption of the young Californian in fighting the champion was smiled at and the odds of and , to were laid in depreea- tory spirit, as though it was taking an
 unfair advantage.
 Sullivan and his nnwise supporters went to New Orleans in triumphal pa rade and returned in struggling order.
 by the news of Sulliyan's defeat, the following statement of man who worked i'll q Chicago poolroom Is inter- esting. The room was located near the Chicago stock yards, and nine tenths of the employees were of the same nationality as the champion, and the idea that any human being could defeat Sullivan was regarded as good joke. You might have convinced them that the moon was made of green cheese or that two and two made eleven, but Sulliyan's ability to knock out any man on earth was appoint on which they stood firm.
 Naturally they fell over each other to get into our book, thinking the maker must be crazy, but regarding ic as miraculous chance to get some thing for nothing. Wages were high then and money plenty. and we sim ply took bets as fast as. we could ham, dle the money. The night before the fight was pulled off the whole crowd came rolling around, yelling and whooping for John L., and only wait ing for the news of his victory to cash their tickets and paint, things red as blazes. I was detailed to call the bull letins at the front window, and when Il looked out at that packed mass of humanity in the street 1 began to get little shaky in the legs. was sat- lSneu, peISuuattly, ludt chAliNah WouAu win, but knew the crowd, and the bare possibility thatshe wouldn't made my flesh crawl. There was no tellin~ what might happen, So you may i'm agine my feelings Q little later on when I found myself reading the fatal story of the battle.
 As soon as the bulletins began to indicate that things were going wrong for John, dead silence had fallen on the street, but it was one of those grim, ominous silencess shat start folks for their cyclone cellars. "
 1T read mechanically, wondering be- tween rounds whether our rear exit was clear, when presently the opera tor handed me the knockout. message. Suffering grashoppers! l said to my self; now comes the explosion. How d'y'think they'll take 1t? whispered the operator. Stand bns-for murder and sudden deathv said Btand. screwing up my courage, I leaneda out of the win dow and read the bulletin. We'll, I was all ready to dodge a brick and fly for my life; but what do you think happened? Nothing ~
 Not a thingi Nobody groaned; mo- body could think Of anything to say that would begin to do the subject jus tice. Nobody could think of anything to do that would be in the least ap- propriate. After q while they slowly uispersed-stunned and silent. It was the first and only time on record that the celebrated stock yards gang of Chicago was knocked absolutely speechless. They were put out with the champion"