The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-12-13
MATCH STOPPED.
Rooney-Wittmer Contest Call
ed a Draw.
Chief of Police Interferes at Midnight
to Stop Sabbath Dissertation Dur
ing the Last Bout.

in Mankato, and no one who witnessed
it could have grounds for calling it
anything but fair and square match,
each contestant DESTROYS of winning.
The talk of cake heard on the
street last week may have had some
thing to do with this, but the money
up and the regulations at stake had
far more.
Each wrestler had won two bouts,
and the fifth seemed to be drawing to
a close when midnight arrived, and
Chief of Police Bowen stopped the
match on the ground that it could not
proceed on Sunday. That the crowd
was "sore' is putting it lightly, for it
seemed that in two or three minutes
or five or ten at the outside. the match
would have been over. Wittmer was
the aggressor when the match closed,
the spectators that he had Rooney
going. Had the match been completed,
large amount of money would have
changed hands. AS it was, it was
called draw and the bets were called
off.
The stand taken by the chief of
police will give satisfaction to our
citizens generally, if it did not to
those watching the match, for it
means that he will close the saloons
promptly at midnight hereafter, that
there will be no more Sunday opening
of saloons, and no more brawls and
fights about saloon side entrances on
Sunday evenings.
The match was witnessed by a
small house. Those on the main floor
were so few as to be lonesome, but the
balcony was well filled.
The program was started off by a
wrestling bout between Willie and
Arthur Hoffman, two twelve year olds,
with Gates Phillips as referee. Both
lads showed considerable skill and
much endurance, and the bout was
| watched with great deal of interest.
J. E. Reynolds, master of cere-
monies, then announced that Rooney
and Wittmer would contest for the
championship of America in the
Graeco- Roman style of wrestling, fol
wager of 81, 900, which was in the
hands of the referee. He introduced
Robt. Faulkner OF Canada, the
wrestler, as the referee, and an
nounced the time keepers as John G.
Wise, s. Wilhartz and Mayor Petersen
Rooney was seconded as usual by hi'
! brother, Thos, and DR.. F. l.. Stephan
performed that service for Wittmer.
Mr.. Faulkner said that he did no
come to Mankato to referee the match
but that having been chosen referee
he and not the audience would re
fierce it. He would not award fal
unless he saw it.
Wittmer's manager stepped to tn
front of the stage and announced tina
he had $500 to bet on Wittmer if an,
body wanted to take it. Some of thi
money was subsequently matched will
! Rooney money.
The first bout began at 9 :09 p. m
and lasted forty-fve minutes, whel
Rooney pinned Wilmer down with
halfssNelson and body hold. Both mel
were very careful through the bout
taking no chances of surprise.
Mulligan and Owen entertained tn,
audience between the first and secont
bouts with some excellent boxing. s s1
The second bout began at 10 :O2.. p
m. and came near ending abruptly
! Wittmer at the very start sieze,
Rooney around the waist, lifted min
into the air and threw him upon hi
back upon the mat. 1t was only b.
quick work that Rooney managed t
save himself. Witt inner was the az
gressor throughout this bout and wol
it in IL :43 with a half Nelson an,
body hold. Rooney was dissatisfie
with the referees decision. claiming
that his shoulders were not pinne
down.
Grant and Wagon gave an interest
ing boxing match between the secon
. and third bouts
! The third bout was won by Roone
in %. 90 by half Nelson and cross ba
lock- Wittmer was on the defensiv
during most of this bout, firing Roone
out.
The fourth bout began at II liz T
, M, and Wittmer won it in 10 liz by
body hold. 1t was noticed that Witt
mer won his bouts in only a fractio
of the time that it required Rooney t
win his. He would be on the defen
sive during long bout, firing Roone
out, and then would make quick wor
of Rooney during the next. bout
Wittmer came up for the fourth bou
. several minutes before Rooney did.
The fifth and last bout opened g
| II 40, with ssintense interest : on th
part of the spectators, each contestar
having won two bouts, and this bein
the decisive one. To judge from th
| applause, the sympathy of the audiene
was with Wittmer, and it certainl
appeared as though he would wiz
, He had finished the fourth bout
much better condition than Roone
had, and came up to the fifth bout
couple of minutes sooner than b
!, opponent. Both exercised extren
care in opening the bout to lose 4
possible advantage and it was sewers
, minutes before either one dronnad