The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-09-10
The MIDNIGHT SCRAP
I DOWN THE VALLEY


Carbondale Men Mix Things in 12-
foot Ring-Will Hull and Roy Gill
bert, the Colored Shoe Sinner, Fight
a Six-round Draw--Waltah johnson
and Mickey German 90 for Three
Rounds - Honors Even - Disap-
,epointment Over Fight Between
Tom Harris and Jerry o'Rourke
Not Coming Off. .,..
For several weeks sports all the way
from Mic Glenn's, in Simpson. down to
the heights of Sport Hill in Dunmore,
have been anticipating the 20-round go
to finish, that was arranged between
Tom Harris, formerly of Port Jervis.
but now OF Carbondale, and Jerry
ORourke. of this city. Tile identity
which both men have with the sporting
fraternity in this section made the af-
fair look all to the good when the tip
was passed round as to the location OF
the dukes exposition and the date.
Accordingly, $50 sports, fifty from Car
bondale. a couple from Jermyn. few
from Archibald, the rest from Scranton
and Dunmore, were on hand before
midnight on Monday at the scene of
the sport, not a hundred miles from
the Scranton city line.
After a wait of some minutes more
than a couple, the sports were Jared
by the announcement that the main
event. the ne plus ultra of the nights
attraction. was not to come off. In the
Tnr,
O'Rourke had Il bum wing; his left
arm just above the wrist was badly
swollen; so much SO that he would be
unable to use it. There was no doubt
about the lameness of O'ROurke's arm,
so far as appearances went for 1t was
noticcably swollen. and red. as If in
famed
The spirits of the crowd. dropped like
those of the public after the explosion
OF rumor of Il thing settlement
of the coal strike. To fix matters up.
and that everything might be good
with the crowd, O'Rourke suggested
to Harris that he go six rounds with
Coulter. of Scranton. a man who has
somewhat of Il rep" down the valley
as dispenser of Bob Ftzsimmons'
solar pleXus knock-outs. There were
three or four others, among them
Clark colored. of Scranton. who We're
anxious for Il try at Harris. but he in
sisted that under the circumstances he
was right in the course he was taking.
He was willing to meet the man with
whom he had arranged. he said, and
not a man. who, according to his no.
tion. was stranger.
In the meantime, there were shouts
OF "quitter" from both sides, so that
for time it was as hard to judge
which side was right as 1t might be
to settle the coal strike.
Harris, during this parleying, and
since then, makes the claim that
O'Rourke's hand was in no worse con-
dition than his own. which he claims
he injured by sparring with Roy Gill
bert, the colored lad. For this reason
principally, he would not take on any
other man, particularly some one Of
whose standing he had no knowledge.
He was fearful of dispeasing the crowd
by going on with some one who could
not make good.
O'Rourle, on the other hand, main-
tains that he was absolutely helpless
with his arm. and had been advised
by his friends that it would be suicidal
to attempt to fight in such condition.
The injury happened only short time
before the time set for the fight, and
therefore made no announcement of
his injury until he saw he could not
possibly go on Furthermore, he took
along couple of men. who he was
certain would make good to the crowd,
for at least six rounds, thereby saving
a disappointment Harris maintained
that there was no good reason for
ORourke to keep out of the ring and
IN the face of this belief he would not
meet any other man.
Wen, anyhow, the crowd was sore,
and it lit out. irrespective of the an
nouncement that the mill between Will
Hull and Roy Gilbert, the colored shoe
Sinner, both of this city, would surely
come off. There was hurried rush
Tor street cars and trains. and there
wasn't much of push left behind.
Most of the Carbondale sports re-
manned to see the battle between their
own men. Hill and Gilbert. 1t was
started about 1215. Six rounds We're
gone. Neither man was blessed with
an overabundance of science; in fact,
1t was mighty scarce article But
they were both good hitters when they
mixed 1t up in their own homely STYLE.
"Why he looked like big house side
OF me, when l got into the ring" said
Gilbert: which is no fit.
HUH showed a well-built and we'll
developed physique, and he is a cy-
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