The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-01-18
Referee Stopped Alleged Fight
in Third Round.
TT WAS A BIG FIZZLE.
Not One Hard Blow Struck in
the Bout.
Angry Crowd Kissed and Smash
ed Chairs.
About 1000 Present Paying
So, 81 and So For Seats.

Philadelphia. Jan. 1s.-Tom Sharkey
and Peter Maher,the pugiiists. and Jas.
H. Mcfarland, an official of the Indus
trial Athletic club, under the auspices
Of which organization the Sharkey-
Maher fight took place last night, were
arrested late Friday afternoon on war
rants charging them with conspiracy
to commit breach of the peace. They
were held in $1,000 to keep the peace
md appear in court today. Bail was
furnished.
The warrants were sworn out by j.
ID. Bafnitz, citizen, who. 1T is under
stood, represented the Law and Order
society of this city, and the men were
taken before Magistrate Eisenbrowh-
More than a dozen witnesses were
subposnaed, most of them sporting
writers on Philadelphia and New York
newspapers. About a half dozen wit
nesses were examined and the magis-
trate considered that sufficient evidence
was ELECTED to warrant him in holding
the prisoners. The men promised that
there would be no Knockout no vio-
lence and no infract1on OF the state
laws regarding prize fights, and that
they would engage only In a SparrlrS
contest. This promise was accepted by
the magistrate and the bail was nxed
at $1,000 for the three men. The 1nagts-
trate stated that if the men lived up to
the promise they would be discharged
on their appearance in court today.
The arrest of the principals had no
effect on the attendance and the big
barn-like structure was packed when
the first of the three preliminaries was
called
1t was s:15 o'clock before the first
of the prelininaries began. There was
just enough pepper in the opening
bouts TO whet the appetites of the
crowd for the big fellows. kid" Fitz-
gerald, colored. of Baltimore, met the
Kentucky Rosebud" of Philadelphia.
1t was draw
Jack Hagerty of Trenton bested' Kid
Fisher of Brooklyn
Lew Ryan and Young Kelly, both
of this city, fought six tame rounds to
a draw.
kid stein and Billy Fairburn, two
Philadelphians, met in the semiwind-
up. The former had slight advant-
age.
There was a tiresome wait of 40 min
utes as the fighters insisted on seeing
their money before entering the ring. 1t
was 11:t0 when Sharkey made his ap-
later by Maher. Both men were greet
ed with tremendous applause Seated
close to the ring were Champion James
j. Jeffries and former champion, Rob
ert Fitzsimmons-
Little time was wasted in formalities.
The men quickly donned the gloves and
at 11:45 the fight began In Sharkey's
corner were Dave Sullivan, Jim Buck
ley and Alt King, while Tim Callahan,
Peter Lowrey and Mike Campbell were
behind Maher.
First round-The men squared for a
few seconds, Sharkey being the first to
lead. Maher rushed to a clinch 1t was
evident that they intended to obey the
mandates of the court, for they merely
tapped each other There were loud
cries of Take them off, and many of
the spectators started to leave the
building. There was not a blow in the
first round hard enough to Jar the teeth
of a featherweight. When the men took
their corners the hall rang with Kisses
and cries of Take them off" and
Fake"
Round 2.-After adding for a mo-
ment Maher put a light left on Shar-
keys stomach and they clinched. Shar-
key slapped Maher on the face with the
open glove and the two men wrestled
over the ring. Sharkey led with his
right and Maher ducked into light left
uppereut. The men continued their
love taps and the spectators continued
to hiss.
Round S-This proved to be as un-
interesting as the two former and as
the crowd continued to show its disap-
proval the referee stopped the bout be-
fore 1t was half over and declared it a
fake"
Both Sharkey and the president of the
club attempted to address the angry
crowd, but neither was permitted to
speak.
The spectators were worked up to
such a pitch that they broke chairs and
benches in their desire to "get even"
1t was little satisfaction for the 1000
persons who had paid 50, So and s. for
seats.
This is not the first time that Shar-
key and Maher have met in decidedly
shady contests. They met in New York
June 9, 1897, and after battling seven
rounds in rough-house, go-as-y ou-p1ease
style, the police called the proceedings
to halt. 1t was whispered and loud
1y. too. that the whole affair was cut
and dried; that the authorities notified
the managers not to pull off the fight
and that an understanding was reached
whereby the police were to interfere
when the rough work was on, OF when
it was thought that the crowds thirst
for fight had been satisfied. The receipts
footed up in the neighbour hood of $40 600
the largest up to that time ever known
in American history. Both men were
knocked down in that fight, however,
and each asserted that he had the bet
ter OF the contest at the time of he in