The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-24
FIGHT DECLARED
 FAKE BY REFEREE Crowd Jeers Ryan and Root in
 Philadelphia A STORM OF DISAPPROVAL  Fighters Had Insisted on Their Money In Advance and Were Half an
 Hour Late In Entering
 the Ring.
A STORM OF DISAPPROVAL

Philadelphia, November 23-The fight between Tommy Ryan, the middie-weight champion, and Jack Root of Chicago, tho light heavyweight. which was scheduled to go six rounds at the National Athletic club tonight, was ended in the middle of the fourth round by the referee, Jack McGuigan, announcing 1t @ fake.
 It was one of the most unsatisfactory pugilistio affairs ever held in this city, stopped the bout, showed their disap- proval of the exhibition the men were giving. Trouble was averted by the prompt work of the police In jumping in the ring and protecting the fighters and in clearing the hail. The managers of both fighters vehemently protested against the action of the referee, but they found few sympathizers in the crowd.
 We're Counting the Money.
 Ryan and Root were late in entering the ring. After the spectators had been kept waiting half hour, Referee Mo- Guigan, who has an interest in the club. announced that the fighters were count ms lAio hiOuoy III the DO4 Oluces TIC SA- plained that the house was a slim one, and that each man wanted his money before entering the ring. Five minutes later Ryan and Root appeared. The men did nothing more than feint for nearly full minute in the opening round, which was followed by light exchange of blows which left no mark on the fight CTS.
 Ryan caught Root lightly on the cheek and Root returned it with a light blow on the jaw. There was more sparring and then Ryan let go a straight-arm blow to Roots mouth, which did no dam age. When the bell rang, the men were clinched. The spectators began to hiss the men toward the end of the round, and as they took their corners, storm of disapproval was hurled at them.
 In the second round not a solid blow was struck. Both men swung wildly at each other, the blows in most cases fall ing short of the mark. All through the second round the crowd missed and kept 1t up between the rounds.
 The third round was so poor that Ref cree Michigan leaned against the ropes and waved his hands in disgust at the fighters attempts to mix 1t up. After two minues and twenty seconds, Root swung on Ryan, and the latter dropped to the floor to avoid it. At this action the ref cree turned his back on the men and the spectators became very noisy Ryan got on one knee, and seeing that the referee was not looking off the seconds, the fighters went to their corners. ThY confusion was treat.
 Referee Was Disgusted.
 At the expiration of three minutes the bell rang, but instead of sitting in their corners the men thought it was the be- ginning of the round The referee let them go He watched the men mix 1t up a little and then walked over to where the newspaper men were seated and told them that Root had just told Ryan "to mix 1t up." He watched them again att tempting to land blows, which they did without damage, and after one minute and thirty-five seconds had elapsed he jumped through the ropes and left them in the ring alone. His action was met with applause and approval by the crowd. The moment McGuigan left the men a half hundred policemen surrounded the ring. Ryan and Root stood in their respective corners, not knowing what to do, and evidently afraid to leave the arena for fear of harm at the hands of the dis appointed and noisy crowd. Suddenly a soda water bottle which had been thrown from the gallery dropped in the middle of the ring. Then a score of policemen crimbed through the ropes and waved their hands for the crowd to calm down. When the police had semblance of con- trol Ryan and Root were led to their dressing rooms under heavy escort. Declared Action an Outrage.
 The fighters and their managers de- clared that the action of the referee was an outrage, and that 1t was unfair to the patrons to have stopped the fight, as both men were trying hard. Referee McGuigan said 1t was the worst showing ever attempted in this city, and he felt sure the spectators agreed with him. He said the men were guaranteed s250o, which they insisted on getting before they en- tered the ring. As they had the money, he could do nothing but stop the exhi- hifinn