Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-09-12

| LIZ tOOh d tcTIluC DedJl1S. BTU
took brace and met Nelson with two
Furnishing swings to the face. Nelson
halted and Britt leaped forward He
slugged and swung in one last desper
ate effort, but again the gong ended
the round, like the previous critical
one, at an opportune time for Nelson
In the eighth Nelson had Britt in
grave trouble. He staggered him with
a left and drove him to the ropes
Britt's seconds were in a frenzy shout
ing all sorts of orders. Above all was
the voice of Spider" Kelly,who shout
ed, Cover up, Jimmy" Jimmy
obeyed and probably saved himself
from going down in this round.
After the eighth, Britt tired fast.
| The pace was slower and in Nelson S
| favor.
Fourteenth Is Sensational
The tenth and eleventh were also
Nelson's, who by his endurance and
everlasting determination to keep at
his man wore Britt down. The twelfth
was Britt's, who, rallying suddenly,
battered his man for two minutes. 1t
became evident to BIRTHS seconds
after the twelfth that their man was
being beaten, and Britt, himself, ap-
peared to realize that fact. In the
thirteenth he took another beating
The fourteenth must be put down
as the most sensational of the fight.
Nelson, knowing that Britt was firing
last, determined to end the battle. In
five seconds he had Britt staggering
about, his guard lowered and all but
Put out. Time and again Nelson plant
ed left hand blows on Britt's face and
drove him against the ropes. Britt
took brace and swung his right with
force enough to make Nelson give
ground. Britt pressed his advantage
and swinging again forced Nelson to
a clinch. The gong ended the round.
The crowd cheered wildly. The fight
ing had been so desperate that the
next two rounds were slow.
The eighteenth proved the end for
Britt. Nelson forced him about the
ring and gave many body blows, al
ways boring in. He cornered Britt and
drove him against the ropes Britt
squirmed out and sent in terrific left
to the stomach and swung to the face.
Quick as a flash, Nelson sent in
short, sharp left-hand blow to Britt's
stomach. He gave way and stepped
back, and Nelson pressed on He
forced Britt into his own corner and
there in rally that lasted but few
moments, the end came Britt went
down suddenly. Nelson says it was
from blow on the jaw. Britt had no
clear idea after the fight what put
him out, but in the opinion of those
who were close by, it was a blow in
the stomach
Britt Out; Takes the Count.
When Britt fell fiat on his face there
was momentary hush, and the voice
of the timer was heard distinctly
counting off the seconds. Britt man
aged to turn on his back, and lay gasp
ing, his bloody tongue protruding from
his mouth. Five seconds had scarcely
been counted when there was a roar
from the crowd which saw that the lit
tie San Francisco boy could not rise.
Seven, eight" called out the timer,
while Graney danced in front of Mel
son to keep him away. Nelson, how
ever, showed no disposition to take
advantage of Britt's distressful condi-
ton and walked to the other side of
the ring.
Nine, ten," shouted the timer. Ora
ney pointed to Nelson and the roar
OF the crowd increased. Then there
was the usual rush of spectators into
the ring, most of them eager to get
close to the new champion. A few of
the faithful ones, however. gathered
about Britt. who still lay gasping for
breath. Finally he recovered suff1-
GENTLY to regain his feet, and was led
from the ring by his friends.
Nelson remained inside the ropes
several minutes longer before he
could break away from the crowd. He
walked rapidly out of the arena to his
quarters. The stubbornnes of Mel
sons manager in refusing to accept
Jeffries as referee was probably re-
sponsible for reducing the crowd ex-
pected. The total receipts, however
were 100000.
Referee Graney declared off all bets
made before he had been chosen to Of
f1clate, but ruled these made after his
acceptance would stand
Rise of Nelson.
While eastern fight followers do not
exhibit the same freuzied enthusiasm
over their representatives in the ring
as do the Pacific coast people over
their Jeffrieses, Hanlcns. Neils and
Britts, their support of the Hegewisch
boy in his encounter Saturday with
Jimmy Britt was none the less sincere.
Battling Nelson. even when he was
fighting in cheap preliminaries, was
noted as scrapper, and to that ex-
tent received the respect that was his
just due.
Oscar Battling Matthew Nelson for
such was the name his mother gave
him when he was christened in good
old Copenhagen, is only 23 years of
age, three years younger than his
doughty antagonist of Saturday. AS a
boy about Hammond and Hagewisch
Battling was not noted particularly for
a pacific disposition and when at
school his comrades had healthy re-
spect for him.
Injured so badly in Hegewisch
foundry by a flying piece of a shat
tered grindstone that he was laid UP
in the hospital for weeks and his life