The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-01-07

A4lQ LuG TlIlE OulCldAS WEAO NSAAAkO-A~0
to hike over In the long ago2 If they
do not VIII venture TO state that If
their paths were so thicldy strewn with
rocks as were those Of the old time,
bare knuckle scrapper and the men
who ofhciated for them, the game
would have died ere this for want OF
men to take a hand in It
Imagine. If one can a present day
ring official giving an unbiased dec1-
sion surrounded by a crowd OF humans
with drawn pistols and with several
of them placed so close to his head he
could see the contents OF their respec-
tive barrels without a magn11ylng
glass. Tt required a game man to ref
cree a fight honestly in those DAYS ana
ring history records buth few OF them,
Even If a referee were honest, game,
and determined to give an honest
decision, he considered his life more
valuable than the verdict he would be
likely to render. and generally decided
in accordance to the demands or the
mob.
The mob in the Olden days was the
whole thing" and it was 10 to 1 that
the man il was with took down the
money. The fighters Of Irish eXtrac-
ton were the most fancied and the
mob was with them whenever one or
them contested agaist an Erglishman.
Of the latter class Tom Alien, who.
died In St Louis a short time ago, was
the most disliked Tom was game to
the core and a fairly good fighter, but
ne was a disagreeable sort Of fellow,
made few friends, and therefore had
hard row TO hoe. He came to this
country IN 1867 the same year that
saw the rival of Ned O'Baldwin, and
other fighters not so well known. His
third fight in America was with Mike
McCoole of st. Louis, and took place
at Fosters island, about twenty-six
miles below St Louis, in the Missls-
sippi river, on June 10, 1869 McCoole
had the sure thing" crowd with him
and upon entering the ring walked to
Aliens corner and offered to wager
81, 500 on the result. Tom, who did not
have a dollar stepped to the center OF
the ring and said: Gentlemen. have
no money or I would freely bet it, and
7 am very sorry that so much prejU-
dice exists in regard to my national
ity. I declared my intention to become
a citizen Of the United States two
years ago, and If you will give me time
enough I win prove myself as worthy
a citizen as any of you. 1 came here
today to fight this gentleman and all
I ask Of you is 10 give me fair show.
I ask no favOrs. I have no money,
but am going to try to win some and
will do my best
AAo lAldili9 eDCCCu WdS 0ppAdA0O0
by a few. but il had little effect on
the ruffians who had surrounded the
ring TO see that McCOole won. The lat
ter was outclassed and to Tom was
like a sheep in the hands Of a butch
err Mike did not have a look in and
was literally chopped to pieces. The
mob, however, was determined he
should not lose and when in the ninth
and VIVA proved to be the last round,
they claimed he had fouled Mike, broke
into the ring and demanded the ref
cree, Nal Mckinney. award the fight
to their man. Mckinney hesitated just
about minute. He saw the mcCOOle
men clubbing Aliens handful Of ad-
mirers nigh unto death with all kinds
of murderous weapons. and when the
muzzles Of several revOlVers We're
placed 10 his head. he said he would
reserve his decision until he returned
10 st. Lou s. Upon his arrival In that
town he awarded the fight to McCoole,
stating thaJ Allen had fouled by gOug-
ing Mikes eyes in the last round.
Toms next battle was with Charley
Gallagher. TWO months after his fight
with McCoole, and this also took place
at Fosters island When the match was
arranged allen offered TO put up $4,000
to GaHeSner's $500 If he would fight
300 miles from St Louis, but Charley
said fifty miles from st. Louis or no
where. and Tom, anxious to fight,
agreed. The battle. like that with Nc
COOle, was a 0ne-sided AFFAIR, Tom
having matters his own way, beating
Charley 10 St3ndStfI In eleven
rounds In this round Tom Kelly, one
Of Gala her's seconds, threw UP the
sponge, and as Allen ran over 10 Char
ley's corner TO shake his hand. he
Gallagher hit him on the nose. Tom,
thinking it was job to mob him,
jumped over the ropes and the referee
decided the fight draw. On the fol-
lowing day he recOnsidered his deci-
sion and awarded the fight to Gala
CHER because Allen had left the ring
before a decision had been rendered.
but with the agreement Of the fighters
he would call IL q draw. Tom, of
course objected. but when informed
he would not receive a dollar If he did
not agree to a draw, l<nuckled.
Undoubtedly the most bare faced ring
robbery of the long $50 occurred inSthe
Billy Edwards-Arthur Chambers light
weight championship fight which too
place at Squirrel island, Canada, on
Sept. 4 1872. Both men were Britons-
Edwards arrived in this country early
IN the SOS. and had won the light
weight championship OF America by
defeating Sam Collyer twice Cham
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who could fight at I16 pounds, came
across the big pond in 1871 with a high
class reputation. He had no intention
OF battling in other than his class, but
as the match between his friend Bat"
Mullins who was sent for TO fight Ed
wards as an unknown" was taken
sick after the match had been
cltnched. Chambers. rather than to lose
his forfeit Che was backing 'Bat')
agreed to fight Edwards.
As was anticipated, Billy carried too
many guns for his lighter opponent, al
though Arthur gave him a stiff argu-
ment. They 5attled away for twenty
five rounds, Billy having the upper
hand and looking a sure winner. Dur
ing the half minute rest before the call
OF time for the next round, George Sed-
dons. Arthur's business partner and
chief second, bit Chambers on the
shoulder and at the call of time for the
twenty-sixth round, Arthur rushed into
a clinch and permitted himself TO be
wrestled to the ground. Cries Of foul
were Immediately raised by Chambers
seconds. who claimed Arthur was bit
ing. They picked Arthur up, walked