Los Angeles herald., 1907-11-17
WANTS
GUMSHOE
CLEVER Ex.FleHTER OUGHT TO
BE SUCCESSFUL
Was Always Smooth Article, as
Fight with Ryan and Other
Things show-can Manip-
uIate Cards

ulate CaroS
NEW YORK, Nov. 13.--Kid Mccoy, the
versatile, has become sleuth. He runs
detective agency. At last the Kid Is in
he right line. There are few better fitted
for the gumshoe business than Mccoy.
The Kid knows every pickpocket ana
New York. And he's smooth enough TO-
card sharp and second-story worker in
outwit anyone he happens to meet in the
pursuit of his new occupation.
Mccoy always has been very smooth
article He has been q topnotcher from
start to finish. During his ring career he
became one of the greatest heavyweignss
in the world, although he never weighed
much above the middleweight limit. If
Mccoy had been just a little less slippery
he might have become champion. Lie
wound up a period Of successful fighting
by "lying down" to Jim Corbett here in
New York. when there is very little DOUBT
| that he was Corbetts master. Had Nc
Coy fought Corbett on the level there is
no telling how high he might have risen
afterward.
Here are few little tales of the foxy
| Kids exploits:
Tommy West was fighting in Milwau-
lxee back in the early COS. He knew
Mccoy then as a youngster who beat
his way around the country and occa-
sionally took on fight. Returning from
Milwaukee after the fight West saw Nc
| Coy hiding in one end of the car. After
the conductor had gone through MCCOY
walked down the aisle, looked over the
train checks stuck in the passengers
hatbands and, finding one with the Chi
cago stamp on it deftly picked it out OF
the slumbering owners hat and sticking
It into his own hatband came back and
sat down with West.
Look out, Kid said West you'll
get us into trouble"
mo trouble at ALL" airily replied the
| Kid. "This is easy" And he rode on
| tbe borrowed check all the way to Chi
cago.
Mccoy once Joined Tommy Ryan's
training camp while Tommy was training
for a fight Ryan was famous then.
Mccoy was unknown. The Kid let Ryan
beat him all over the place. Ryan
| thought Mccoy was only an ordinary
sort of punching bag.
Going away to another state Mccoy
persuaded an acquaintance with bank
roll that he could whip Ryan. The ac-
| ouaintance offered a side bet and Ryan
snapped UP the match He arranged 1or
| 75 per cent to the winner and 20 to the
loser.
Both began training, when Mccoy sat
down one night and wrote Tommy Ryan
i
| Gov. won't you make the losers END
a little bigger? 1 need the money. And
I wish you'd let me off without beating
lme up any more than you have to-
RYAN, reading the letter, fell for the
snare. He thought Mccoy must surely
he a mere dub, after all. Ryan stopped
training Mccoy quietly worked like
Trojan.
RYAN was hog-fat when he entered the
| zkutr In, md
| And as soon as the fight started the Kid
began taking revenge for all the ham
merings he has taken from Ryan when
he was sparring partner. Tommy, realiz-
ing that he was tricked, begged for
mercy But Mccoy, with that cold sneer
! of his deliberately cut Ryan to pieces
for is rounds and finally knocked him
4 out.
The Kid told this one on himself He
was In Portland, Oregon, stranded ana
down to a So bill. Taking the five he
bought six imitation diamond rings with
lit Then Mccoy stationed himself on a
wharf. dropped one of the rings in the
roadway, and waited.
After awhile two men came walking
along. Mccoy waited until they were
near, then crossed the road just in front
of them and picked up the ring.
what do you think of this?" he ex-
Claimed guy lOSL d lAl6 WI III
at least $10O. And I've got to leave within
an hour There'll be a big reward for
this Tell you what I'll. do-give me $50,
you take the ring and collect the re-
ward"
The men "fell." Before steamer time
Mccoy had disposed of five rings. He
had $780, He sailed away to Frisco, ar
rived in state, went to the Palace hotel
and lived like a prince while his money
lasted
Mccoy was in his Broadway place when
Herr Henri John Joseph Plaacke arrived
from Holland. Plaacke wanted to be
fighter. Mccoy shrunk into himself and
looked as small as possible, smiled up at
the giant and offered to box him.
Plaacke smiled down on Mccoy, thought
he would be easy" and accepted. They
rlet in Philadelphia McCoy's sreer re-
placed the smile. He butchered Plaacke
like fat OK.
The Kid is one of the greatest card ma
ripulators in the land. A few years ago
he made fifteen or twenty trips across
the ocean with a party of card sharps At
the New York end Mccoy always had
plenty of money. He doesn't lose in
games of skill.
Yes, Mccoy ought to be successful in
his new venture. AS fighter he was
the foxiest in the ring. He is tall, hand
some. a neat dresser and a clever talk
err He makes a hit wherever he goes. If
he set out to do it he'd be travelling with
Morgan within a week, picking out Ma
1t. Aud q ho hnn