Omaha daily bee., 1908-10-18


and It was a case Of every man for him
self. The lucky ones eot aboard. while
many were left behind at the little way STA
lion to wait several hours without food or
drink for the next train.
On board the cars headed for Pittsburg
the widest and most desperate Incidents
OF the whole affair occurred. The corpu-
lent conductor who tried TO collect fares
had guns, blackjscks and knives stuck IN.
his face. He soon gave up the task and
locked himself in his csboose. The mob
had a dozen bloody encounters before the
train reached the Smoky City. Men we're
shot. stabbed and kicked in a terrible man
ner until the peaceful passengers hid
themselves under the seats. Bullets broke
half the windows in the cars. Every man
on the train was in danger Of his life.
many passengers dropping off at way sta
tions to escape the fury OF the gang.
What a difference today! At a modern
boxing club a man can see a fight in
solid comfort. He can wear evening dress,
have a reserved seat surrounded by or
derry persons and can get home at a rea.
sonable hour. There is no rowdyism and
nc need for the presence Of the police.
The National Athletic club in East twenty
AOuIAn GNftNl II perhaps the lntSN hD-
pointed boxing club in America. 1t has a
membership OF 3OOO, including many Of
New York's b~est-known citizens. The
arena is a model. 1t has an arched root
studded with hundreds of electric lights.
The ring is heavily padded and the plush
covered ropes pass through brass posts.
The main floor is given up to the boxes
and reserved seats, while a spacious bal
49,. $500 81 r- -. -
the floor above are a splendid gymnasium
and a plunge bath, also lockers and a bill
Hard room. The membership dues are 81,
50 and s. and are paid the day before a
battle is scheduled.
six H~iEh-Class Matches.
II is the aim OF thus club to nut on six
round bouts between the best pugilists in
the world. and FOR that reason John White.
the matchmaker, is willing to hang up
aiberal purses. The referee is Charles
White, who has officisted at many Of the
big championship fights. while the time
keeper is Joseph p. Dunn, who handled
the gong at the old Broadway Athletic
club in the days Of the Horton law. When
fights are held at the National Athletic
club 1t is a common thing to see Twenty
fourth street filled with automobiles and
taxicabs, for the members are by no means
pikers. The ushers wear evening dress,
and between battles ice water is served to
the patrons. 1t is the aim of the manage
ment to run things on the lines of the ia
nous National Sporting club of London
as much as possible. which means that the
members are treated to the highest class
of boxing.
On fight nights it Is possible to see
around the ring p. ]. Dwyer. John w.
Gates, John A. Drake. David C.. johnson,
worth, Matte Corbett, Eugene Wood. De
Wolf Hopper, Lew Fields, Joe Weber. John
e. Madden, Fred Houseman, James B.
Brady, James e. Gaffney, Frank ]. Far.
rell, George Censidine, Timothy p. Sulli-
van, Honest John Kelly, Al Smith, Edward
Burke, Tod Sloan, George wheelock, 10.
seph Carroll, Edward Mcdonald, Michael
Padden and other boxing enthusiasts who
are regular patrons.
The other clubs are small in comparison
but they put on good fights and some Of
them draw large crowds. All of them limit
the bettles to six rounds, in which the con.
t~estants cannot be seriously injured. There
is practically no brutality, for the reason
that referees interfere when a man Is be.
coming helpless. Under the old Londor
rules II was not unusual for fighters L
spend two weeks or a month in a hospita
after a tough battle. But the present day
pugilists can be found in the White Light
district an hour after one of these six.