The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-09-10

Cans succumbed in the twenty-first
round after being numerically
| trounced by the lad from Hegeswich
| Nelson, in this round, rained right and
| left blows to jaw and body and Cans
sank to the floor. Mechanically the
new defeated fighter watched Referee
Eddie Smith wave his hand apparent
| ly too far gone to hear him count. Not
until the count of ten was finished did
Cans, ashen pale, his face terribly cut
and with his eyes CLASSY, attempt to
rise. He realized, however, that it
| was too late and feebly declared: 81
| have positively fought my last battle. ;"
The fight was spectacular and at no
time did it appear that Cans had
chance to win. Time and again he
| would shoot wicked punches to Mel
sons face and body but the latter new
er for an instant wavered. Failing to
arrest the rushing champion at any
stage Cans seemed to lose heart and
gradually weakened though he often
rallied and fought back fiercely.
Referee Smith after the fight, gave
out the following statement: So
"Gans was all in after the ninth
round. In the tWenty-first both the
timekeeper and myself counted ten
| therefore making Nelson the winner.
Cans. 1 believe did not know he was
counted out. but it is just as we'll that
| he was, as Nelson had him COM
| pletely at his mercy and it was use
less for the game colored man to take
a further beating"
When Cans was seen in his dress
| ing room his face presented a terrible
picture. His right eye was closed, the
left partially so; his lips and nose were
badly lacerated and his face puffed
out like an inflated balloon He gave
out the following statement:
81 made one fight too many. Nelson
is tough boy and beat me fairly.
~, T-1,s-. f. 4
farewell but in dead earnest
Nelson said:
"Gans was tougher than before. He
was in good shape and he fought ane a
different kind of fight. From now on
1 never will fight a colored man again.
1 shook hands with Billy Papke today
and we both made this compact.
II hurt my right hand in the second
round but kept on going regardless of
the pain"
The first round was in Cans. favor
hut the second went to Nelson He
forced Cans all through and was
strong and confident While Cans ap-
| peared worried. The third round ended
in Nelson's favor though he took many
hard blows about the face. Nelson
forced Cans at every stage and drew
first blood from the colored mans nose,
| the fourth was about even with Mel
| son carrying the fight to Cans every
moment. In the fifth round, Cans had
| the advantage landing repeatedly with
| out a return and without stopping Mel
sons rushes. Nelson wore a smile of
| confidence all through the round.
The sixth was even with Nelson de-
voting his attention to Cans body and
! landing an occasional good blow.
Cans had a decided advantage in the
| fighting in the seventh round, though
the champion showed no i'll effects from
| the many stiff blows he got. Nelson
| came right back and took the lead in
I ~ -
mouth and hammering the body.
The ninth was also Slightly in Mel
| sons favor.
The tenth was even but the eleventh
was decidedly in Nelson's favor and at
| its close Cans appeared quite tired and
his second worked vigorously over
| him.
| 1t looked at the close of the twelfth
as if Nelson would win and that it was
only a question of time until he got
the decision. He wore the colored
| man down with his ceasless rushes
Cans had Nelson off for a time, but
! Just at the close of the round the
champion landed a hard left to the
mouth and started the blood afresh.
Nelson was strong and confident while
| Cans appeared to be firing.
| The fourteenth was even, Cans TAX
ing a brace and gave as he took of
the rushing Dane. The fifteenth was
| the hardest of the fight up to this
| time. Cans caught Nelson with a ter
rifle right on the mouth and nose and
| brought the blood in stream. Both
| were bleeding freely as the round
closed but Cans appeared tired and
! his blows lacked force. To the sur
| prise of the crowd in the sixteenth
| Cans rallied and battered Nelson about
| the face with every variety of blow.
| taking good lead for the round
/ The seventeenth was even and the
/ eighteenth was slightly in Nelson's IA
/ vor- Cans appeared to be firing at the
| close, but rallied in the nineteenth and
lstaggered Nelson with several hard