Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-18
FIGHT ON SHIP ENDS FATALLY
SOLAR PLEXUS BLOW CAUSES
DEATH OF q. S. MARINE.
Plucky Youth Entered Ring in Poor
Condition-Matched to Spar
Professional.

sippi was killed last night by a vicious
right-arm swing to the heart by johnny"
Hogan. a Philadelphia fighter. during the
third round of their six-round ''go" on the
main deck of the ship.
The ringside was crowded at the time.
officers of the battleships and cruisers at
League Island. society men of Philadel-
phia and members Of the Mississippi crew
mingling in the audience.
After it was known that Hagan was dead
a search was made for Hogan. but he had
disappeared. Lew Bailey OF this city
refereed the bout. which was the semi
wind up of the second smoker and boxing
exhibition given by the Mississippis crew.
Hagan was twenty-eight years old. He
had been Ill for week and entered the
ring against the advice of the ships sur
geon, DR.. Wurtz.
Hagan Shows Pluck.
At the end of the second round he
seemed to be firing. and when the bell
rang for the third he tried to give the lie
to his weakened condition and sprang to
the center of the ring. Hogan caught him
coming" and swung hard with his left
to the Jaw. He Immediately followed that
with hard right to the heart and Ha-
gan fell to the deck on his face.
Hogan was one of the first to reach his
PROSTATE opponents side. DIR. Wurtz and
other surgeons on board jumped into the
center of the ring and tried to revive the
unconscious marine. He seemed TO De
barely breathing, and at the request or
Dr. Wurtz was carried from the ring and
laid on his back in the open air on the aft
main deck.
Restoratives Of all kinds were used and
many jackies and marines cried to Ha-
gan to speak to me Hag." There was
no answer.
A bugler on another ship In the harbor.
who was practicing. sounded taps. or
lights out" and as the sad tones cross
ed the water TO the group OF anxious
men. DR.. WurtZ, who had been leaning
over Hagan stood up. He dotted his cap
and then placed handkerchief over the
face of the PROSTATE figure. This told
pathetically that the bout had ended IA
tally.
Priest Tells of Death.
The windup of the show between
Dick" Gorwin, a sailor of the Missis-
sippi, and Corp. Devlin Of the marine
barracks had progressed to the fourth
round while Hagan lay unconscious.
After his death DR.. Wurtz forced his way
to the ringside and spoke in a low tone
to Capt. John c. Fremont of the Missis-
sppi. Capt Fremont spoke to Father
Reaney. the chaplain The latter imme,
diately climbed through the ropes, dotted
his cap and raised his hand. An intense
silence followed the doff1ng Of all caps
and hats and then Chaplain Reaney said:
I'm the midst of life We are in the
shadow of death. Hagan was one of our
best young men. He had true spirit,
as you will realize when you hear from
me now that he entered the ring against
the advice Of his physician. He had
been i'll for a week. but rather than dis
appoint the crew and the others here he
decided to go on with his opponent. He
would not disappoint the crowd. Gentle
men. death has entered our midst. Ha-
gan is dead. L ask you all to go home.
Goodnight.
Sailors Weep.
During the dramatic scene while the
chaplain was breaking the sad news sobs
could be heard from the aft deck.
Friends OF Hagan were keeping a silent
watch over his stiffening body. but they
could not control their feelings. While
the spectators were slowly filing down
the gangway Father Reaney. chaplain
of the Mississippi. summoned the ships
bugler and soon across the silent waters
of the Delaware and the lowlands or
League Island pealed forth the slow notes
Of taps that had been given but lew
minutes before quite coincidentaily on
another ship. The sailors stood with
bowed heads and then carried the body
of their friend below to the bunkroom
Priest for Referee.
Father Reaney, one of the most popu-
lar chaplains in the United States Navy.
who is loved by the sailors. refereed the
first four bouts of the evening. When II
came time for the Hagan-Hogan fight
Father Reaney stepped over to the ring
side and seeing Bailey asked him TO
referee the next bout. Bailey agreed
and taking off his coat and vest. jumped
into the ring.
Both boxers fought cautiously for a
minute in the first round and then Hagan
struck down the Philadelphia guard
and landed a hard right TO the neck
Hogan quickly evened matters and from
that time on was the aggressor. The
second round served to tire Hagan, ana
his endeavor to make a good showing
in the third round cost him his life. The
men had fought once before to draw.
When Hagan wilted and sank to the
floor ii was not thought he was serious
~ hurt He was first taken to his corner
and later to the aft deck. Father Reaney
called the boxers for the windup and
the first known of hagans death was
when Dr. Wurtz spoke to Capt. Fremont.
Hogan during the excitement left the
ship and was not seen afterward.
Little comment was heard as the spec
tators filed down the gangplank and
slowly started through the yard. Once
out of sight of the ship the crowd broke
into a run and lodged at every form
that looked like policeman. At the
gates every man cast cautious glance
over his shoulder and then fairly flew for