The Washington herald., 1908-02-24

first eight rounds that his left ear was
hanging by a thread. He had a broken
nose. and was actually bathed In blood
Many short-haired experts were so
shocked that they wanted the referee to
stop the slaughter, but Lavigne soon
showed that he was full of gameness.
for he rallied later on and administered
such a beating that Walcott groggy and
bleeding. wanted to quit IN the fifteenth
round, and would have done so had Il
not been for the threats from his man
ager. Tom O'Rourke. Lavigne's game
ness won a barrel of money for those
who had the nerve to bet against Old
Black Joe
OF all the men who have figured con-
spicuously in the ring. not one ever pos
sessed more courage and endurance than
John Morrissey When young man.
MOrrissey came down from his home in
Troy one day and visited saloon In
New York where Col Rynders, Dutch
Charley, and other rough and tumble
fighters held forth.
Scrap Ended in Hospital.
Morrissey. after a few drinks. declared
that he could lick any man in the crowd.
He was double banked" then and there,
but he made such a determined stand
against his antagonists that he was sent
20 hospital
Izzy Lazarus a competent Judge Of
fighting men. who saw the battle royal.
declared there wasn't man in all New
York who, single-handed. could whip Nor
rlssey with a hickory stick in half an
hour.
A few years after this row Morrissey
became a professional pugilst. and was
anxious TO win the championship from
Tom Hyer. who held the title at that
time. Each man had a desperate crowd
OF thugs behind him when they came to-
gather
Among the Hyer gang was Bill Poole,
who enjoyed the reputation OF being the
best rough-an-tumble fighter in America.
In fact, Poole was the leader Of the Hyer
! mob, and did not overlook a chance 20
taunt and sneer AT Morrissey.
Some time after the battle Poole and
Morrissey accidentally met in a sporting
saloon, and after a heated argument,
they agreed to fight it out. rough and
tumble, at o'clock the next morning on
dock at the foot of Amos street, in
New York When Morrissey appeared at
the scene of action he was attended b. a
solitary friend, while Poole had about
nifty Of his gang along. MOrri5SeY n1tL-
rally objected TO their presence. bu- Poole
said, with a sneer:
''oh. never mind themi They won. hurt
you. III be enough
Then, stripping 10 the belt. they faced
each other 20 DO battle. Morrissey quick
| ly planted his left in Pooles eye. Like
fash Poole stopped, and. catching Nor
rissey by the heels he pulled the latter's
legs from under him. What followed has
always been the basis for a dispute.
MorrisSey always charged that Poole
was well assisted by his gang. while
Poole. on the contrary. insisted that no
body bun himself did Morrissey any harm.
Was Beaten 10 "a Pulp.
Whatever really happened. the fact re-
mains that after being the under dog in
a brutal combat for twenty minutes Nor
rissey said that he had had enough and
was allowed 10 20 home. actually beaten
TO pulp But Poole was also a fit sub
ject for hospital treatment
/ This unmanly contest proved. however.
that both men were game, but 1t caused
much in-feeling. Poole was finally muir
/ dered by Dave Baker. Paudeen Dad Gun
ninghG m, Ed Turner, and others, who had
/ been run out of California by the vigi-
/ lance committee.
/ Previous to the killing OF Poole, Tom
/ Hyer had agreed 10 a battle with Nor
rissey at a well-known sporting resort on
! the outskirts OF New York City. but on
arriving there Hyer offered Morrissey the
choice Of pistols. But the latter declined
10 do battle with deadly weapons. saying
that he wanted 10 night with nature 5
! weapOns-his fists.
It was fascO, and was also the cause
! OF an attempt TO murder Hyer BY a
tough named Turner and others. Hyer
was game enough. however. 10 clean cut
the whole mob. even though he received
a slight wound In the ribs.
Rough and tumble fighting is out OF
date in New York. There are few good
Off-hand scrappers there now as COM
pared with the days Of Washington Mar
ket thirty years ago. Bill Bradburn.
now OF Pittsburg. and formerly of Chi
/ cago, is considered the peer Of rough-and-
tumble fighters in the Middle West.