The Washington herald., 1911-11-30
WOLGAST THROUGH
AS A CHAMPION
Operation May Take Wonder
full Strength from Ad.
GOES UNDER THE KNIFE
Light-weight Champion Is Operated
Upon in Los Angeles, and Bout
with English Freddie weIch Is
Called oH-May End His Career
as the Title Holder.

Los Angeles, Cal, Nov. 29.-The knife
was used on Ad Wolgast at the Clara
Barton Hospital this morning, and
| there will be no exchange OF buffet by
the lightweight champion and English
Freddie Welch at the Vernon Arena to-
morrow afternoon. Appendicitis was
! what allied Wolgast. Contrary to re-
port, he felt no warning twinges OF
the dangerous malady. He finished his
training to all appearances as Sound
as a bell and complained Of neither
ache nor bruise. He retired early last
evening, after a day OF rest and relax
ation-a day in which he told all he
felt so good he was ashamed to talk
about it above a whisper.
Somewhere around 10 o'clock of the
night Hobo DouGherty, who is one OF
the champions assistants, and who was
an intimate of the champions cottage
eating, found Wolgast suffering from a
pain in his right side. The trouble in
creased, and in the course of a couple
Of hours the little champion was writh-
ing in agony.
Meanwhile Manager Tom Jones had
placed himself in communication with
the house doctor at the Lankershim.
The physician quickly put in an appear
ance, and at once advised wolgast's s
There DR.. ]. w. Pollard made an ex-
animation and announced that woIgast
was suffering from appendicitis, and
that in all probability an operation
would be inevitable.
OF course, there were rumors, but they
were confined IN narrow circles, and were
simply the efforts of the extremely gar
rulous to increase the excitement. One
was that Wolgast was simply shamming
illness ho oNrfn Of lnf
that he had a tougher fight on hand
than he at first supposed. Another was
that Wolgast had been drugged, and still
another that Wolgast had died on the
operating table.
Operation Necessary.
Meanwhile wolgast's temperature arose
and an operation was decided upon. Dr.
]. W. Pollard welded the knife. and was
assisted by Drs. sherrard and Barton
This was at 10 o'clock in the morning,
and shortly afterward word came that
the patient was doing nicely and that
there was no reason why he should not
fully recover.
OF course, the wolgast-welsh fight
was declared of Immediately. Manager
Tom Jones, who attends to Wolgasts
business matters, is trying his best to
take things phIlosophically. He says he
"Ouiu uOI lnlHh Oh permitting "OlSdSl
to engage in a ring contest within six
months at the least. Those who are IA
miliar with the effects of appendicitis
operations express doubt as to whether
Wolgast viii ever be seen in a ring
again.
Believing that the entire sporting world
is interested In Welch's ability to per-
form in his old-time form. Promoter Tom
McCarey tonight arranged for Welsh to
meet Willie RItchie, Of San Francisco, in
a twenty-round battle at Vernon to-mor-
row afternoon. Ritchie has been train
ing with Mcfarland, and is in first-class
condition. He wired McCarey that he
would take Wolgast-s place against
Welsh, and he was ordered to come
ahead.
AtSs:3O tonight Wolgast had not yet
recovered fully from the shock Of the
operation and effect of the anesthetic.
He is reported to be resting easy"