Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-08


fury. If boxing were stopped by law
and made a punishable offense it is
certain meetings would still be brought
off and the authorities successfully
lodged. There have been many ways
of doing this.
recollect about twenty odd years ago
1T was a fight in which Jim Smith or
ALI Greenfield was engaged-that nice
little affair was decided in the open. They
hired a large furniture moving van. what
country. Both principals and seconds,
the ropes, ETC., were conveyed in this
enormous closed van to a quiet spot.
which had been surveyed day or two
before. The furniture van ruse was
highly successful on this occasion. At
the driver was held up on suburban
road just getting out Of London.
If the old order were to come in again
there is no doubt the automobile would
play a strong part, and spectators would
find 1t easy to get wherever they wished
Rather different were the instances of
years ago, where on one occasion, when
the fight had been shifted from one
place to another. men paid over s. a mile
to be hauled along a country road to see
what they could see.
Fighters themselves were clever at elud-
ing 1.-The law Such a man was James
Burke, who flourished nearly 100 years
ago. Burke used to disguise himself. and
was an adept at making up. On one &C.
casiOn, when he had to dodge the Of
ficers he changed clothes with one Of his
supporters, who was put In a carriage:
Soon the whole Of the available local
constabulary was after him. Meantime
Burke went on foot with the spectators
and had his fight. This was when he
fought a man named Cow, and beat him.
Burke was one of the early fighters to
try his luck in America. He began his
career on this side Of the Atlantic at
New Orleans. meeting a man named
Burke was handled rather savagely In a
mix-up. During this rad. Burke. strlk-
ing out for his own protection. settled
his adversary's second in one blow, but
he was lucky to escape with his life. He
took to his heels. and. finding horse.
escaped. Burke was glad to get to New
York, and after beating moderate man,
thoroughly enjoyed himself.
1t is a wonder Burke ever left Amer
lea. he was SO we'll treated. If he had
been an Irishman in addition to having
an Irish name perhaps he never would
have left this country. He met no gooa
In England on his return. being beaten
by Bendigo, who had claimed the title
Like many other lighters. Burke died OF
tuberculosis when q young man of thirty
five.
He was quite an ignorant man when
he first started. He rowed a wherry on
the. Thames, in England, plying for
hire. 1t may be entirely owing to
meeting a fighter named Joe Parrish
that he entered the prize ring. He
was only nineteen when he started
and fought one or two severe draws,
following this up by meeting quite
a string OF big fellows. but more for
hOn0rS than money
s Then his party wanted to make some
money with him after he had fou hi
butchers and carmen, and big laborers.
Incidentally. all these young champions
had human bullocks as. their trying
tackle, whereas it. would have been
much better to have had smaller men
who could have taught them some
thing. for their early bouts were only
smuggling matches
!. When Burke met an Irishman named