New-York tribune., 1912-02-14
GUS RUHLIN DROPS DEAD
Once Celebrated in Prize Ring as
the "Akron Giant"
WIFE LEADING SUFFRAGETTE
Man Who Faced Champions
Reading Book on Longevity
When He Died.

Big Gus Rubin, known as the Akron
Giant" at one time a serious contender
for the heavyweight championship OF the
world IN the prize ring. died suddenly last
evening at his home. 40. 1879 Myrtle ave
nue., Brooklyn Heart disease was given as
the cause OF his taking or and the man
who battlcd many bloody rounds with JET
rlcs. Fltzs.mmous, Sharkey and lesser
lights IN the realm Of pugism took the
final count without a struggle.
It was A curious twist of fate that RUN
lin, who was only forty years old. should
die while reading a book on The Art ~
Longevity" which his wife had Just hand
ed to him. The big man had Just opened
the volume 20 q rage where a set Of rules
were set down, pointing out I'm what way
d person might live to ripe old age when
he suddenly sighed deeply and toppIed of
his chair. He was dead when a physician
arrived
For the last four years Rubin had aept
saloon AT the Myrtle avenue address. He
Is said TO nave done a prosperous business
He made his home on the floor above the
place.
Before entering the saloon business Run
I'm had engaged Iu many bitter fights in
the prize rinE. In his youth he was un-
usually broad and deep Of chest, and soon
made reputation for himself as a rough
and-tumblc fighter He first began to get
ahead IN the prize ring when he came to
the notice Of billy" Madden. q we'll known
handler Of fighting men. Madden took the
raw recruit and began to hammer the prin-
ciples Of pugihsm into him. Gus" was
gifted with one OF the great requisites o.
the successful prizehghter-ho was game
all the way through. Madden soon found
! this out and continued his coaching
! Madden handled the big fellow cautiously.
| sending him against men OF mediocre anil
| ity first Then. as his pupil began to i'm
| prove with every fight he climbed nearer
to the top Of the heap. After a gruelling
| course through the school Of hard knocks
| Gus was sent against Jim" Jeffries. be-
! fore the cave man" had become champion
! The battle went twenty fierce rounds. with
neither man having decisive advantage
Rubin went along, winning many OF his
| fights by gift Of sheer buIl strength and
! ohilitv 10 take beating Finally, he faced
! the formidable TON" Sharkcy. who had
given Jcffries terrific battle for twenty
| five rounds He succeeded I'm knocking
| Sharkey out in short but hard fight
| Encouraged with his success. Gus"
signed TO meet Bob" FItzsimmons. who al
ready had been defeated the first time by
Jim" JcNries. This fight was held down
| at the old Coney Island Athletic club. in
| 1899. Rubin received an unmorciful beat
! ing al the hands Of the mighty FItzs!m-
mons. surrounding early in the battle This
! fight seemed TO take the heart out Of the
! Akron Giant" and lie never performed in
I
/ old Peter Maher, the perpetual Irish
| champion" in 1902, and knocked him out.
! The year before he had been defeated by
| Jenrics in San Francisco.
! Realizing that HIS usefulness as a pugilist
was over Rubin retired, and naturally
! gravitated toward the saloon business His
wife. hitherto unhcard 81 except as big
! "Gus's" wife, th"n brought Rubin again
| into the limelight By her strenuous work in
! behalf Of woman suffrage. She entered into
the new field with stern energy, held meet
| ing all over Brooklyn, and put herself down
( as n believer In the militant methods for
women gaining the ballot.
! Coming from such source, the new ad-
/ vCcacy of votes for women" was bound
( TO have a startling effect, and II did. Soon
! Gus" Rubin became known as q e hus-
! band of Mrs. Rubin, but the big man pnly
smiled and seemed 20 enjoy the unusu,g ex-
/ perience OF seeing his wife doing the Tight
| ing for the family.
1 Besides decorating "Guss" saloon
placards announcing votes for wome
| Mrs. Rubin, last September, was SEIZE
! with brilliant idea. She got up a prize
| fight benefit for woman suffrage. The event
| came off at the Long Acre Athletic Club,
! on October e. and real blood was spilled
| by a crowd OF willing ruGllists, who were
| told by the little woman that they were
working for women's rights" The more
| sedate among the women suifragists were
openly scandalized by Mrs. Ruhlin's ac-
/ tivlty, but they were as openly scorned by
! the pugilsts wife, who continued with her
! pugilistC suffrage Campaign.
| To his friends Gus" Rubin seemed in
| the best Of health. Three weeks ago he
| was seized with an acute attaCk OF indiges-
| ton, but that passed. and he appeared him.
| self again He WAS we'll over feet, and
) weighed nearly three hundred pounds.