Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-05-26

The death of Luther McCarty. tn.
most likely aspirant for the heavy
weight championship honors, has ere
ated stir in pugilistic circles thai
hasn't been equalled in years. Be.
lieved to be in the bloom of health
McCarty entered the ring on Satur.
day with Arthur Pelky with small
doubt of success. Instead he emerged
a defeated man-dead. The fatality
came about in the very first rolmd
of the contest and hardly before the
men had warmed up to their work
There was some feinting and fee IL
one another out and Pelky was seer
to send 4 right hand blow straight
to the heart. McCarty clinched. ;hen
backed away and finally sank TO the
floor. Referee Eddie Smith. believ-
ing McCarty had been knocked out,
counted the customary ten seconds
over the man, but he soon realized
that something serious was up and
he Immediately called for doctor.
Further investigation will be neld,
but so far the cause of death seems to
be in doubt.
Dispatches from Calgary, the scene
of the battle, state that an examina-
ton has revealed the fact that Nc
Carly died as the result of blow to
the jaw, which dislocated his neck.
This does not agree with the reports
Of the contest, which state that
Pelky's only blow reached the heart,
All concerned have been arrested. and
there is much ado about the fatality.
The fact that prize-fighting is illegal
IN Calgary may mean serious conse-
luences for Pelky. for Tommy Burns,
the promoter. and for others In
-erested.
The result of the fight has really
shocked the pugilistic world. Nc
Carly was believed to be In perfect
health, and surely his appearance
always gave one that impression. He
vas just 81 years old, weighed about
100 pounds and was, If anything, a
powerful fellow in the ring. Pellxy,
lis opponent, was considered no bet
er than third-rater, and as against
was looked upon as a joke
The result of the autopsy and the ex-
)ert reports of the bout differ so
widely that it is most difficult to COM
'rehend what caused the boxers
leath. There were no hard blows ex-
hanged, according to the experts, yet
he autopsy showed that McCarty's
leck was broken. This may have
'een caused when he went down, but
t is said he did not fall. but sank to
he floor of the ring. Then, if the
leck was broken, it would appear
hat it was a blow which caused it.
Yet no one present saw a real hard
,low struck.
O.
McCarty's career had been meteoric.
o say the least. He came into prom.
hence by knocking out Carl Morris,
Who had received much notoriety.
Then he came on to New York and
ought Jim Stuart. He was beaten,
ut had another try. this time against
ess Willard. He lost again. There
fas mix-up over who McCarty was
0 fight at the time. First it was
then it was Pelky, but on
he night of the bout Willard was
nally the man. McCarty, Disguised
18th his showing in New York, went
Vest. Out there he made good. He
eat Al Kaufman and Jim Flynn and
he highly-respected AL Palzer, and
was proclaimed the white
eavyweight champion. Again he
anne East, but again he Jared rather
oorly He bested Jim Flynn in
and he outboxed Frank
foran in New York. The fight with
'elky was his next and last battle.
c.
Pelky was never seriously consid-
red in the boxing game. His first
Id for fame came in a white hope
ourney conducted by Tom O'Rourke
I New York. Pelky was beaten in
is first bout and eliminated. The
inner of this tourney was AL Palzer,
nd Sailor White, of this city, won
econd honors. Later on Pelky fought
Willard. 1t was a fierce battle and
bout even, but efforts to rematch
hem failed. The next heard of Pelky
e was matched to fight Tommy
surns at Calgary. The outcome was
ten-round draw. Then followed the
out with McCarty and the tragic END
( his opponent.
The life of McCarty, it is said. was
moody one. His spirits changed,
nut he was generally in happy
rame of mind. He came into prom
hence in a hurry, and he didn't seem
o realize his Importance He was a
zig kid in every sense of the word
nd he delighted in boyish pranks.
lie liked the lurid dress of Broadway
nd he enjoyed equally the pranks
f the cowboy on the plains. He was
o poor once that he was really hun
,ry, but when he came into wealth
lie made up for lost time In some
quarters it is claimed that he led
asst life during the past year, while
hose who should know best said he