The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-05-25
PELKY KILLED
'LU1E' M'CAR1Y
Big White Champion Dies as the Re.
suit Of Blow Under the
Heart, In Canada Scrap
Saturday
IN THE FIRST ROUND
Said That the Dead Man under-esti.
mated His Opponents Worth
and Looked for an
Easy Time.

IUnited Press Leased Wire Service.1
CALGARY, May 24.-Luther Nc
Carly, champion heavyweight prize
fighter of the world, was killed this
afternoon by blow under the heart,
delivered by Arthur Pelkey, OF Chico
pee, Mass, In the first round of their
fight, which was scheduled to go ten
rounds McCarty obviously was over
confident and undetermined He had
looked upon the fight with Pelkey,
who was little known, as sort OF a
practice bout. Following sharp ex-
change. after the men, confronted
each other. Pe1key sent a sharp blow
TO the heart. McCarty staggered
backward, with Lis arms up and then
fell unconscious. He was dead eight
minute later.
Overcome by the tragedy that made
him white worlds champion, Arthur
Pelkey, who this afternoon landed the
bow that caused the death of Luther
McCarty, is tonight at liberty under
$4,000 bonds, charged with man
slaughter.
Thousands of persons who witness
ed the fatal fight are still uncertain
as to the circumstances surrounding
the blow, SO lightning-like was the
collapse OF the young pugilist. Over
1000 people filled Tommy Burns
arena and McCarty was the first to
climb over the ropes. Joking and
laughing with his friends he went to
his corner and was followed a few
/ moments later by his adversary.
When Referee Ed Smith of CHI
icago called the men to the center OF
the ring, they Immediately began the
customary ''trying-out.' There were
one or two inconsequental mix-ups.
Then came clinch. The referee sep
arated the men and 10th squared off.
Neither seemed the worse for the
clinei and the few blows that had
been landed.
Suddenly McCarty was seen to
crouch, doubling up in the attitude as.
sumed by many fighters. To the
spectators it looked as though the
pose was merely fighting attitude
But he continued to go over, his eyes
rolling in his head. Then he crum
pied and sprawled full length Upon
the mat
Mccarty Falls to Rise.
The referee, assuming that he had
been knocked out, stood over him te
count off the fatal seconds.
One, two, three, four" droonec
the voice OF the official. The multi
tude howled With mingled delight anc
/ .chagrin, The fight had been too shor'
but their fayorite had won. 1t begar
to look serious when McCarty faiiet
| to show any signs OF life. Referee
Smith called for doctors and seyera
responded. After working over the
unconscious form for some time, the
i physicians gravely shook their heads
Human aid was of no avail Luthel
/ McCarty had taken the final count.
thousand men and few womel
had swarmed to the ringside, follow
ing the knockout. Pelkey, winner o
the fight at such heavy cost, al
/ during the time the physicians wer'
Working over his adversary, stoot
beside them, tears in his eyes, bu
still too astounded to realize wha
had really happened. The physician
who made thorough examination de
clared that McCarty had succumbe'
to either organic heart trouble o
paralysis of the heart, brought abou
by hard blow near the solar pleKus
William Mccartney, manager for tn
dead fighter. Is Frustrated by tn
tragic end of his proteges career
When the physicians pronounced Nj
Carly dead, Mccartney burst into vic
lent sobs and was led from the arena
Burns Says Unavoidable.
Pelkey was too overcome by TIL
tragedy to make any statement. Hi
manager. Tommy Burns, said
am sorry, but 1t Is one of thos
things which cannot be helped an
my sympathy goes to Pelkey Also
There We're more than dozen do,
tors rushed into the ring when tn
counting ceased.
They worked on McCarty, vainly a
tempting to keep the grim reape
from entirely stepping the action (
ene weakly pounding heart Exact
sight minutes after Mccarty fell I
me mat his heart quit beating
pr Aull, who was among the phys
pms who worked over the fighte