Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-07-10
LIGHTNING KILLS
'HUGHEY LEONARD,
J FAMOUS ATHLETE
Former Champion Wrestler and
Boxer of Orange Meets
Death on Farm.

Hugh Leonard, of Orange, promi-
nent wrestling expert. boxer and in
struetor of former President Theodore
Roosevelt in tie art of wrestling, was
killed by ligi ming yesterday after
noon at his summer camp at Bel
fast. N. Y. With his wife he was
spending the summer at Belfast. The
Leonards left their home, at 100 Day
street, Orange, on June 30 for Belfast,
the former home of Mr.. Leonard.
According to the dispatch telling of
the death, Leonard. who conducted
a summer training camp at Belfast
for several years, was at work on his
farm when thunder storm came up.
Following a binding flash Of light
ming the athlete fell to. the ground.
When friends arrived at his side
Leonay was dead.
Ju hen the body of the dead
wrestler will be brought to Orange
: could not be learned today. as there
was no one at the Leonard home.
Mr. Leonard, who was Familiarity
Known as "Hughey;" was at one time
amateur champion wrestler, Graeco-
Roman style. He began his career
on the mat at the weight of 1873
pounds. He worked faithfully and ac-
complished many clever victories He
worked his way up to the 145-pound
class, where he also showed to adj
vantage. He was a member of the
National Turn Verein, of this city
Hughey had been wrestling in
structor at the New York Athletic
Club for more than twenty years and
was considered the foremost authority
on wrestling in the United States.
"A protege of Billy Muldoon, ex-
champion wrestler of the world
Huhey' was picked up by MuIdoon
IN 1889, when John L. Sullivan was
at Belfast training for his fight with
kiirain, the last bare knuekle fight of
any Importance held in this country.
Leonard, with the other boys of the
little village, had 8 habit of hanging
around the pugilist's quarters, and
because of Leonards engaging man.
ner and sunny disposition, he was
selected by Muldoon to do many
small Jobs around the camp. Before
Sullivan had finished his training
Leonard had been practically in
stalled as a messenger and assistant
for Muldoon.
Muldoon and Sullivan amused
themselves in the sleepy little village
by offering small purses for boxing
and wrestling bouts between the lads
of the neighborhood, and Muldoon's
interest in Leonard was aroused by
the skill he showed in these encoun-
fers. When Sullivan left Belfast,
Muldoon persuaded the boy to go
along with. him, despite the opposi-
ton of his mother, who feared that
the associations of a pugilist's train
ing quarters would be bad for the
youngster. But Leonard went along
Although Leonard was only sixteen
years old, Muldoon took him around
the country. giving wrestling exhibit
tions and offering 800 to any one
who could throw the boy. Muldoon
says ne lost very few Of these wagers.
In 1898 Leonard became wrestling
! instructor of the Buffalo Athletic
Club of Buffalo, N. Y. A year later
he became Instructor at the old Man
haitian Athletic Club, New York, and
short time after that went to the
New York Athletic Club, where he
was still instructor at the time of his
DEATH
Leonard was not only a superior
wrestler himself, but he possessed to
a remarkable degree the knack of
imparting his knowledge to Others,
and several of his pupils were gradu-
ated into the championship class.
The Leonards had lived in Orange
about thirteen years. Mr.. Leonard
was communicate at st. Johns r.
c. Church and prominent member
of Orange Council, Knights of Column
bus. The deceased was man of fine
disposition, companionable, honest in
all his dealings and lover of clean
sport. He is spoken of most highly
by hundreds of sportsmen, who knew
his tactics as well as his personal
.tr it's They all agree he was in
many respects the leader in playing
fair in. the arena.
Mr.. Leonard was forty-six years of
age, and was born in Belfast. He is
survived by widow and four chill
dren, all girls. Miss Lorraine Leonard
and Miss Irene Leonard are graduates
Of the Orange High School and of the
Newark Normal School Miss
Frances Leonard and Miss Marjpry
Leonard are eleven and seven years
old, respectively.
Fears are expressed for the health
of Mrs. Leonard, as she is of very
nervous disposition. They left their
home in the happiest of spirits, and
were looking forward to long and
pleasant vacation in the surroundings
of Mr.. Leonard's boyhood days.