The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-03-26

~ III Il
Police on
Duty.
by Perry Arnold. United Press stah
Correspondent
RING SIDE, MADISON SQUARE
GARDEN, New York. March 25-
Back in A. D. so, a giant, yclept Nero,
together with all the elite of imperial
Rome-accompanied by the hot sports
of that day-assembled in the COLI
scum to watch the clash of a trident
armed gent against another person
led with short, thick sword
Not since that memorable day has
there been such an assembly of the
purple robed with the hot sports as
there was tonight in Madison Square
Garden This time il was to watch
the clash of six feet seven against six
feet one-Jess Willard against
Charles Francis Moran Erm.ne
mingled with soiled serg@pug with
society Ieader-sport with aristocracy
tonight The battle of challenger
against champion made the historic
garden a regular melting pot
300 Police There.
Three hundred police rayet and
slammed and pushed and pulled at
the 1900 fight hungry fans at the
gates. Long before six o'clock when
the management had announced that
the doors would be opened, there
were at least thousand in line. The
gates were not opened until 1880 and
by that time there were lines blocks
long waiting, pushing, scramblfng-
and compIaining-to get in.
Women, fashionabiy gowned and
accompanied by silk-hatted, full
dressed escorts, rubbed elbows with
the east side fight fans IN this swirl
ing, pressing mob. The police played
no favorites. All had to take their
place in line
Inside, one could look over the SER
ried rows of seats-a dark mass OF
humanity with full dress shirt front
speaking the black here and there
Even Bob Ftzsimmons wore an open
front and a high topper. Consequent,
" he got a husky cheer as his lanky
figure was espied In the aisles-
Gong at O'Clock.
Along about eight o'clock some
body rang the gong. It didn't hush
the rattle, bang and thud Of folded
seats being opened. And the prelini-
nartes had been scheduled to start an
hour before. But who worried about
preHminaries when Willard was to
battle Moran long about $3.50 OF 30!
Nobody.
The crowd plainl. showed II was
disdainful of any preEminar1es. When
the 5000 candle power lights over the
twenty foot ring were lighted there
was a sudden hush. but when NOV
ing picture gent stood in the middle
ana held up a poster so cameras on
each side could get the correct focus.
rancous voices voiced only disgust
An announcement the famous
Humphreys, but mere volunteer
got a cheer when he announced the
no-smoking rule.
At s precisely, the two gladiators
selected as first whetters of the audi
ance's hstic appetite clambered into
the ring. They were Nate Jackson
of Oklahoma City and Pete Slane OF
New York
Society Arriyes-
BY this time society-with big
$50 was beginning to arrive.
The ladies for the most part, how
ever, kept the low necked evening
gowns covered over in heavy coats.
for II was just trif1e chilly in the
great han. Maybe also they were
holding back waiting the excitement
of the big bout Celebrities in the
gflk-hst mems brigade were Payne
Whitney, Jay Could, J. P. Morgan,
Reggie Vanderbilt, David Belasco,
Russell Colt. Diamond Jim Brady.
(who ought to have a separate para
graph. considering the way the lights
reflected his ieweIs). George II.
Conan, Enrfco Caruso, e1-Secretary Of
War Garrison, John Mccormack.
Charles F. Murphy, Mayor Curley of
Boston, and others.
Among the women spectators OF
note were Mrs. Tex Richard, wife of
the promoter Of the bout-looking as
interested as the wife of a man who
saw dollars - every one OF the sea
of faces tur1rtd on the ring Geraldine
FaTar, tho prfnna donna. was another
70 attract attention.
Somebody Won Preliminary.
Somebody won the preliminary bout
but nobody seemed particularly en-
Unused over the way the two fighters
banged each other. Jackson Of Okla
I homa seemed TO have the better OF
| the argument Then came Red Mack
! OF Newark and Young Vanguard of
: the Bronx, as second appeuzers.
At $50 the police found 1t neces-
sary to form double lines at each en-
trance, making every spectator run
( the gauntlet of blue coats single file.
/ The police lines extended a block In
/ each direction and all passersby had
TO show tickets or give a good ex-
4 cuse. At that time the garden seemed