The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-12-17
.GOtCh, Famous WfestIer,DoW1l
 For Last Time


 Gotch, retired champion heavyweight wrestler of the world, died at nool yesterday at his home, Humboldt, Ia of uraemic poisoning. He had beel in falling health for two years. |, Gotch was Al years old. He wa: born on April 27, 1876, on a farn three miles south of Humboldt.
 He is survived by his widow, four-year-old son, Robert Gotch; brother, Fred Gotch; a sister, Mrs Charlie Kurth of Humboldt, and his mother, Mrs. Amelia Gotch, also resident of Humboldt.
 His wife and son were at his bed side when death came. It. is sai6 that the famous athlete was conscious almost up to the time of his death despite the rumors that have been 1T circulation during the past two months that he was irrational part o1 the time.
 The first intimation that his health was notNas good as it should be came to him in the summer of 1916, when he was making a. tour of the coun- try with well known circus as a test to see whether he should sign articles for a match with Joe Stecher of Dodge Neb., who had won the title from Charlie Cutler of Chicago. Gotch had declared Cutler the American champion upon his retirement.
 Exhibition of Skill in Circus. .Goteh, in the circus, wrestled with Bob Managoff, Earl Caddock and oth- CTS, only short time when he was compelled to return to his home be- cause of stomach trouble. He never regained his health fully, although he later rejoined the circus. He was compelled to leave again when he in- jured his ankle.
 The discoveries the champion made ! regarding his condition that summer caused him to abandon all plans of a match with stecher.
 The. following; winter Gotch be- came no better and went to. Hot l Springs, Ark. He returned home last spring but gradually lost strength. Early in October he went to Chicago on his way to a Southern resort, but became seriously i'll in Chicago ho- | tel He was removed to a hospital where he was kept until early in No vember, when he was brought back to his home .~~ 1 Since that time he had been able to leave his home only two or three times and then for only short strolls Ten days ago he began to grow worse. sassss a, . se sa as
 s Made Fortune In Wrestling.
 Gotch built up a fortune in wrest. Hing and by investing his earnings in Iowa farm lands His estate is var. | iously estimated at between $200,00q and $400,0 all of which represents money made through his ability as a wrestler.
 Gotch won the American cham. pionship Jan. 27, 1904, from Tom Jenkins after one of the toughest #matches ever seen in this country The bout was staged at Bellingham, Wash. Gotch won the first fall and was 1 awarded the second after Jenkins had fouled him repeatedly by applying the strangle hold and by. striking | him.
 Beat Hackenschmidt in Chicago.
 Gotch won the heavyweight wrest- ling championship of the world in 1908 in Chicago by defeating George Hackenschmidt, the Russian Lion who forfeited the match after two hours and eight minutes. Wrestling enthusiasts called it the greatest mai spectacle of history. Gotch lost nine pounds before his opponent was de. feated. Gotch's tongue was so badly | yA1I L. T. could speak plainly.
 Gotch wrestled with Hacken. schmidt in the White Sox ball park here again in 1911. winning in short order. After the match it was made known that Gotch's opponent had en. tered the contest with badly sprain- ed knee, and although he had con. cealed it at first, it prevented his ex ertfng more than a feeble resistance to the champion. The gate receipts at that match were $87,O00, the mos money eyer taken in a wrestling show
 It was in his match with Hacken- schmidt that Gotch introduced an6 perfected the toe hold against whicI no man was ever able to stand The hold caused great anguish to the op. ponent and soon made the stronges of them weak.
 The only man who ever publicl, threw the champion was Fred Beel of Marshf1eld, Wis, who in 1905 ir New Orleans. took the first fall tt Gotch's second and third, in thre. fall match. Gotch later won iron Beell with little effort.
 Weighed 215 Pounds. The champions wrestling weigh was 215 pounds, but in the last yea he had lost weight until he tipped tn, scales at less than 1S0 pounds. H. entered a hospital here a month az, and was treated for stomach trouble but gained rapidly and was soon dis charged as cured
 Gotch and James Jeffries, forme heavyweight boxing champion, wer intimate friends and before Jeffrie : lost his belt to Jack Johnson, the tw, champions toured the country, meet ing with great receptions every l where. Local Clubs Hold pS11iowI Co-4o.A,