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husband for pugilistic honors and the
new champion's wife today established
a precedent which will hardly ever be
equalled.
_ Up
to the night before the fight Mrs.
Fitzsimmons declared she would not be
present at the ringside, but at the last
moment, despite advice of her friends,
she insisted on accompanying her has-
band. She was vigorously cheered when
she entered the arena and appeared en-
tirely self-contained and unconcerned
as she took her seat almost under the
chair near Bob's corner.
_ As
he came down the slope from his
dressing room, Fitz stopped for a mo-
ment at his wife's side and stooping
kissed her as she said cheerily, "Good
luck to you, Bob."
SHE WAS EXCITED
_ For
the first few rounds she sat quiet-
ly, but as the rounds became hottor her
excitement mastered her, and for the
remainder of the battle she stood upon
the floor or chair, excitedly encouraging
her husband, or hurling reproaches and
instructions at his seconds. As the
battle went on she became more and
mare demonstrative, sometimes break-
ing into exclamations which bordered
on profane.
_ At
every blow which her lanky spouse
received from his antagonist her eyes
buldged out and with her fists clenched
she cried: "The hound," "The puppy,"
"Punch him, Bob,""Kill him."
_ The
plan of battle after the first
round was highly displeasing to Mrs.
Fitzsimmons, and in no gentle tones she
chided the seconds for not advising dif-
ferent tactics.
_ "Make
him keep punching Corbett's
wind and he will win," she screamed.
"You idiots, you don't know how to
second a man, you have lost your
senses. Do you want to defeat my hus-
band? Do as I tell you now, or I'll
make you wish tou had."
VERITABLE FURY.
_ Not
once during the entire scene did
a shade of pallor cross the woman's
face. On the contrary, her cheeks were
fiery red and as she leaned over the
railing at the front of her seat, her
eyes blazing and her gloved fingers
crushed into the palms of her hands,
she looked veritable fury. At the end
of every round, as the New Zealander
streatched himself back in the chair,
she shouted to him words of encour-
agement and advice, continually in-
sisting that he aim the blows at Cor-
bett's body and let the face alone.
_ "Its
the only way to whip the hound,
Bob," she cried over and over, and if
you do as I tell you he can't last the
round. The whelp is going now, hit on
the body, punch him in the wind."
_ When
the end came, and Corbett
stayed upon his knees until the fatal
ten had been counted, Mrs. Fitzsim-
mons went almost mad with joy.
Shouting congratulatory and endear-
ing terms to the conqueror, she stood
upon her chair waving her handker-
chief until the tide of humanity, which
swept down the sides of the arena
towards the ring, carried her from the
place.
_ When
Corbett made his way to Fitz's
corner and desperately attempted to
continue the fight, the new champion's
wife, beside herself with rage, clamber-
ed upon the platform and frantically
attempted to get at the defeated man.
WAS FRANTIC
_ "I'll
kill him," she screamed, "I'll
kill the coward," and Corbett would
have a woman to deal with, and a
rather formidable woman at that, had
not several of her frieds restrained
her. She was carried back to her hus-
band's corner and then off the stage.
As soon as the turmoil inside the ropes
had subsided she rushed to the con-
queror's dressing room, where she af-
fectionately greeted him, unmindful of
the blood which dripped from his face
and his skinned breast and arms.
_ "I
knew Bob would win," she said,
as she entered the carriage for the
drive back to Cook's ranch. "I have
been confident of it from the day of the
match between the men and I have
grown more confident every day since
the training for this fight began. My
husband is the greatest fighter the
world has ever known, and it was only
to be expected that he would win the
championship at the first opportunity
he had.
_ "I
am going back to the baby to-
morrow and tell him that he is the
son and namesake of the champion of
the world. I am the happiest woman in
all the world today, but I am not any
happier than I expected to be. I never
had any idea of Bob's losing. This is
only what I expected, and the realiza-
tion of our hopes is great and glori-
ous. Now Bob and the baby and I
will settle down to a more quiet life."
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