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_ Since
the great fight, for the championship of America and one thousand
dollars a side, between Joe Coburn, of Philadelphia, Mike McCool, of
St. Louis, in May last, no event has created such wide-spread
excitement in pugilistic circles in this country as the contest between
Con. Fitzgerald and Ed. Wilson, for the sum of one thousand dollars,
which came off yesterday at Fort Penn, in the State of Delaware, about
sixty miles from Philadelphia.
THE FORMER EXPLOITS OF THE COMBATANTS
_ Both
men had fought previously in the prize ring, although with different
success, Fitzgerald having defeated his antagonist, while Wilson's
terminated in a drawn battle. Their relative merits as regards
superiority of pugilistic qualities was a disputed question among the
patrons of the "manly art," and ultimately culminated in the
arrangement of the match in question for five hundred dollars a side,
to come off at Charlestown, Md.
_ Ed.
Wilson is a New Yorker by birth, and a brass-founder by occupation. He
is now in his thirty-fifth year, and his first essay in the ring was
with Harry Gribbin, of New York, April 24, 1860, when after a game
fight of nearly two hours, it was declared drawn by the referee, both
men being severely punished. This was his only battle previous to the
one we now record.
_ His
antagonist, Con. Fitzgerald, was born in Albany, New York, November,
1832, and is therefore in his thirty-first year. He is the same height
as Wilson - five feet eight inches - and about five pounds heavier. His
only fight in the regular ring before was with Hugh Kelly, in Nevada
Territory, in the year 1850 whom he defeated in eighteen rounds and
thirty minutes. Kelly was the favorite at two to one but the heavy
punishing hitting of Fitzgerald enabled him to win without a mark.
Since that time he has remained perfectly quiet until the present
match, for which he was trained by John Lawrence, Morrissey's old
trainer, at McComb's Dam, finishing off at the Suffolk Park, near
Philadelphia, the last ten days of his preparation. Ed. Wilson trained
at his own house at Weehawken, under the care of Hen. Winkle.
SELECTION OF THE BATTLE GROUND
_ The
place of fighting was origanally named at Charlestown, Md., but the
recent interference of the Maryland authorities in the Lynch and Toal
fight significantly showed that any more pugilistic contests would not
be allowed in that section of the state. In this emergency the
co-operation and assistance of a well known influential sporting
gentleman of Philadelphia, Mr William McMullen, was sought by both
parties, and he promised to help them in their difficulty. He
guaranteed to take them to a spot in the State of Delaware, where the
fight could come off without interference, and the management of the
affair was placed in his hands. The steamers were chartered, one for
the public and the other for the principals, seconds and immediate
backers, for which the tickets were charged five dollars each.
_ At
midnight on Monday all parties embarked who had secured tickets for the
latter boat, at the Brown street wharf, the other steamer sailing from
the foot of Market street. The destination was Fort Penn, in the State
of Delaware, about sixty-five miles from Philadelphia and four from
Delaware City, and this point was reached at about seven o'clock the
next morning.
RAID OF THE ROUGHS ON THE DELAWAREANS
_ The
irruption of so many strangers into the quiet hamlet of Fort Penn
alarmed the inhabitants, who imagined that Mosby's guerillas had made a
raid into Delaware; and certainly the conduct of some few roughs, who
invariably managed to be present on similar pugilistic excursions,
justified them in drawing such a conclusion. They broke into one or two
stores and plundered them of their contents, and in one instance robbed
the storekeeper of his pocketbook containing some twenty-five dollars.
It is but just to the others who were on the same excursion, to state
that they strongly condemned these lawless proceedings, and raised by
subscription, immediately they heard of the affair, a purse of the same
amount of which had been robbed by the ruffians. These proceedings, as
will be subsequently seen, led to the arrest of a large number of the
party, and it is to be hoped the guilty ones are included among them.
FORMING THE RING
_ The
ring was speedily and efficiently formed by the usual commissary,
Boatman Tom, of Philadelphia, on a suitable piece of turf, about a mile
from the village.
_ Fitzgerald
was the first to enter the ring, at a few minutes before ten o'clock,
throwing in his cap in the usual orthodox manner. He was received with
loud cheering. Five minutes subsequently Ed. Wilson followed, and it
was noticed as a bad omen that the wind, when his cap was thrown up
into the ring, carried it outside again. He also met a warm welcome.
His seconds were his trainer, Hen. Winkle and Barney Aaron and his
colors a handsome white silk handkerchief with colored eagle and flower
and blue striped border. Fitzgerald seconds were his trainer, John
Lawrence, and Dan Burns, both of them Morrissey's old trainers. His
colors were green silk with white bird's eye. Joe Coburn and Theodore
Allen were Wilson's and Con's respective umpires, but a long delay
ensued for referee. Mr McMullen declined to act, on the ground that he
was unaquainted with the rules of the ring. Mr John McKewen also
refused, and ultimately Mr E.James, of the Clipper, agreed to
officiate. Lawrence won the toss for choice of ground for Fitzgerald,
and took the corner most sheltered from the bitter keen wind that
prevailed.
_ Offers
to bet one hundred dollars to seventy-five on Con. met with no
response. Neither did Ed. Wilson's offer to bet five hundred against a
thousand that he won, his opponent offering five hundred to four
hundred. A few bets were made and shaking hands of the prinipals and
seconds, round time was called for.
THE FIGHT
_ ROUND FIRST
- As they stood facing each other, sparring for an opening, they
appeared to be pretty evenly matched, both in height and weight.
Fitzgerald position was more artistic than his opponent's, and he
appeared more active in his movements, as might have been anticipated
from the advantage he possesed in point of youth. Their condition was
perfection itself, the muscles of their arms and shoulders being
splendidly developed and standing out in bold relief. Neither of them
seemed to have an ounce of superfluous flesh, and a pretracted, well
contested fight was confidently anticipated by the spectators. Some
time was spent in sparring. Con. at length leading off and both
countering together on the face. Breaking fresh ground, they again
joined issue, the exchanges, where quick and heavy, being in Con.'s
favor, although Wilson won the first of the three events by drawing
first blood by a left hander on the nose. Fitzgerald, however, made the
balance even by knocking Wilson down by a heavy half arm hit, amid loud
cheers from his party, which were as warmly responded to by Wilson's
friends for his encouragement.
_ ROUND SECOND.
- Both prompt to the call of time, Fitzgerald leading off, but was well
stopped. He tried it again, but with no better effect. More sparring,
both countering together and getting home on the face, Con. at last
finishing the round by sending Wilson to the grass. Loud cheers, and
offers to bet seventy against one hundred dollars that Wilson won.
_ ROUND THIRD. -
Neither of them showed any marks of punishment as they came up for this
round. Some time was spent in sparring, Con. at last exclaiming, "Why
don't you fight, Ed.?" to which Wilson replied, "Why don't you start,
Con.?" The latter was obliged to lead off, but was stopped twice in
succession, Wilson being evidently resolved to make Fitzgerald take the
initiative. In his third essay he was more successful, as he planted
his right, upon which he seemed to depend almost entirely, fair on
Wilson's nose, following it up with a second and heavier hit on the
same place, which knocked Ed. fairly off his feet. Loud cheering for
Fitzgerald, and offers of one hundred dollars to fifty that he won.
_ ROUND FOURTH. Wilson's
seconds sent him up comparitively fresh and clean, and he smiled grimly
at his opponent as they toed the scratch. After some little feinting
Con. got home on the cheek, and as Wilson returned on the body he
delivered a terrific right hander on the nose, which caused the crimson
fluid to spout like a torrent, and breaking it like an eggshell. He
followed it up by a second sledgehammer hit with the right under the
ear, which evidently confused Wilson, and terminated the round by a
third tremenous facer, which floored him like a shot, Wilson going down
like a log in his own corner. So unmistakably apparent were the effects
of Con.'s heavy hitting in this round, that one hundred dollars to
twenty against Wilson were offered without any takers.
_ ROUND FFTH. -
Wilson came up so weak that Con. at once forced the fighting, sending
Wilson to the grass by a lefthander on the nose, which caused the blood
to flow in increased torrents. Odds of one hundred to five offered on
Fitzgerald.
_ ROUND SIXTH. -
To the surprise of every one, Wilson came up promptly and gamely at the
call of time. Con dashed in, and with a heavy blow on the face knocked
him on the ropes in his own corner, and followed it up with the right
and left on the same spot, and knocked him off his legs, amid loud
cheers from his friends.
_ ROUND SEVENTH. -
The fight was now virtually over, for although Wilson came up with the
most undaunted gameness it was only to receivve punishment, without
being able to inflict any corresponding harm in return. Con at once
forced the fighting, in accordance with his second's instructions,
delivering his right very heavily on the old spot, and knocking Wilson
off his legs.
_ ROUND EIGHTH. -
Wilson, although suffering from the severe hitting he had received,
came up as game as ever to time. Con dashed in, napping a couple of
body hits for his temerity, which, however, were deficient in power to
do any harm, and delivering in return a rapid and effective one, two
and three on the head and face, which made the blood stream again in
profussion, and knocking him off his legs. One hundred dollars to two
were offered in one quarter on Fitzgerald, without any one accepting it.
_ ROUND NINTH. -
Wilson was still able to be on hand at the call of time, but all chance
of success had vanished long ago, and it was only his unflinching game
that made him continue the hopeless contest. He came up to the scratch
to be hit all over by those terrific righthanders of Fitzgerald's, and
knocked down weak, powerless and bleeding. At the finish there were
loud cries for his seconds to take their man away, as he was being
literally cut to pieces by his opponent's severe sledgehammer hitting;
but he himself would not listen to the advice tendered, and persisted
in coming up.
_ ROUND TENTH AND
LAST. -
Weak from loss of blood, and staggering from his tremendous pluck. Con
was apparently determined to finish off his opponent at once, for he
rushed in, and disregarding the feeble blows he gave, administered his
right and left with stinging severity on the face, sent him so heavily
to the grass that his second, seeing the hopelessness and cruelty of
continuing the fight, and afraid of a fatal termination if persisted
any longer, threw up the sponge in token of his defeat, although
strongly against the wishes of the brave fellow himself, who was deeply
mortified at his defeat.
_ The
fight lasted excatly sixteen minutes, and in every round Wilson was knocked down.
REMARKS
_ But
little comment is necessary on this fight. Wilson proved himself as
brave, game fellow that he has always been considered, but he showed
also that beyond gameness he has none of the requisite qualities of a
boxer. He is deficient in science, connot lead off at all, and did not
know how to take advantage of the many openings that were offered him.
Fitzgerald has a good deal to learn before he can be considered perfect
as a boxer. He is very active on his legs, hits tremendously heavy and
straight, especially with his dangerous right, and is one of the
fairest fighters we ever witnessed. His defence, however, is not very
strong, as he preferes leading off with his right, which he uses with
effect, instead of reserving it as a guard or to cross counter, and
thus lays himself open to a scientific antagonist. This is a fault that
can be easily rectified, and which, if he is matched against Joe Coburn
- of which there was some talk after the fight, Con. declaring his
willingness to meet him for two thousand dollars a side - he will be
compelled to remedy. As it is, he entirely satisfied his friends by his
performance on this occasion
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