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BUFFALO, Sept. 16 - At an early hour this morn-
ing a seven-round prize-fight with skin-tight kid
gloves took place on Navy Island, near this city,
between Alice Leary, of Bradford, and Hattie
Leslie, of Buffalo. The latter won after half-
hour's fighting, in which both were severely if not
seriously punished.The battle was made for $250
a side and the gate money. When morning dawned
the rain was falling as copiously as ever, but the
girls did not back out. they were ready to fight
in mill-pond, if necessary. The party landed at
the very spot which has been made famous by three
of Billy Baker's fights. The old landmarks of a
ring were viaible, but the grass was too wet to
stake out a ring on the turf. Near by was a de-
serted house and a barn nearly filled with oats.
The crowd took hold and improvised pitchforks
and soon cleared away the rubbish, leaving a space
large enough for the set-to, and here the fight was
held regardless of weather.
_ Hattie
Leslie has been sparring in public with
her husband John for a year and a half past. She
is twenty years old and weighs about 200 pounds
ordinarily. She had trained down and stripped at
180. She is a fine-looking girl, with brown hair,
blue eyes and clear complexion. Her experience
with gloves and superiority in weight gave her
considerable advantage. Alice Leary is a strong,
healthy serio-comic, about twenty-five years old,
who came here from Bradford to work in a vari-
ety theatre, and who has a local reputation as a
dumb-bell and Indian club performer. She was
trained by Billy Baker, a local champion pugilist.
She has a celtic cast of countanance and an
abundance of dark brown hair. She stripped at
148 pounds, and was not trained down fine enough
at that.
_ It
was a little after 8 o'clock when Mrs. Leslie
made her appearance in the barn, and one minute
later her adversary followed. Both wore white
skirts. which enveloped their nether limbs, shawis
about their waists and had towels thrown over
their heads. A few moments decided the choice of
referee to be Jack Leonard and timekeeper
"Fistic" Carroll, both local sports. Billy Baker
seconded Alice Leary and La Blanche, "The
Marine," seconded Lattie. At 8:15 a.m., time was
called, and the girls laid aside skirts, shawis and
head-gear and stepped briskly forward and shook
hands. Hattie Leslie was attired in a white sleeve-
less underveat, white tights and canvas shoes.
Alice Leary wore the same color and material of
garments above the belt, with red trunks and black
tights and canvas shoes. Hattie had her hair cut
short and Alice wore hers long and knotted at the
back of her head.
_ First
Round - Both sparred warily for a full min-
ute, each waiting for the other to begin. Finally
Hattie gave an opening and Alice reached her on
the cheek, making a very perceptible blush. Hattie
countered on her antagonist's breast. Hattie re-
tired to her corner with a red face.
_ Second
Round - Hattie's fierce rushes forced
Alice against the oat bundles, where she had her
face roundly slapped right and left while trying to
get her balance. Alice countered smartly again on
her opponent's cheek and sent her back to her cor-
ner blushing more than before.
_ Third
Round - Not a single blow was struck
home in this round. Alice successfully parried
what few were aimed at her and most of the time
was devoted to circling about sparring for an open-
ing.
_ Forth
Round - Hattie dealt Alice some resound-
ing rib-roasters, which staggered her, and made
several heavy lunges, driving her opponent into
the crowd and almost off her feet. A right-hander
and a left on Alice's jaws, which drew claret. The
referee decided first blood for Leary.
_ Fifth
Round - Hattie went in with confidence.
Alice smiled satirically when Hattie tapped her in
the ribs. Closer fighting followed, which drove
Leary out of position. She ducked and turned to
avoid punishment, and Hattie let her have one be-
tween the shoulders. Then Alice squared herself
and drew claret a second time on her antagonist's
cheek by a scratch blow. Hattie wound up the
round with a few complimentary rib-roasters.
Alice's hair went by the board at the conciusion of
this round, but she made a hasty twist of it before
time was called again.
_ Sixth
Round - It was now to be seen that the
girls had had punishment enough. Hattie kept up
a rattling small fire of taps on the short ribs, but
both sparred defensively.
_Seventh
Round - Alice led off with a crack at
Hattie's jaw, which was promptly returned by
four "swipes on the mug" in rapid succession.
One of them closed a "peeper" for Alice. The
round ended timely, the backers urging their
women to smash the other to no avail. As soon as
the girls had taken their corners Baker threw up
the sponge for his girl, she flatly giving out that
she had had enough.
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