The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current, May 15, 1904, PART FOUR, Page 41, Image 41

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THE SUNDAY OBEGONIAN, POETLAm), MAY- , 15, "19(54.
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TOPI eS THAT eAKTOONISTS HAVE FGUNT) AVAILABLE
THE REPUBLICAN VICTK-PRESIDENTIAIi BACE. THE LAST MAN WINS.
Philadelphia Inquirer.
"THE REPUBLICAN PLATFORM WILL BE VERY BRD3F THIS YEAR." NEWS ITEM.
Detroit Journal.
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HOUSE-HUMISG.
Harper's "Weekly.
LURING THE WILY JAP TO DESTRUCTION.
Philadelphia Inquirer. - Nets' York Evening Mail.
KUR0PATB3N IT'S OF NO IMPORTANCE, OLD CHAP. MY PLAN WAS TO HAYI
THE JAPS CROSS THE RIVER.
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BUSHING THE GROWLER.
St. Paul Pioneer Press.
TRV1NG TO DODGE THE SHELF.
-Philadelphia Record.
New York Press.
THE DEMOCRATIC DONKEY. A CUT-OUT PUZZLE FOR DAVY. WILL.HE GET"
THE BEVST TOGETHER AGAIN?
CHTVRLEy MITCHELL VISITS AMETUeA
Details of His Great Fight "With Sullivan in France.
CHARLIE IITCHELL'S visit to Amer
ica again brings up tho great battle
which tho English champion fought with
John L. Sullivan in France. Mitchell was
the only fighter who ever fought the
great American champion to a draw,
something for which he was never given
credit. On tho subject of' this battle
Otto Floto has this to say:
How time does fly. It's "but a seemingly
short time aco that the newsboys were
shooting themselves hoarse on old Broad
way with the extra' announcing the fact
that Sullivan, the pride of all America,
had fought a draw with Charlie Mitchell,
tho brainiest boxer that ever stepped
within the roped arena.
""I don't bellevo it," said Jerry Mahoney,
the big: New York bookmaker, as he In
company with Dick Roche was seated at
the QUsey Houso awaiting tho news.
"It must be a fake," joined In Larry
Kllllan.
"That's one of those English yarns,"
added Bill Muldoon.
"They must have robbed John I if that
is true," said Charlie Fox.
The very thought that Mitchell was able
to fight a "draw" with the seemingly in
vincible John L. Sullivan could not be
conceived. I went to the Police Gazette
office In Franklin sauare for something
definite, and there, sure enough, was a
telegram from Billy Harding, who went
over to Represent Richard K. Fox, an
nouncing that the fight had been called a
draw.
Up town they were still discussing the
affair and the sporting- crowd gathered at
Dave Hplland s restaurant on Fourth ave
nue. "While seated there Billy McGlory
received a cable from Dominlck McCaf
frey confirming the report already received,
Then the arguments began and reasons
were sought." No one could fancy how it
all happened. They had all prepared them
selves to hear that John had knocked
Mitchell out In a round or two. Their
opinions as to the cause of it all were
varied and amusing. No one, not a single
man present, would give Mitchell credit
for tho great and game battle he had
fought.
The weather at the time was4very bad
In Gotham. It was the .same year and
time that New York -suffered from the
great blizzard that will be remembered by
all. and everybody was forced to remain
Indoors. The Sullivan-Mitchell battle,
therefore, furnished food enough to make
the hours fly by, so that at night more
definite information was received, as both
Mitchell and Sullivan had been arrested
and taken to Paris, where they were
jailed, while the correspondents of the
1 different papers were able to cend "better
news from that city than from Chantllly.
Each and very report was the same:
"Sullivan and Mitchell fight, draw;
American suffered greatly from exposure."
That was the sentence sent to the New
York dailies. All of which, left matters
unexplained to Sullivan's frlend3. They
could not simply understand what had
happened.
While the men were in jail In France
they for the first time made up and
spoke friendly. I have the- exact conver
sation from Mitchell when he came back
to this country and complained bitterly
how little regard Sullivan had for his
word,
"When we were in Jail." said Mitchell,
"the big jfellow grabbed my hand and
said: 'You are the greatest man I ever
met, and I want to be your friend. If
ever you come to America again call upon
me, and I will be there first, last and all
the time.' " They shook hands and de
cided to stand together, no matter what;
occurred in regard to their fight, against
the French authorities. Both paid an
equal amount to get out of the Trouble,
and both occupied the 'same carriage to
the depot to take the train for Havre.
It wag thought that all old sores and
grievances had been healed and forgot
ten. NO sooner, however, did Mitchell
land In this country with Kllraln than
Sullivan began to abuse him through the
press arid "sic" hi3 friends on him.
Mitchell was greatly pained, and often
said: "I will never forget John for that
treatment."
Soon the London papers came to this
country containing an account of the af
fair. Charley Johnson, Billy Harding and
Dominlck McCaffrey were the first Amer
icans to return, and Johnson circulated
the story that "It was a foot-race, and
the big fellow could not catch Mitchell
in the heavy going."
This was believed for tho time being,
owing to the .great popularity of the Boa
ton fighter. The more conservative ones,
however, "began to figure out the fight for
themselves after reading the rounds. At
that round where Mitchell grabbed John
by the mustache and wound his finger
around it and nearly jerked it off, they
scratched their heads and said:
"How can a man be running away all
the time and then all but pull his oppon
ent's mustache out by the roots?" The
Sullivanites made some sort of excuses
for this and said: 'It was an accident"
Then they read down a little further and
saw whero Mitchell deliberately "spiked"
Sullivan through the foot. Now they
again reasoned:
"How can a man be running away all
the time and still 'spike his opponent
through the foot?" Again came the an
swer: "It was an accident." And In that
manner excuse after excuse was fur
nished. No one would give little Mitchell
credit for his wonderful performance, the
only man who ever fought a draw with
the mighty John L. Sullivan In the prize
rln according to London prize ring rules.
They simply would not concede Ills grand
exhibition in that ring.
It was not long- before rumors began to
be heard about some one receiving 300.
They would not down, and on Investiga
tion there appeared something to it after
all. Like murder, a shady transaction
will not down, nor can a secret of this
kind be kept. Then finally the truth be
came knowiu
Harry Phillips, of Toronto, paid Jack
Baldock and Jimmy Carney $2500 to make
the fight a draw. Tho rain and mud had
so exhausted the Boston man that he
could not have lasted much longer, and
rather than see him defeated Phillips en
tered Into the deal with Baldock.
The Firing Line.
For glory? For good? For fortune or fame?
"Why, ho for the front where tho battle
Is on!
Leave the rear to thodolt, the lazy, the lame;
Go forward, as ever the valiant have gone;
Whether city or field, whether mountain or
mine,
Go forward; go tight on the Firing Line.
Whether newsboy or plowboy, cowboy or clerk.
Fight forward, be ready, he steady, be first;
Be fairest, be bravest, be best at your work;
Edult and be glad; dare to hunger, to thirst.
As David, as Alfred let dogs skulk and
whine
There la room but for men on the Firing
Line. "
Aye, the place to fight and the place- to fall
A fall we must, all in God's good tlm
It la where the manliest man the wall.
Where the boys are as men In their pride
and prime.
Where glory gleams brightest, where brightest
eyes ehlno,
Far out on the roaring, red Firing Line.
. Joaquin Miller, la Success ,