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MISSISSIPPI CITY, Miss., Feb. 7. -
Long
before daylight this morning the Mobile Rail-
road station was thronged with "sporting men"
and newspaper reporters who had come here
to witness the prize fight between Patrick Ryan,
of Troy, N.Y., and John L. Sullivan, of Boston.
Between 10 and 11 o'clock a.m. excursion trains
brought large crowds from New Orleans, and the
grounds about Barnes's Hotel were soon filled with
about 2,000 people. The sheriff had business in
Biloxi, which kept him away until the fight was over.
There was no indications that the authorities thought
of interfering. If they had sought to prevent the fight,
it is not likely that they would have been successful,
for the people here were in favor of a "fair and free
fight." The pugilists, who did most of their training
in New Orleans and on the line of the Mobile Rail-
road did not arrive until this morning. Sullivan came
at 10:30 o;clock and took a room opposite Ryan,
within 100 feet of the ring. The ropes and stakes
arrived at 11 o'clock. The ring was immediately
pitched in front of the hotel, under a grove of live
oaks. There the large crowds of people waited until
all the preliminary arrangements were completed,
passing their time in making bets.
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A few minutes before 12 o'clock
Sullivan cast
his cap into the ring, and soon after Ryan entered
the ring, accompanied by "Tom" Kelly and "Johnny"
Roach. Ryan won the choice of corners and took the
southwest corner. Sullivan took the opposite corner
with the sun in his face. After some cousultation,
James D. Houston, of New Orleans, was chosen
referee. He declined, and at 12:30 Charles Bush
was chosen. He also refused. Soon after the matter
was settled by the choice of Alexander Brewster, of
New Orleans, and "Jack" Hardy, of Vicksburg. All
the arrangements having been made, the two pugilists
entered the ring and shook hands. The incidents of the
fight are given below:
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First Round - Both men sparred
cautiously for an
opening. Ryan led with his right, but fell short and
caught in return a "hot one" from Sullivan's left
hand on the face. Exchanges then became short
and quick, and Sullivan finally knocked Ryan
down with a severe right-hander on the cheek.
Time, 30 seconds.
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Second Round - Sullivan at
once rushed toward
Ryan and gave him a blow on the jaw with his left
hand. Ryan closed with him, and they wrestled for
a fall, Ryan winning and falling heavily on his
opponent. Time, 25 seconds.
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Third Round - The men came
together with
a rush, and Sullivan, after making three
passes, knocked Ryan down with a terrible
right-hand blow on the chest. Time, 4 seconds.
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Fourth Round - The men
sparred, for a second
or two, and then Sullivan gave Ryan a stinging
blow on his nose before the closed. "Slugging"
then began and continued until Ryan was forced
upon the ropes, when he went to the grass.
Time, 20 seconds.
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Fifth Round - This was a
repetition of the
previous round, both men closing and putting
in their "best licks." The attack of both men
was confined to the face. Ryan succeeded in
bringing Sullivan to his knees at the close of
the round.
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Sixth Round - Sullivan came up
smiling, but
it was evident that Ryan was not only suffer-
ing, but was somewhat afraid of his antago-
nist. Sullivan lost no time, but Ryan closed
and threw him.
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Seventh Round - This round was
a short one.
The men closed and hitting was continued for
a few seconds, when Ryan went to the grass
a wreck. Sullivan came to his corner smiling.
Ryan, however, had the grit to come up for
another round.
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Eighth Round - When time was
called the
men came up promptly. Ryan was decidedly
weak, but he made a gallant struggle. Sulli-
van fought him over the ring into the um-
pire's corner and over the ropes. Upon getting
off the ropes Ryan rallied, but went down on
one hand and one knee. A foul was looked
for, but, though Sullivan had his hand raised
to strike, he restrained himself as Ryan rose.
Both men were retiring to their corners when
the seconds of each cried "Go for him," and
the men again came together. They closed and
then clinched, and after a short struggle both
went down.
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Ninth Round - Ryan failed to
come to time
and the fight was declared in favor of Sullivan.
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Ryan and Sullivan were visited after
they had
gone to their quarters. Ryan was lying in an
exhausted condition on his bed, badly disfigured
about the face, his upper lip being cut through
and his nose disfigured. He did not move but lay
panting. Stimulants were given him. He is terribly
punished on the head.
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At the conclusion of the fight
Sullivan ran laugh-
ing to his quarters at a lively gait. He lay down
awhile as he was a little out of wind, but there is
not a scratch on him. He chatted pleasantly with
his friends.
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The fight was short, sharp, and
decisive on Sul-
livan's part throughout, Ryan showing weariness
after the first round.
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