1901-04-01 Joe Gans W-TKO4 Martin Flaherty [Eureka Athletic Club, Ford’s Opera House, Baltimore, MD, USA]

1901-04-02 Baltimore American (Baltimore, MD) (page 4)

MARTIN BLAMED IT ON BAD EYES.
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HOW JOE GANS MET ANOTHER OF THE EASY VICTIMS.
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Flaherty Was a Mark for the Colored Man, and Lost the Battle at Ford's in the Fourth Round, When Seconds Threw Up the Sponge--Defeated Man Had Reputation Made in Battles With Erne, McFadden and Sullivan, but Was Outclassed by Dusky Lad--Diversion Caused by the Arrest of a Woman, Who Wanted So Badly to See Contest that She Dressed in Man's Clothes.
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Another victim was brought up for Joe Gans, at Ford's Theater, last night, in the person of Martin Flaherty, of Lowell, Mass. Toward the ending of the fourth round after Gans had twice floored Flaherty in that round, Colonel Michael Haley threw up the sponge and the fight was Gans', while the great American people stood up on their opera chairs and yelled "Fake" and clamored for their money back. Colonel Haley, once a lightweight pugilist, and now looking like nothing more than a well-fed burgomaster, declares that Flaherty is next thing to a blind man, and as the Colonel assumed an air of injured innocence, and Flaherty blinked owl-like, with eyes partly closed, it is probably true, but that didn't satisfy the great crowd that filled every part of the theater for no other purpose than to see a slashing contest.

Colonel Haley says that what Flaherty needs is some of Colonel Mulberry Sellers' eye-water, and not the fierce jabs dealt out by Gans. Whatever the cause, the fact is that Flaherty was no more a match for Gans than was the lamented Whitey Lester. Flaherty knew that he was in for a good, hard beating dealt out in rag time, but he butted along with the plain desire to lose the fight in the first or second round on a foul. This is exactly what would have occurred but for the philanthropic thoughtfulness of Referee Mantz, who labored long and faithfully to give the people their money's worth. There was hardly a time that Flaherty did not fight foul.

He Hit in Clinches.

It was his game to hit in clinches, in plain violation of the rules. Totally unable to judge distance, Flaherty was perfectly helpless at long-range fighting, and his only hope was to work overtime in the clinches, trusting to pummel some of the steam out of Gans, or else to lose the fight on a foul and take the loser's end of the purse to his thrifty New England home.

So strongly was Flaherty inclined to fighting in the clinches that in the very first round there was afforded the diverting spectacle of a gold-laced police captain reaching over the rope and taking a strangle hold on Flaherty, nipping him into submission. Captain Cadwallader was the hero of this bit of police strenuousness and his method was more effective than that of Mantz, as Flaherty had a deep respect for the majesty of a law represented by an official ready to take a hand in the game himself. The only part of the game at which Flaherty was good was at blocking. He was a dead one at assault work; and, even if the truth, that should control all chroniclers, will not unreservedly admit that it was the fault of bad eyes. It is an excuse as good as any other. Although Flaherty could occasionally ward off the whip-like blows that Gans shot out, the Lowell man was plainly in for a good, hard drubbing. It took but one round for Gans to show to the front. In the first round, after the usual fiddling, they exchanged light rights and lefts and clinched. Flaherty started his fouling and infighting right then. Joe returned some of the short-arm blows, and Mantz had his troubles breaking them.

Martin led a left, but it was an abortive attempt, as it fell short, and Gans easily blocked it.

Gans' Head in Chancery.

They clashed again and clinched, and Flaherty managed to get Gans' head in chancery and began belaboring him, while Mantz made a center rush on the struggling men and tried by voice and muscle to break them apart. Flaherty was bent on doing all the execution he could in the clinch, and kept at it until Captain Cadwallader reached over the ropes, seized Flaherty by the chin and head, and, getting a strangle hold, took all the steam and breath out of him. There were lots of warnings to Flaherty, but it availed not. In the second round Flaherty blocked rights and lefts, and they exchanged body blows with little effect. Gans sent in a slashing right upper cut as Flaherty started to bore in, and in a clinch the pair fell with Gans on top. Flaherty clinched, fought foul and refused to break. After working like an army mule, Mantz tore them apart and sent Flaherty to his corner just as the gong sounded for the ending of the round. Mantz again warned Flaherty about fouling.

At the opening of the third round Gans scored a hard right hook on Flaherty's jaw and dazed him. Joe sent a straight left to eye and swung to head. Flaherty blocked a right and left, and scored lightly on Joe's wind.

The fourth round was the finish. Flaherty led two lefts for body that fell short. Gans feinted with right and floored Flaherty with a left to neck that knocked Flaherty flat. After some sparring Gans waded in, and, with a right to jaw, knocked down Flaherty and dazed him. This is when Col. Haley threw up the sponge and began his explanations about Flaherty's bad eyesight.

A Woman in Disguise.

The scenes that followed the close of the fight were diverting. During the process of the contest Captain Cadwallader spotted a woman dressed in man's clothes in the audience. After the show Cadwallader shouldered his way through the crowd, trying to overtake the woman. She saw his game and struck out at a lively gait down Fayette street to Eutaw, and headed for a well-known restaurant on the latter street. Just as she reached the door the police officer reached her. At his heels were over a thousand excited men, and the scene was lively as the officer marched his unique captive out Baltimore street to Greene, where he called the patrol.

As the crowd had reached huge proportions, Captain Cadwallader marched his fair captive to Pearl street, where he met the patrol. At the station the gay masquerader gave the name of Elizabeth Moore, aged 24 years, of Buffalo, N. Y. She was dressed in dark trousers, with sack coat, fancy vest, low collar, red necktie and white alpine hat. Se is a handsome brunette, and wore gold eyeglasses. Her glossy tresses were tucked under a wig of black curly hair. Her husband put in an appearance, and, at a late hour last night, started out to hunt up his wife's feminine attire and $101.25, the collateral necessary to produce to escape a night in the station on the charge of disorderly conduct.

Wanted to See the Fight.

"I wanted to see the fight awfully bad," said the fair prisoner to the police officials, "and the only way that I could get in was to dress like a man. My husband secured these clothes from a man friend, and helped to rig me out. I am awfully sorry to get into this scrape, and I should never have ventured into such a place had I thought there was any chance of discovery."

And the pretty "man" looked down at her grotesquely large patent-leather shoes, and seemed more anxious to cry than to see any more pugilistic contests.

Flaherty's Good Record.

Martin Flaherty's record looked so good that he should have done better. He has to his credit a decision over Frank Erne, a 20-round draw with George McFadden, and a creditable fight with Spike Sullivan. After the bout last night he blinked most dolefully, and declared that he had been hit on the eyes so much in the past three years that he can see nothing. The theater was packed, and the crowd was sadly disappointed at the outcome, as they wanted a clean, hard and a long battle. While the outcome last night was in no way framed up by the promoters, it is, nevertheless, unfortunate, as the vast crowd last night demonstrated the popularity of boxing among good men.

Several Lively Preliminaries.

Before the principal contest five preliminary bouts were run off, in which boys of the nonprofessional rank were the opponents. All of the bouts were for three rounds, and three of them created much laughter among the audience. John Eich and George Whitman were the first two to go on. Not the least bit of science was shown by either, and both swung wildly. At the end of the third round very little damage was done, and the decision was announced a draw.

The second bout was between James Farren, the 105-pound Baltimore featherweight, and Chris Butt. They were both well matched in their weight, but Farren displayed more science, and before the opening round was ended Farren delivered a left punch to Butt's abdomen which caused Butt to go to the floor, and was counted out. Farren was just as fresh as when he started, and stayed in the ring and then boxed Buck Washington, colored, the "Old Trial Horse of the Monumental Amphitheater," who could not get anyone to don the mitts with him. Washington looked to be 15 pounds heavier than Farren, but Farren showed great cleverness and landed some telling blows. Both were there at the end, and the referee announced it a draw, but Farren, from a spectator's point of view, had the better of the bout.

George Kunnicker and Sammy Harris, colored, were the next two to go on. These did not show any science whatever, but hammered each other over the ring. The referee had a difficult task in separating them. No damage was done by either, and the bout ended with a draw.

Fred Hill, of Canton, and Doc Tanner wound up the preliminaries. After going two slow rounds the referee disqualified them. Harry Lyons, Herford's featherweight, refereed the first two bouts and received an ovation.


1901-04-02 Baltimore Morning Herald (Baltimore, MD) (page 4)

GANS MADE SHORT WORK OF MARTIN FLAHERTY

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The Lowell Boxer Was Knocked Out in the Fourth--Rough Tactics Marked the First Two Rounds--A Woman in Man's Attire Saw the Battle

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The Gans-Flaherty battle attracted a big crowd to Ford's Opera House last night. The theater was packed from pit to dome, and standing room even was at a premium. The bout was scheduled to go 20 rounds, but it came to a sudden termination in the fourth round, when Flaherty's seconds threw up the sponge, after their man had been knocked down and virtually out.

Flaherty was distinctly a disappointment. He has the reputation of being a hard, rough fighter, and the crowd last night expected to see him make a lively battle. He was never in it, however. He was rough enough, to be sure, and in the first two rounds resorted to foul tactics, refusing to break and hitting in the clinches to such an extent that the police were compelled to interfere. As far as fighting went, however, the Lowell man was completely outclassed. When Gans started in to do business he pounded Flaherty right and left at will, and soon had him wobbling.

The first two rounds were marked by clinches and foul tactics on the part of Flaherty. In the third round Gans went after the Lowell man and staggered him with a terrific right on the jaw. This took all the steam out of Flaherty, and was the beginning of the end.

In the fourth Gans started right in to do business and sent Flaherty to the floor with a right on the jaw. The Lowell man was quickly on his feet, but was met with another right, which sent him down for good. Flaherty was staggering to his feet when his seconds threw up the sponge.

There were some cries of "fake" on the part of the crowd, but they were entirely uncalled for. While Flaherty was not entirely out he was virtually so, and it was an act of wisdom and mercy on the part of his seconds to give up the battle. The defeated man was so dazed that he had to be led off the stage, and it was some time after he had reached his dressing room before he could see clearly.

Flaherty claimed that his eyesight was affected and that he could not see well under the glare of the electric lights. It is quite probable, however, that Gans' righthand smashes had something to do with the failure of eyesight.

Gans' seconds were Al Herford, Cobb Bond, Herman Miller and Harry Lyons. In Flaherty's corner were Col. Mike Haley, Joe Elliott, "Scotty" McTavish and Dan Leahy. George Mantz was the referee.

Preliminary to the main bout there were some lively settos of three rounds each between local talent. John Eich and George Whitman had a lively go with no decision, as they were amateurs. Jimmy Farren put Chris Button out in the first round with a solar plexus blow, and then boxed two rounds to a draw with Buck Washington. George Kunnecke and Sam Harris fought a draw. Doc Tanner and Fred Hill boxed two rounds, but were stopped by Manager Herford on the ground that there was "nothing doing."

A Woman at the Show

There was an amusing sideshow connected with the fight which for a while attracted almost as much attention as the main event itself. Mrs. Elizabeth Moore somehow conceived the notion that she would like to see the fight, and she did see it, although at the expense of considerable notoriety.

Dressed in the latest approved men's habiliments, Mrs. Moore, accompanied by her husband, entered the opera house last night and took seats in the orchestra, about six rows from the front. The pair was immediately noticed, and the immediate audience "rubbered" in amazement at the woman's attire, which, to say the least, was inartistic. An enormous wig barely concealed her natural growth of hair and she carried herself with an air decidedly non-masculine.

The attention of Captain Cadwallader was called to the woman, but he decided to wait until the close of the performance before interfering. In the meantime the woman enjoyed the fight immensely and cheered the gladiators on. She afterward said that she had never seen a fight before and had never enjoyed herself more in her life.

At the conclusion of the contest Captain Cadwallader rushed out of the back entrance to the theater in an endeavor to head the woman off, but the pair made good their escape and entered a restaurant on Eutaw street, near Baltimore. They were followed down the street by a crowd which grew greater each moment. When the captain arrived the entire street was blocked. He pushed his way into the place and some moments later emerged with the woman. Meanwhile the crowd had grown enormous and it took the mightiest efforts of six officers to force a way to the nearest patrol box.

All along the streets the wagon was followed by the noisy mass, which threatened to break down the station doors. The husband procured a hack and departed in search of proper wearing apparel for the woman, who was placed in charge of the matron. She said that her home was in Buffalo, N. Y., and that she had been stopping on Calvert street, near Read, for the past six weeks. The charge of masquerading in male attire was laid against her. She was afterward carried away in triumph by her husband, properly clothed and in a happy frame of mind. He deposited the sum of $101.45 for her appearance this morning.