Seattle Daily Post Intelligencer

PRIZE RING SCIENCE.

Sullivan and Heald
At Pittsburg

Scientific Points Become Sluging Match and is Stopped by the Police- The Fight Awarded to Sullivan.

Pittsburg, Sept. 18.-John L. Sullivan and Frank Heald arrived on the early morning train from the East and were at once driven to their hotels. Sullivan was accompanied by Sheedy and Heald by Mulcahy and Jones. Arthur Chambers, Joe Coburn, Harry Hill and John McCormick also arrived at the same time.

The air of Pittsburg has been thicker today than at any time since the discovery and general use of natural gas, not with the old time smoke, however, but with pugilism. Everybody has been talking about the great fight, the contest that was to settle an abiding doubt in the minds of the American people as to whether John L. Sullivan really was invincible, or whether a comparatively unknown gladiator from Philadelphia, Heald, possesses the skill, backed up by pluck, to plant his fist on Mr. Sullivan's carcass often enough to score a majority of the playful called points.

The immense colosseum, with its capacity of 5,000, was thrown open at 7 o'clock, and the crowd that had been clamoring around all the doors for an hour, made a rush. The two dollars for admission and five dollars for reserved seats was evidently not an exorbitant rate in the eyes of the Pittsburghers, and thousands of people went in the hall as fast as they could buy tickets.

The contest proved to be what was generally expected-a desperate fight for blood. While the men were yet struggling in a desperate embrace in the second round, Chief of Police Murphy, with half a dozen officers, ran on the stage, pulled the furious combatants apart and declared the match ended. Then the referee gave the fight to Sullivan and the 5000 people growled their disappointment over the brevity of the entertainment.

At 9:30 Tom Hughes, the manager, announced that Sullivan and Heald were in the hotel getting ready, while their representatives were trying to agree upon a referee. Pat Sheedy shortly afterwards told the expectant people that John Newell, of Pittsburgh, had been chosen to act referee, that Peter J. Denahue, of the New York World was timekeeper for Sullivan, and that Eugene Comisky, of the New York Telegram was Heald's timer. Scarcely had the applause which followed Sheedy's speech subsided when Frank Heald, with a sack coat over his bare shoulders and tights showing below, followed his backer, Mulcahy, into the hall and marched to the dressing room. There was some slight applause, but it was evident that the sympathies of the audience were not with the boyish-looking pugilist from Philadelphia. The next minute cheers that could be heard far away arose, and one enthusiastic policeman raised his hat respectfully as John L. Sullivan came into the hall. The big one was in full ring costume with white trunks, blue stockings and black gaiters. His powerful chest, arms and shoulders were bare, and he carried his coat in his hand. He did not go to the dressing room, but climbed on the platform at once, disdaining the use of steps, and took his corner, while William Mulcahy, of Australia, and Arthur Chambers, of Philadelphia, with a bucket, a tin dinner pail, ice, a bottle, fan, towels and other requisites of the toilet of the knocker out, proceeded to rub him down and put him through his ablutionary process generally in the most approved style.

There was a commotion in the hall and Heald made his way up the steps to a seat in his corner, facing the champion. The latter looked curiously at his antagonist and took his physical measure. Heald was attended by Benny Jones and Ed. Mulcahy, of New York, who prepared their man carefully for the contest. Evidently they thought he had a serious job before him. He was attired in dun-colored tights and white canvas shoes. There was a great difference in the appearance of the two. Heald seeming to dwindle in the presence of Sullivan's tremendous physique. It was 9:45 when Heald entered the ring and exactly 10 when the referee called time. Both men sprang sprightly forward and shook hands, giving the audience their first opportunity to compare them closely. Sullivan weighed 205 pounds and Heald 185, but it was hard to believe that there was a difference of only 20 pounds between them. The gloves, four ounces, looked very small, and everybody felt that if the intention was to slug, it could be done with terrible effect with the apologies for hand covering worn by the combatants.

The ring attendants received a shower of orders to sit down and not obstruct the view. As Sullivan and Heald came to the center for business that was to be business, it could be seen in Sullivan's eye that it was flashing ominously, while Heald's red head bobbed here and there as the two sparred for an opening. Both were very cautious, but Sullivan evinced the most desire to begin. He made several feints at Heald, but the latter, lithe and active as a cat, got away and danced around the big man in most aggravating manner. Sullivan was evidently getting mad, but Heald's face was as expressionless as a whitewashed fence. John could not stand it any longer. He made one of his famous rushes and sent a fearful right-hander into Heald's stomach. Heald countered rapidly on the chest, but got another one across the ring; but the Philadelphian on the nose that sent him flying half way across the ring in a struggle, and he was back again, banging away at the champion with but little effect, certainly, but with remarkably good intentions.

There was no doubt now about the character of the contest. Sullivan meant to knock out his man, if he could. The two fought for wind for perhaps a minute and then clinched. There was desperate in-fighting and Heald was forced over the ropes. The referee cried, 'Break away.' but there was no break away in the now maddened fighters, and amid the yelling of the crowd the pugilists were pulled apart by their attendants and found struggling into their chairs. The time at the round was 2½ minutes.

While he was being sponged and rubbed down, Heald shook himself and laughed. He did not look much worse for the rough handling he had received. Sullivan was mad but he was very, very mad. He had evidently found more powers of resistance in the Philadelphia Boy than he expected.

The second round opened with cautious sparring. Sullivan was wary and Heald a little apprehensive of the attacking party. He had made up his mind that he must fight, and was determined to do his best. He tried to get at Sullivan's face, but hit short. In an instant he was in the embrace of his antagonist, who pounded him on the face and neck with all the force of his brawny right arm until Heald slipped away and gave Sullivan a drive under the eye that was the only clean blow he got in on the champion. The latter seemed staggered for an instant, and was apparently too surprised to do more than protect himself from the blows that Heald was showering on his guard. Then he gathered himself for a supreme effort, and with an upper cut under the chin, sent Heald flat on his back. It was a clean knockdown and Heald was counted out.

But Heald rose. Heald did his best, and they clinched. The second became a mere rough and tumble. Heald slipped and fell again when the Chief of Police and his officers rushed in and with difficulty separated them. All was confusion. The pugilists were both anxious to go on and had the officers not kept between them they would have fought with the police on the stage. Sullivan made a dash at the representative of a New York paper and the latter reached toward his pistol pocket, but the police disarmed him and forced Sullivan into his chair. Referee Newell then declared Sullivan the winner, while Heald's backer protested that his man was still anxious to fight. Sullivan then addressed the press representatives, in which he complimented Heald for his pluck, boasted of his own "talent," and declared himself ready to defend his title of champion against all comers. It was the opinion tonight that Heald made a better stand than McCaffrey did. The crowd dispersed and the pugilists were driven to their hotels. Sullivan says that Heald stands no show against him, and that having whipped Heald once he will pay no more attention to him.