THE SMITH-SLAVIN “FIGHT."

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 409, 28 January 1890, Page 3

THE SMITH-SLAVIN “FIGHT."

A FULL DESCRIPTION

NO HONOR AMONG SCOUNDRELS. London, December 23.

Smith and Slavin met thia morning at Bruges, hear Belgium, and after the Australian had fought Smith and his push fourteen rounds, the referee refused to act further, and declared the fight a draw. Such i scene of ruffianly blackguardism has never been witnessed at the ringside in England, and the wonder is that the Australian was not killed outright, instead of bring only badly maltreated. It was known all along that Smith was not to be hurt; in fact, he openly boasted that he would not be allowed to lose, and Slavin has risen, if possible, higher in general estimation by his gameness in going out to meet a man who would be backed np by as ruffianly a crew as the London Docks could muster for their comrade's support. Early in the fight Slavin’s seconds were hustled out of the ring, and during the whole of the last 10 rounds he dared not go to his corner for fear of being kilted. The referee was unable to secure anything like fair play for him, and on every occasion that Slavin hit Smith and got away without a return, someone in the mob hit or kicked him. Several times ho was struck with a knuckle-duster, and oaoe hit by a stone thrown from the outer circle of spectators. Attempts were made to gouge his eyes as he retreated, and while Smith was nursed and protected in his corner, the Australian was iu terror cf his life, in fact, he was told in the hearing of the referee that if he won the battle he would never live to dress himself. He was kicked and punched at every turn, and the wonder is he ever loft the ground alive. Slavin took a strong lend from the very first, and in the second round sent the Englishman all to pieces with a fair body blow. In the third he knocked him clean off his feet, and reposted this three times in the following rounds Every time he got home on Smith the mob bowled nt him, and at test, tired of eeelng ths English champion used like a chopping block by his clever opponent, they made no attempt to conceal their intentions, and Slavin was given a timely office what to expect if he won the fight, In spite of the threats and Violence ot the mob he stuck to his oolaura, and h»d Ejmith fairly beaten at the finish cf the twelfth round, when Mr t* Abington's " gang of hired ruffians rushed in and raisad the cry of polios. This was ostensibly a rates alarm. but |n thafourteenth round the same ery caused Smith toolear out, leaving Slavin alone in the ring, 'When Smith returned the referee declared the fight a draw as he saw there was no chanee of getting fair ptey for the Australian. Slavin was as fresh as paint, notwithstanding the knocking hbogt he received from the mob. As tar aa Smith w»? concerned he was like a novice in tiw big felloyr'e hands, Slavin showing wonderful wrestling powers apd good fact work.

For some time in the early part at (ho fight Slavin stood the blows from the crowd without making any remark, but at- test appealed for English fair ptey, Thia appeal was derisively greeted, and by way of reply ha was bashed on the bead with a walking stick and told to go back to Australia, as he wasn’t wanted in Jingland. Bmithte backer, George Baird, better known o? Mr Abington, was particularly demonstrative, and encouraged bis band of roughs to assault the Apslralten every time they got a chance, white the language used towards him was the most select sample of Whitechapel and Billingsgate English. After the fight was over a tew of the more decent of the crowd escorted Slavin to an old «hed neo? by, and protected him till he had dressed, after which he was escorted to the carriage in waiting, and taken off the field. On his return to England he proceeded to Margate, where he will remain for a few days pending the final derision of the referee who, it is rumoured, is likely to award the fight to the Australian. Every paper in the city has condemned the cowardly conduct of Smith and his backer, and it is a certainty if ever the latter appears in London be will be phased through the streets, and his career as a pugilist is ended, and the general opinion is it ought never to have begun, Slavin is the hero of the hour, THE FIGHT. Time was called at 8.15 a.m., and the men had no sooner got together than fast fighting began. Slavin jumped at Smith from the moment their hands were up, and savage fighting ensued. Slavin got the left home with terrible force repeatedly on the face and neck, white the right landed heavily on the body several times. They came to grips, and fell side by side, and when Frank got up he was bleeding from the mouth where Smith's left had tended twice heavily. Bound 2—After a quick interchange cf left and right deliveries, Smith clinched and they tell in hie corner. Smith claimed that he had been spiked, but the referee pointed out that Slavin was in the same plight, and ordered them to continue.

Bound B—This round began with fierce fighting—regular dingdong slogging. Slavin getting a beauty home with both left and right, repeating the left bard on the mouth. Smith banged in a splendid left on the mark, and got his right on under the ear. Slavin swung his right and knocked Smith clean off his feet.

Bound 4—They went to work at once and banged each other merrily till Smith gripped and cross buttocked Slavin, who fell heavily.

Bound s—Both were in want of wind, and sparred a while. Slavin shot a terrible right, and Smith slipped down to avoid what must have ended the fight. Bound 6—After some finessing, Slavin shot the right and landed heavily on Smith's eye, cutting it open and dropping the Englishman,

Bound 7—Slavin, seeing the effect ot his handiwork in the blood which flowed freely from Smith’s eye, kept away. Smith backed him to the ropes, where one of Smith's hood. I urn* kicked Stevia. lie took no notice, however, and they want dewp together in grip*. Round 8 —Slavin was furious, and his appearance was terrible as he rushed at Smith, Getting him in his corner he bathed In left and right and dropped him in his (Smith's) corner.

The excitement at the ring side was now alarming. Brutal thjeats were’heard from Smith’s blackguard gang, who saw their man was sure to ba defeated, and one English brute struck Slavin a heavy blow on the head with a stick, Slavin had all the beat of the round. Round 10—The men met in the centre of the ring, and after a few fair exchanges they gripped and fell side by side. Round 11—Slavin came up ferocious, and going straight for the Englishman banged him all over the ring. The blood poured from the cut on the eye, and the pose and month also bled freely. He was very groggy! when Slavin knocked him down with a flush right on the nose. Round 12—The seconds of Smith got very excited, and their annoying remarks and actions aroused Slavin's aecouds, and a cross barney ensued. Smith's seconds lumped into the ring, but the referee ordered them out again. Meanwhile the cornstalk was hard st work, and'wound up the round by knocking Smith flying on hl's back with a terrjble right on the butt of the jaw. Round 13—The gang of brutes exported specially by Smith's friends to save him from defeat now got mad, and Slavin received several blows with olubs, while knuckledusters could be seen on more than one filthy fist. Slavin stuck to his work, however, and woundup by again flooring Smith with a beauty on the ear. Bound 14—When time was called Slavin stood up and asked for English fair ptey. As there te no such thing in an English mob, his in nly remarks were met with howls of deri. sion, and some of the Smith faction raised the cry of ‘ police.’ Smith turned and followed a lot o/ the growd, who ran like scared rabbits. Slavin stood to his ground like a true Australian, and when the practically beaten " English Champion ” Smith returned he was ready and anxious to finish him off, The referee had meanwhite been hustled about and bullied to make it a draw, and being in danger of his life from the “Eng- ; Itehmen.'' he declared that as Slavin canid I not get lair ptey ho would declare it a draw. 1 Slavia wm strath with kauc’«le-du»teM and

sticks, and kicked brutally every time he got Smith into his corner. He was more injured by the roughs who were paid by Smith’s talent to go over and beat him it Smith could not than he was by Smith. He is not much hurt, however, anil left the ring as fresh as when hs entered it.

ABINGTON BAIRD’S COWARDLINESS. » London, December 24. At the special meeting of the members of the Pelican Club to day it was resolved that a letter of sympathy be gent to Slavin, expressing warm approval of his courage in the face of the ruffianism to which he was exposed. It was also determined that the club should recognise Slavin as champion of England, and should present him with a belt and a purse. John Fleming, Smith’s manager, who is master of the ceremonies at the Pelican Club, was suspended from his duties pending inquiry and explanation. In an interview with the committee afterwards, Fleming said that undoubtedly Smith's friends hired the mob of roughs who attacked Slavin; and added that the connection between Smith and himself had been severed for ever.

The attack upon Slavin appears to hare originated from a quarrel between Abington and Slavin some weeks since. At the beginning of November Abington insulted Slavin while at supper in the house of Viscount Mandeville (the eldest son of the r Duke of Manchester), at which Bessie Belwood, the famous soubrette, and others were present. In the result Slavin kicked Abington downstairs. Abington swore to be revenged, and when the time for the fight approached sent Jem Carney, a third-rate pugilist, to Birmingham to hire a number of roughs, and Carney engaged some of the worst characters of the town and district, one of the men engaged having only just completed a sentence of fifteen years’ penal servitude for manslaughter under very brutal circumstances. Aldington also paid Charley Mitchell, the boxing champion, _ £lOO to break his promise to second Slavin in the fight. __________