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THE NEW YORK TIMES
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1867
AARON JONES VS MIKE McCOOL

THE PRIZE RING
Fight Near Cincinnati between Aaron
Jones and Mike McCool - McCool the
Winner in Thirty-four Rounds

_ CINCINNATI, Saturday, Aug. 31 - 7 0'clock A.M.
At 12 o'clock last night the Hamilton and Dayton
Railroad Depot, in this city, was the theatre of unex-
ampled excitement. Such a gathering of fighting-
men, gamblers, roughs and sports was never seen
there before. The depot was completely filled with the
restless and eager throng, anxious to get to the scene
of the great conflict, Busenbord's Station, Butler
County, Ohio; but the long lines of empty cars were
kept locked, and not till 2:30 o'clock this morning
were they opened.
_ About thirty of the cars were devoted to the"ex-
cursion," and five minutes after they were unlocked
every seat was taken and the aisles of the cars were
crowded with persons standing up, who had been un-
able to obtain seats at any price. Though there was
a great deal of noise and uproar, and jostling, and
shouting, and hurry, and bustle, no disorderly con-
duct was noticeable. Everything was done in a good-
natured way, the boys evidently being in for a frolic.
_ At 3:30 o'clock the train started away on its jour-
ney. The cars moved off in two trains, every car of
which was densely packed. The members of the
Press were congregated in one car filling it to reple-
tion. Representatives of the press from New York,
St. Louis, Chicago, Indianapolis, Detroit, Dayton,
Cleveland and many other places were present.
_ Whatever element of "rough" or "fancy" there
was on board, it did not make itself obnoxious nor
even suspicious. The proportion of respectability
was the majority. It would not have been easy to
have told from appearances what mission the "ex-
cursion part" was on. It looked as much like a
large "political delegation" or a genial "stag picnic
party" as anything else.
_ At 5:15 o'clock the train ran into Hamilton, it
being then broad daylight. Here a stop of six min-
utes was made, and a cloud of passengers made a
peaceable but eager raid on a German saloon for
their "morning bitters." The train started again,
and a few minutes after 6 o'clock reached the point
of debarkation, which is "Busenbord's," six miles
north of Hamilton and thirty-one miles from Cin-
cinnati, in Butler County. The site for pitching
the ring is in a pretty grove of oak and walnut trees
on the west of the railroad and but two miles' walk
from the track.
_ Here Jerry Donovan, Jones' trainer, appears on
the scene, and at this hour, 7 A.M., the men are
still forming the ring, while the 2,000 persons assem-
bled are as good-natured and orderly as if on a pic-
nic. Many are engaged in reading the morning pa-
pers, which have just arrived; others are carrying
fence-rails, with the futile expectation of forming
seats. The class of people here is remarkably re-
spectable for a prize fight. Many prominent Cin-
cinnatians are present.
_ Aaron Jones spent last night three and a half
miles from this spot at the house of a farmer. Mike
McCool was domiciled at Middletown, four miles
away. Very little betting seems to be going on.
All the bets taken this morning were at "even,"
though Jones is rather the favorite for all three
events of "first blood," "first knock down," and
"final victory." McCool and his friends are very
quiet, and are not "slashing around" with "hun-
dred dollar" bills in their fingers. Shortly before 9
o'clock the ring was formed. The 3,000 spectators
are deployed in a large circle, fifteen feet from the
inner rope. The reporters for the press have seats
three feet from the ropes. Between the
general lookers-on and the reporters is a cor-
don of ring-keepers armed with heavy cudgels.
During the waiting for the men to put in an ap-
pearance, Clark, of St. Louis, announced on behalf
of Elliot, of Cleveland, he was authorized to chal-
lenge the winner of this fight for $1,000.
_ At 9:25 Jones' seconds, James Cusick and Jerry
Donovan entered the ring - the latter carrying Jones'
fighting shoes, a pair of light calf, high-lacing shoes,
provided with two spikes in the sole and one in the
heel. McCool's seconds, Denny O'Brien and Sher-
man Thurston, soon followed. Rufus Hunt, of
New Orleans, was selected as referee. Dad Ryan and
Jack Looney, both of St. Louis as umpires. The
referee made a little speech, saying: "I have been
chosen by unanimous consent of both parties referee
for this fight, and I intend to see that the best man
wins." [Great cheering.]
_ J. A. McCulloch was appointed time-keeper.
_ After a tedious wait, during which ice, bottles,
sponges, ect., were brought into the ring. Aaron
Jones at last appeared, amid great cheering, and
tossed his hat into the ring, and stepped after it
lightly, but seemed somewhat anxious. He was
dressed neatly in a dark coat and light pantaloons,
and wore a white cravat. By this time the sun shone
brightly in every spot of the ring, so there was little
choice for corners. Aaron took a seat in his corner
awaiting his antagonist, while one of his backers
held an umbrella over him to shade him from the
now fevert rays of the sun. He won the choice of
corners, and took the one presenting his right shoul-
der to the sun.
_ Five minutes after McCool sent his black felt hat
scudding into the ring. He looked just as anxious as
Jones, with whom on entering the ring he shook
hands in rather an embarrassed manner. McCool
had on heavy winter clothing, well buttoned up to
his throat. He took his station in the op-
posite corner to that of Jones, and was also shield-
ed by an umbrella from the burning rays of the sun.
McCool's superior size was evident to everybody.
The hands of Jones were stained a deep walnut
color, but McCool's had no stain on them whatever.
At the request of McCool, Jones sucked his knuckles
to show that no poisonous drug had been used in
dying them.
_ After eyeing each other and the crowd for five
minutes the seconds commenced disrobing their
men.
_ McCool's costume was blue drawers, hemmed,
with green and white stockings. The costume of
Jones was white drawers and hose. McCool wore
as his colors a sash of red, green and white. Jones
wore for his colors a sash of white silk. On removing
his shirt McCool's gigantic proportions were re-
vealed. He approached Jones with $1,000 for a bet,
which was accepted.
_ Jones then advanced and offered to bet McCool
that he would knock him down first. McCool said
he had no more money to bet. Jones then bantered
the crowd to bet, but no one accepted his offer.
_ The fight now commenced.
_ First Round - This round began by some sparring
and ended by "first knock down" and "first blood"
for McCool.
_ Second Round - Heavy exchanges. Jones thrown.
_ Third Round - Very heavy fighting. Jones badly
hurt under the right eye. Severe exchanges. Jones
down.
_ Fourth Round - Jones knocked down by a heavy
body blow.
_ Fifth Round - Heavy exchanges. Jones gets in
several blows, but is again knocked down again.
Fighting sharp and quick.
_ Sixth Round - The man come to the scratch and
go to work, instantly exchanging very heavy blows.
Jones is knocked down again.
_ Seventh Round - In sparring both men feint,
with smiling faces. They close. Jones knocked
down by a "rib-roaster."
_ Eighth Round - Jones sent down by a terrific
blow.
_ Ninth Round - Jones evidently much injured by
the last blow. Jones knocked over the ropes by a
comparatively light blow.
_ Tenth Round - Jones knocked down after planting
one good blow on McCool's face.
_ Eleventh Round - Jones suffering greatly. Mc-
Cool tries to force the fighting and sends Jones down
again.
_ Twelfth Round - Jones got a crack on the nose
and went down for the twelfth time.
_ Thirteenth Round - Terrible blows on both sides;
McCool's face shockingly bloody, but Jones finally
went down.
_ Fourteenth Round - Jones smiling; McCool,
however, the fresher. After an exchange of a few
blows Jones went down.
_ Fifteenth Round - Jones fell without being
struck; great confusion, but McCool didn't want
to claim "foul."
_ Sixteenth Round - Jones sent down by a terrible
blow.
_ Seventeenth Round - Jones went down on his
knees after a slight blow, and looked smiling at Mc-
Cool. Hisses.
_ Eighteenth Round - Jones knocked down out-
right. Jones seems to have been whipped from the
first round.
_ Nineteenth Round - Little fighting, and Jones
down. Renewed hissing. Jones simple comes up
to be knocked down.
_ Twentieth Round - The same old story. Jones
knocked down almost without resistance. The face
of both the combatants greatly battered.
_ Twenty-first Round - The same old story. Jones
down. Jones in great distress.
_ Twenty-second Round - Jones sent to grass by a
sound lick in the side.
_ Twenty-third Round - McCool's eyes greatly
hurt. Jones down after the exchange of several
blows. McCool's eye nearly closed.
_ Twenty-fourth Round - Heavy exchanges. Jones
down.
_ Twenty-fifth Round - Jones rushes in, but Mc-
Cool sends him down with heavy body blows. The
men have now been fighting only fourteen minutes.
_ Twenty-sixth Round - Jones sent down after
planting a light stroke, and receiving in return a ter-
rific blow on the breast.
_ Twenty-seventh Round - Jones got in a hot one
on the eyes. After some sparring McCool sends
Jones over the ropes.
_ Twenty-eighth Round - Both men came up
promptly. Jones falls from a light blow on the chest.
_ Twenty-ninth Round - The fighting has now
lasted twenty minutes. Jones gets another light one
on McCool's eye, but is knocked through the ropes
again by a body blow.
_ Thirtieth Round - Jones falls with a few trifling
blows again.
_ Thirty-first Round - Jones greatly distressed
and a little groggy; light blows exchanged and Jones
down as usual.
_ Thirty-second Round - Jones' body greatly dis-
colored; McCool's face cut up, but he seems fresh.
Jones sent down again. It is now seven minutes
past eleven o'clock.
_ Thirty-third Round - Jones hits McCool on the
side, and falls back himself. McCool goes to his cor-
ner smiling.
_ Thirty-fourth Round - McCool hits a terrible
blow over Jones' left eye, cutting a terrible gash.
This settled the fight. Jones failed to come to time,
and amid tumultuous cheering the crowd closed on
McCool. Jones seemed almost insensible, leaning
on his seconds and bleeding a stream from his
wounded eye.
_ The time of the fight was twenty-five minutes.
_ The fearful blow Jones received in the first round
settled the whole affair. Jones had not the slightest
chance. He was fearfully overmatched. The pun-
ishment of McCool was comparatively light. Ten
minutes after the fight had closed Jones still laid on
the field insensible. No doctor seemed to be present.
McCool walked off the ground with a fresh step
and a smiling face.
_ The excitement in the city on the announcement
of the result of the Jones and McCool fight was in-
tense. The trains from the ground returned this af-
ternoon about 3 o'clock, bringing McCool, who on
the way down passed through the train and raised a
subscription for the defeated pugilist, heading the
list with $50. Jones has two ribs broken and the
frontal bone crushed in. McCool forced the fighting
from the beginning, and Jones apparently acted on
the defensive.

The New York Times 1867
THE NEW YORK TIMES
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1867

AARON JONES vs MIKE McCOOL
Historic boxing newspapers and articles.