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BERNHARDT’S BODY BLOWSARAH'S GAY YOUNO SON HANDY WITH HIS FISTS.Thrilling Set-Too Between Him and m Unknown-Blood Spilled in a High Toned Club—The Frenchman Comet Out Victorious Alter Several Hard Fought. Rounds—Disgraceful Scene*.New York, April 21.—A fierce, and it might almost be said brutal, contest, amounting practically to a prize fight, took place at the Home Club between Maurice Bernhardt, son of the famous French actress, and an unknown antagonist. The Homo Club, at 21 West Twenty-fourth street, is a gambling establishment of the ‘‘Proprietary Club” order, which haB recently become so popular among the fashionable fast young elements of New York society. The clientelle of the Home Club is chiefly made up of well-to-do foreigners, with a light sprinkling of New Yorkers, from such clubs as the Knickerbocker, the Racquet and the Calumet. Faces, too, that were at one time familiar in the dead and gone Tnrf Club are to be come across in the Home Club’s parlor or around the big baccarat board on the second floor back. A foster-going, more reckless, devil-may-care crew than the set which affects the Home club, it would be difficult to find anywhere in this country. A few nights ago, during a pause in the play around the baccarat board, the conversation turned on the subject of the French Btyle of boxing known as la savatte. La sa-vatte consists of boxing in the regulation English style with the privilege of kicking thrown in. Maurice Bernhardt was present and took part in the discussion. Young Bernhardt has a widespread European reputation as a boxer, especially in the la savatte style.Presently a ytiuhg New York club man, who has passed several years in France, mane the assertion that he knew of a man fully three inches shorter than Maurice Bernhardt, and weighing only a few pounds more, whom would back in boxing, la eavatte style, against any man in America. The speaker was at the moment flushed with champagne, and his words wtfre spoken with a certain latfent aggressiveness as he glanced over toward yOnng Bernhardt. In an instant the latter flushed up, and, with a peculiar drawl full of covert insolence, intimated that he would much like to see this champion boxer, thiaexpert in La Savatte, against whom no man in America could stand. Within ten minutes, in spite of the dissuasive efforts of young Bernhardt’s friends, he had engaged to meet the stranger, and the Home Club was mutully agreed upon as the scene of the encounter. In accordance with invitations a company of a little less than fifty persons assembled in the main parlor of the “club.” All the furniture of the spacious apartment tad been removed, leaving the entire center of the parlor free.MauTice Bernhardt stepped into the centre of the apartment. He was dressed in a suit of white linen, and looked handsome, lithe and strongly built. His antagonist followed a few seconds later, heavily masked. He was a good deal shorter than Bernhardt, but very heavily built. Both fighters wore stout canvas shoes, heavily soled. They wore six-ounce gloves. The master oi ceremonies preceded the culling of time with the following somewhat ominous — marks in French:“Gentlemen: In the event of either of these combatants being hurt, you are requested not to crowd around him, as he will need air, and the doctor will need room to work. In the event of either receiving serious injury, it will be a matter of honor with you not to divulge any particulars of a compromising nature.” Time was then called. The two antagonists met and sparred cautiously. The Unknown opened with two light blows on Bernhardt’s face. Bernhardt retaliated with a blow on the ear, following it up with a kick in the side.Then the fighters went at it, hammer and tongs. They struck at and kicked each other all over the body, more kicking being done than boxing. They stooped.their guards toward each other’s feet, guarding more against the legs than against the arms. They kicked each other’s shins, stomachs and sides, some of the kicks reaching as high as the neck and head. Bernhardt was wonderfully agile, his great length of limb standing him to advantage in kicking. His antagonist was very clever both in guarding and feinting, and his blows from both extremities were very effective. At the expiration of five minutes time was called. After three minutes’ rest tha fighters were at it again. Bernhardt was knocked down three times in thia round, but succeeded in punishing his antagonist severely with his feet. In the third round Bernhardt was knocked or kicked down five times, and his antagonist twice. Bernhardt was also kicked severely in the small of the back and on the side of the head. It looked as if he were about to lose the match.Toward the close of the round he received a fearful kick in the knee-cap, which made him cry out in anger and in pain. Like a flash he gathered himself together, and springing suddenly high in the air he landed with both hU feet full upon his antagonist’s abdomen. The latter dropped like a shot, Bernhardt fallina heavily upon him. Bernhardt rose limping from his recumbent position, At his feet lay his masked antagonist, writhing in agony and the blood coming from his mouth and nose. The unknown was knocked oift, and Maurice Bernhardt had won the match a la savatte. As the conquered one was receiving ministrations at the doctor’s hands, and as the conquerer was being toaBted in bumpers of champagne, the English-speaking spectators quietly agreed among themselves that la savatte was about the most relentless form of contest that they had ever witnessed, Then more champagne was quaffed, the reinaB were passed around, and the Home Club’s grand assault-at-arms entertainment had come to an end.
Newspaper Details
Atlantic Telegraph
Atlantic, Iowa, US
Wed, Apr 27, 1887
Page 8
Full Page
Clipped by
Savate M.
NA, 22 Dec 2024
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