CHAMPION "KNOCKERS OUT."

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 159, 29 September 1883, Page 16

CHAMPION "KNOCKERS OUT."

Judging- from the lively stories Charles

Mitchell gulled the American press with, it would seem that he would not object to his name being handed down to posterity amongst the list of remarkable men who have figured in the squared circle. But < Charley's aspirations received a severe knock when " Pe.'idragon," of the Referee, stated that the pugilist's paternal parent was porter at a medical college, in place of tutor, as Mitchell informed the American interviewers. While we are on the subject of remarkable " knockers-out," perhaps a short sketch of John Grully may not be out of place. In his early days a butcher's apprentice, John Grully found his way to London, lost all he had, and when only just out of his teens, woke up one morning to find himself a prisoner for debt in the Fleet. Hen Pearce, the " Game Chicken," who defeated Jem Belcher, after the latter had lost his eye, heard of Chilly's incarceration, and, as at that time it was thought none but Bristol men could fight, he took a set of gloves to the Fleet and induced Gully to spar with him, which ended in Pearce proposing that Gully should fight him in a 24-feet ring. " Thou't get thy liberty lad, but at tho same time n good thrashing." Gully agreed, and one of Pearco's patrons released him I from the prison. A match was made, the " Chicken " laid GOO guineas to 400 guineas on j himself , and the battle was fought on Bth October, : 1805, when Pearce defeated the novice after I fifty-nine desperate rounds, occupying seventy minutes — a slight contrast to the present knock - | ing-out in throe or four rounds with soft gloves. Gully's next fight was with Bob Gregson, the Lancashire champion, on October 14-, 1807. Gully was 6ft. in height Gregson two inches taller.. Tho hitting was tremendous, nearly every round ended in a knock-down, and Gully just won. Gregson was not satisfied, and another meeting was arranged for on Bth May, when Gully again Avon, and was acknowledged champion of England. His fights with Gregson placed him in funds, and ho left the ring to take to bookmaking. Tho best commissions were given him to execute, and so well off was ho that he gave Lord Jersey 4000 guineas for Mameluke, who had just won tho Derby. The bargain was struck on the iirst day of Ascot, but it was so secret that Gully ohtaiued 10,000 to 1000 from Crockford that Mameluke won the Leger. At the same time, he laid Orockford 10,000 that Mameluke beat ten different horses, and 10,000 that he beat nine. But, \infort\mately for Gully, Matilda was in both lots. The chronicler of the time states that the starter was got at. He repeatedly refused to let his field go. Mameluke was upset by tho numerous false starts. Chifuey, who was riding him, had Mameluke's head turned round the wrong way when the flag fell, whilst Matilda was 70 yards or so ahead of him. Mameluke ran a grand horse, hut he was blocked in the straight, and Matilda won by half a length. Gully lost thirty thousand by the result, but he was the first in-the rooms on settling night. In 1832, whilst in confederacy with " Bobby Ridsdale," the latter's horse, St. Giles, won the Derby, and. Gully's own horse, Margrave, won tho Leger. At this time Mr Gully was the leading member of Tattersall's, and it was said that he and Mr Itidsdale took £105,000 out of the ring between them over the Derby and Leger with St. Giles and Margrave. After the latter's victory the confederacy was dissolved. It was in this year that John Gully went in for jjarliamentary honours, and was returned for the borough of Pontefract. He obtained everybody's goodwill in Parliament, and when ho did speak his periods were as trenchant as his hands had been in another arena. Ho was very successful on the turf. In 1846 he won his first Derby with Pyrrhus the First, and eight years after he took his second Derby with Andover. The remarkable subject of this .sketch died at his scat, Corkin Hall, near Durham, on f)th March, 18G3.

" Rough on Rats." — Clears out rats, mice, roaches, flies, ants, bed-bugs, beetles, insects, skunks, jack-rabbits, gophers. Druggists. Moses, Moss & Co., Sydney, General Agents. We would remind that Salvationist; who retires from the battle in tbe Theatre Royal every. Sunday morning when the engagement is at its height, and comes back fragrant of cloves, that the same result may be obtained by means of a. twoounce phial and a wheaten straw, without jeopardising the license of a neighbouring pub. This simple bottle trick can be performed without fear of detection during the knee-drill manoeuvres.