The New York Times/1854/07/28/Boxing

Feud between
William Poole and John Morrissey

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Sporting Intelligence

Boxing Teaser

Boxing

Shooting

Subjoined we give an account of the brutal affair, furnished by a person who witnessed it. He says: "Yesterday morning, about 7 o'clock, an encounter took place between John Morrissey and William Poole on the pier at the foot of Amos Street, North River. For some time past Morrissey has entertained the idea of attaining the unenviable notoriety attached to a fighting man. He has frequently challenged Hyer to meet him in the ring and settle their animosities by a fisticuff battle. Hyer’s good judgment, however, has deterred him from participating in such disgraceful business. It appears that on Wednesday night Morrissey and Poole met in a public house on Broadway. Words ensued relative to the respective merits of Hyer and Morrissey. The latter offered a wager of fifty dollars to Mr. Poole that he dared not meet him at 7 o'clock, the next morning, he (Morrissey) giving Poole the choice of ground. Poole immediately accepted the proposition, and the money was posted. Mr. Poole, as far as regards size and weight, is much the inferior to Morrissey, but he possesses more activity, and is considered a tremendous "rough and tumble" fighter.

Some time before the hour arrived for the meeting, Poole appeared on the pier with a large number of his friends, and offered to bet $3,000 with Mr. Alburtis, who was on the pier, that he could whip Morrissey or any other man in the world except Tom Hyer: that he felt in super fine condition, and if Morrissey dared to show his face he would drum him off the dock, or any one else who interfered with him. No one, however, felt disposed to accept his wager. At 6 1/2 o'clock, Morrissey was seen coming down Amos Street unattended and exclaimed, "Where is Poole?" On being answered that he was on the pier, took off his coat, without taking the precaution of unbuttoning his shirt collar, until reminded to do so by one of his friends, he immediately repaired there. Poole stood ready to meet him. Morrissey struck out - a clinch ensued - Morrissey falling heavily with Poole on top and who took advantage of his position to deal tremendous blows on Morrissey's face, and before they had fought five minutes, Morrissey cried "enough." Poole jumped into his boat, lying at the dock, and rowed away, while Morrissey, considerably chop-fallen and awfully bruised and beaten, was obliged to leave the ground amid the jeers and hooting of the assemblage. Poole also said that he intended to go on an excursion at 7 o'clock, (meaning of course the fight,) that it was the last he expected to take and was only waiting for the boat to arrive but had some doubts whether it would stop at the pier to take him, as that was the last stopping-place. The fight was of very short duration. As soon as they clinched, the crowd gathered around, and it was almost impossible for any one except those within a foot of the belligerents to witness the conflict, which was over in five minutes after the first blow was struck. Morrissey left the scene in a light wagon, without a friend to attend to him, and drove off."