SOUVENIR-CHARTERS TOWERS, 1872 TO JULY,
1950 Page 13
battery. A properly staked and roped ring was set up. Everything was
done in order, seconds, umpires, and referees, timekeeper, and
bottle-holders. Right here it may be mentioned that a fairer fight no
man hath ever seen. Neither man atempted to take a point, nor was there
the least show of temper from start to finish. Brown was a Cornishman,
and was reputed to have had 100 fights, that is as a boy and man. He
was also said to be "As far as was known," the test "Upper Cut" striker
in Australia, having defeated the champion of New South Wales for a bet
of £25 a side. Richard Harvey (Brown's mate) was my authority for
the above statements. Brown and Harvey were together from infancy
to the time of Brown's death. Brown at that time (time of fight) was 25
or 26 years of age, stood 5ft. 8in. or 5ft. 8½in. in his socks,
and weighed about 11½ stone. The fight started just before l0
a.m. The opening rounds were fast and furious, and quite
one-sided. By the end of the third round, the right side of Brown's
face was completely bunged up. His "picker-up" "Bristol Bill,"
first class second, cut Brown's cheek with a blunt knife. The cut bled
freely, his nose also, but as round followed round" the swelling
became more and more pronounced. £7 to £5 was offered
at the ringside that Easton would win in eight
rounds - no takers. Still the fight went on, and up to 25 or 26 rounds,
Easton was
scarcely marked. The other side of Brown's face was swelling, and had
to be cut, and after each round, both cuts were thoroughly sucked,
which had the effect of keeping his left eye open. From about the 30th
round the fighting was more even, Easton receiving full change in some
of the rounds. In the 52nd round the sponge was tossed up in Brown's
corner-against his wishes-after a battle lasting two hours and
five minutes, London prize-ring rules. Brown fought till he was stone
blind. He was the smaller man of the two, also the slowest with his
hands, and not near the boxer that his opponent was. Had all things
been equal, Brown must have won. Easton showed the greater skill and
better judgment; still, Brown was a hard man to fight, as most natural
fighters are. Brown was considered to be one of the hardest and gamest
men who ever put up their hands, yet, withal, one of the kindest,
softest, fellows imaginable.
Bill Blakey was, about this time, up North, somewhere about the Palmer,
perhaps. Bill was a tall. broad man, about 6ft., and would fight at
between 12 and 13 stone; he was not extra quick, but a great ring
tactician. William knew every dodge in the game, and gave away no
points. He had got over to the Hodgkinson when it broke out, and
hearing of Bill Brown decided to come to the Towers and take the
shine off the man who was said to be the hardest nut to crack that
North Queensland had seen up to that date.
FAMOUS CHARACTERS
There were many interesting characters in those days.
Ben Green and George Baker, bell-ringers and towncriers,
boot blacks, bill
posters, etc., were an amusing pair. George the Fiddler was quite
an artist at his game, and usually did the music halls of a
Saturday night. He could, play his violin in any position. Old Mr.
Brice of Millchester, was a very popular performer on the banjo,
and the miners were always glad to hear him accompany his own songs,
such as "He Liked the Sound of the Windlass" and the "Cry Look-out
Below," and "Nigger will be Nigger till de day ob Jubilee, for you
neber neber can wash a Nigger white."
BOXING ON
Every Saturday night Mosman Street would be humming again. The coaches
would bring the crowd from Millchester and the Queen, and it was a
common thing for a box-on and a general mixup with the clashing of
the clans. No hard and. fast rules were observed. It was "all in" and
solid going right through, and some times led to individual
matches.
