KETCHEL'S DEATH.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5569, 28 October 1910, Page 4

KETCHEL'S DEATH.

AN AC! OP TUBA CHERT*

CAPTURE _OF THE MURDERER

.With reference, to the shooting 01 Stanley heiohel, the ■world's middleweight champion, liie following particulars were published in b\duey recently :—

"Ketchel and a man named Hurtz, employed by the owner of the ranch had a difference. The men afterwards went to bed, ana nothing more was thoiigint 01 tno matter, though Hurtz was in an ugly mood when ha retired for the night.

"Ketchel was up early in the morning, and was having breakfast at half-past 6, when Hurtz entered the ranch house and, pointing a rifle at Ketchel, told him to throw up his h-aaids. Though taken by surprise, Ketchel remained cool. He,roso from the table, with his back half turned to Hurtz, when the latter tired, the bullet striking* Ketchel below the right shoulder blade and entering the right lung. '-tfcHearing the report of firearms, a man named Bailey rushed in, just in Xiaiuj to see Hurtz disappearing through the doorway. '''Ho shot me 1" feebly cried the wounded boxer, pointing in the direction Hurt/, had gone. Ketchel then briefly related what had happened, when he became unconscious, and in that condition w>as convoyed to Springfield. Here ho was admitted to the hospital, where he died at 7 o'clock the following night. '■'Hurtz contrived to make his escape. Mr Dickcrsoii, the millionaire

ranch-owner, with w-hont Ketchel was staying, has offered £1000 for Kurtz's dead body, but will give nothing if the murderer is taken alive." ■ Ai later cable was to the effect that the murderer of Stanley Kctehel bad been nrrostctl at Niangjua, £$b miles from SpringfieLd. Hurt/, made a full confession. ; ho said that Kctchol was shot in self-defence. The trouble arose, according to the murderer, through Ivetchel making some insulting remarks to Hjurlz's sweetheart. ilr W. F. CorbcH, of the' Referee, comments thus :—Poor ivetchel ! He did, indeed„ deserve a 'better fate, for a nicer fellow never drew on a pair of boxing gloves. I met Ketchel at San Francisco the. nioraingi -after Mr ilclntosh, Tommy Burns, r.ili Lang and myself arrived in that city from Australia, and I took to him straightway. We sat down together on a couple of louuge chairs i!i the Palace Hotel's luxuriously furnished bar-room and chatted for u/iite an hour or more, and were often joined by prominent people who came over to say a word or two to the popular boxer. We met again on several occasions during the stormy times at Reno before the Jeffries' infliction, and the more I saw of the lad (he was jlitt/lq else); the ; better k liked him. Everybody had a good word to say of 'Ketchel, and' ■everybody 1 spoke to about him deplored the fact that ho. had "struck) thy toboggan," and was 'already surely, getting on to a well-greased side, which meant anything; but thfj ojidingt a young fellow of his stamp and promise merited. I learned a good deal from Ketchel (about his life. He told me he had ibeen a waiter when only 18 years of I age, and it was his duty to bring "coolers" (iced drinks) and "the pipe" to certain people, and heslill liked to 'be among that class, even though it meant the shortening up of an -athletic career so brilliantly commenced. He smoked cigarettes in a chain—that is to say he lit a fresh one 'with the butt of the other. X pointed out how well he could do if he took a trip. I dwelt upon the possibilities for one of his personal charm in. Australia, mentioning that he would surely jljecomc! very popular here. Kotchel wenti so far, one day, as to say that, after a couple more lights in America he would visit this part of the world, and if these two hatties could not be arranged within the following five or six weeks }lr Mclntosh might reckon- tipon him meeting. Bill Lang, Tommy hums, and others at the Uushcuttcrs" Bay Stadium.. Stanley Ketchel was a line looking fellow ; he haul well defined features, •*arge dark 'eyes, and -a face all »- glow with goodnature that stood for frankness and siwerity of an or-

uer rarely seen. "If I was in your company much" I remarked to Kelohel nn<> day, "1 would *he preaching 'homilies to you every morning." "It would be no use, Sir Corbctt," he replied with a smile, "I love the life I am leading too well to be induced to drop it."