No. 355
Crime, Eccentricity, and the Sporting Life in 19th Century America.
April 10, 2017

Pugilists in Petticoats.

Alleged bout between Annie Russell and Elizabeth Sullivan, two pretty clerks in a Buffalo, N. Y.
April 10, 2017
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Pugilists in Petticoats.

Pugilists in Petticoats

Alleged bout between Annie Russell and Elizabeth Sullivan, two pretty clerks in  Buffalo, N. Y. 

Dry goods store. An impromptu pugilistic fight is alleged to have occurred between two women in the big dry goods store of Barnes, Hengerer & Co., at Buffalo, N.Y., a few days ago. Annie Russell and her husband and Elizabeth Sullivan were employed there. The two women, it is said, had some words, when Annie hit Elizabeth a stinging blow on the nose. Miss Sullivan responded in true pugilistic style, and blows were exchanged scientifically. Mr. Russell acted as referee until his wife began to get the worst of the fight, when he tried to save her. There was no hair pulling, but there would have been had not Detective Morganstein broken into the ring formed by the other employees and arrested the combatants. Both women were badly punished. All that was lacking to make a real fight was the money.


National Police Gazette, November 17, 1888.

Foundering of the Titania

One of the most thrilling disasters at sea that has happened for many years. 

From a sketch by an officer of the gunboat Florida, we give an engraving of one of the most thrilling disasters at sea that has happened for many years, the wreck of the brig Titania which left Philadelphia on the 9th day of Oct., bound for Mobile, with a cargo of coal and hay. On the 13th she encountered a heavy gale which cause her to spring a leak. Both her pumps were manned, but in spite of every effort the water rapidly gained, even though all her deck load was thrown overboard. All hands worked with desperate energy to keep her afloat, but after two days of almost superhuman labor the water was found to be 11 feet in her hold and all hope of saving the vessel was dismissed.

A raft was rapidly constructed of about 10 feet square, and on the 16th the passengers and crew, 10 in all, embarked. There was one woman in the party. Two hours after leaving the ship down she went, and the luckless people upon the raft were tossing about at the mercy of the winds and waves. The weight upon the raft sunk it one foot below the waves, and what was not washed away was saturated thoroughly. For 24 hours they tossed about thus until, in latitude 32 degrees 20 minutes, longitude 74 degrees, they were found by the U. S. gunboat Florida, Lieut. Maies commanding, who took the starving party on board, helpless and almost lifeless form exposure.

Sailor-like, no sooner were the shipwrecked on board that a subscription was raised for them, which amounted to $361, of which one-third was awarded to the female passenger, and the balance divided among the crew.


Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, November 11, 1869.