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Show Champion Fighter Is H Near Death in a H Hospital. M Los Angeles, Cal., Nov., 29 Ad Wolgast. tho champion llghtwelqht M fighter, who was scheduled to defend. his title against the Brlltah boxer, H Freddie Welsh, at Vernon arona to- H morrow, was stricken with appondicl- H tls at ?, o'clock this morning in hta H training quarters. Ho was removed to H a hospital an hour later, and prepar- H ations were being rushed at 9 a. m. to perform an operation to save his H The twenty-round Thanksgiving M Day battle at Vernon, of course, Js off, M The house had boen sold out early In M the week and the gross receipts ea- timatod at ?35.000 will have to ba H returned to seat purchasers. Wolgast H was to receive $13,500 aa his share H and Welsh $5,000. Tom McCarev, H promoter of the Pacific Athletic club, H under the auspices of which the con- H tost wns to have been staged, said todav ho would try to arrange a sub- M stitutc card. H Wolgast was placed on the oporat- H Ing table at 9 -HO o'clock. Although H doubled up with pain, he smiled chcr- M fully Just before tho surgeons apllcd H bhe ether cones. "H Tho little champion showed symp- toms of tho sudden attack last night H after he had eaten a hearty supper at jH his training quarters In the village H of Vernon. Slight pains caused him H to complain but he went to bed at H 10:30 apparently all right. At 2 o'clock, howoor, his manager, Tom M Jones, was awakened by screams. M Thoroughly alarmed, Jones went to M his bedside and found the fighter In jH such pain he could not move. "Ho H was all doubled up," said Jones. H Physicians wero called and, after H a hasty diagnosis, an Immediate opr- H atlon was decided necessary to sao H his B Wolgast was placed at once In an H auto-ambulance and rushed to the H hospital. Almost continually ho was H in paroxysms of pain but In" the brief H periods of comparative rest ho talked M cheorfully and tried feebly to Joke jH with his surpwonB and attendants H about his condition. M News of death spread rapidly and J H scores of tho champion's admlrcrn stood outside th hospital awaiting H word as to the outcome of the opera- tlon. Judging from facial expressions, J acute appendicitis was regarded as being synonutous with death, a view IH that had some special support In the IH statements of the surgeons that Wol- H gast's condition was very serious. As soon a the patient wa sefelr In tho hospital. Jones rushed out to fetch H Mrs. Wolgast. When she arrived at H the hospital, Mrs. Wolgast broke H down. HHH "This Is the first time Ad has ever H been ill." she said, "and I am so H afraid those knives will kill him." H (Continued on Page Six.) H ' AD WOLGAST OPERATED ON H (Continued From Pago One,) H .Tones accompanied the nurses to Hl the operating room and remained, H swathed In disinfected white robes while the champion's appendix was being removed. The announcement of AVolgast's ill- H ness had tho effect of a bolt of light- i Eing upon sporting circles. Yesterday Hi hp appeared in tho pink of condition. Hf roady for tho battle of his life, and Hi fight enthusiasts who saw him wrestle H snd pummel his sparring pnrtnora H and cavort about like a playful colt, , wore astounded to learn, that ho was H in a hospital this morning at the H point of death. Freddio Welsh, who H was to have been tho champion's op- H ponent in the ring tomorrow, was H awakened before dawn to receive tho B news of Wolgast's illness by tole- 1 phone. Welsh had beeu training at H Mnnlcc, a hcaside resort. 1 "This is a bjow, l am sure," he .said.' I |