New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-10-22
THE GREAT PRIZE FIGHT.
Contest for the Championship.
MORRISSEY THE WINNER
BRUTAL AND BLOODY BATTLE.
VIVID PICTURE OF MODERN CIVILIZATION.

In pursuance Of our duty as faithful recorder
If the current events Of the day. We are Obliged to
devote large space in this sheet 10 the details OF
fight for the Championship Of Americ, between
Heenan ADD Morrissey. No event for years has
created so much interest in this city. and indeed,
throughout the country; a fact mpst disgraceful
TO any civilized country. but a. fact compelling
US to recognize aud record it,
The result was announced by telegraph yester
day, and We now append the detailed account by
our special reporter.
WHAT 4 CHAMPION FIGHT Is.
The great fs,-fght for the championship Of
America has excited 40 much interest throughout
country that We have no doubt there many of
readers who would like to kIow exactly wust is meant
by that phrase and how the battle is conducted the
victor ID which is entitled to the high-sounding
title of the Champion Of America
The first Champion of England was the man who
had conquered in the Prize Ring in fair stand-up
fight all who had chosen to dispute with him his -tIc
superiority until at last he stood at the head Of the
professors of the puglisc art, and thenceforh held
himself ready to respond to the challenge of any En-
gshmaD who felt bold enough to question his right to
the title of Champion, and confidence enough in his
abilities to back bis opinion by passage at arns.
Whoever could conquer the champion became hence
forth himself the champion, and was entitled to claim
and wear the "champion's belt An honor more
coveted by the pugistc knights than any star ribbon
or garter, with their accompar wing titles of nobility.
And he who wears this bard-wOn honor must be pre-
pared to maintain his right thereto by meetiog in the
roped arena any rivh who may aspire to the dstlnc
ton and who will risk the sGue of the battle
sum Of money worth fighting for BY resolution of
the Puglisc Association, whose word is law in these
matters adopted in 1885, the Champion of England
must fight any antagonist who will wager Goo the
battle, he must forfeit his title to the challenger.
Although we have in America no Pugistic Asso-
cation" or other organization of the Fancy" to
sumo authority in this mater and give their weighty
sanction to the title of Champion, that honor will
doubtless be tacity accorded by universal consent to
the victor in this last encounter, and the cOnquerer
must now hold himself ready, like doughty knight, to
fight any aspirant who may make it worth his while.
The first Champion of England, Of whom we have
any account Fieg who assumed that title in 49,
and reoiced in il until the day of his death, which
occurred some fifteen years afterward. From tlat
time to the present the office has been held by
twenty .fve different men, their average terms of
Office being about five years though some of them
have maintained their stand for u much longer time,
while others have had scarcely time to buckle the
belt, before harder and better knight of the
"bunch Of fves has wrested il from them Tom
Crib held the Champion belt for fifteen years. dur
ing which time he fought aud Of course conquered in
ten hard battles; he at last voluntarily resigned the
palm and retired from the profession.
Perhaps the most curious fact connected with the
history Of the pugiisc champions of England belongs
TO the biography of John Gulley, fsc knight of the
18th century. He fought three riugbattles, two of
which he won; he declined the office OF Champion In
1868 and was eiected member Of Parliament in 1892
So it that in sending fghting-men to the grand
council Of the nation the Yankees not in advance
ofthe mother country but merely following the re-
vered example OF the maternal island.
Few, however, of the English prze-ring warriors
eliminate so brilliantly as did the Hon. John Guley,
Prize-fghter and Member of Parliament. Most of them
subsde into keepers of taverns and portehouses and
their establishments naturally beco ne popular, and
are much resored to by sporting gentlemen, especially
those interested in the gymnastics of the ring.
Twenty or more Of the most noted public houses in
London at this time kept by retired prlze-hghters
On the principle the he ,dquarters Of all Amer-
can fighting men, whenever fight is about to come
off in Canada, lie rum-shop in Buffalo, kept by Icy
Lazarus, of which and Of whom more hereafter.
Although boxing is claimed as an Ell glish institu-
ton >" and knowledge of the Manly AIT of Sef-De-
Tense considered essential in the education OF an
Englishman prize fighting is regarded with no favor,
even in the tight little island, by the wise ones who
have the making of the laws. The amusement is
prohibited under penalties, and every tight that
comes to the knowledge of the police is at once
broken up, and all persons implicated are severe
y dealt with. Indeed prize-fghting seems to the full
as fatal as the modern style of make-fnends
duellng with pistols. We find in - Fistiana the
names of thirty-one men who have been killed in prize
battles 10 of these cases the jury returned YER
diet of Willml Murder against the surviving pIinc-
pal, the seconds, the umpires, and all assisting or
abet,ing the fight and in other cases the YER
dict of "Manslaughter was found against
all concerned Very many instances have &C.
Cured where the principals ump'res, sec
onds. referee, stakeholder and all implicated have
been arrested fined and imprisoned. That the laws OF
America are against prize-ghting need not inform
cur readers and TO find the state of public opinion on
this question: We need but refer the intense excite
mcnt and the shuddering horror that possessed the
community when the fatal result Of the Lilly and
Mccoy fight was known This battle took place Sept.
3 1872 near Hastings in this State, between Christie
pher Lily and Thomas Mccoy. The fight lasted two
hours and three quarters aud Mccoy was so terribly
beaten that he brought home corpse. The
take was 5000 side
On account Of the unlawtuness Of prize fights IN
this country and the sharp lookout of the authorities
to prevent them, the Morrssey and Heensn fight was
appointed to take place in Canada and an almost IN
Inhabited region was chosen that there might be no
interference by local police