New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-16
THE SORROUS or 4 HTER.
HARD WORK. HARD KNOCKS AND POOR PAY.


"Oh, yes, we have an easy time" said pr0mi-
nent members OF the smuggling brigade, whose face bore
the of many hard fought battles in the twentyf0ur
foot ring and with the gloves to TRIBUNE reporter We
only have to work from I'm the evening until three
four I'm the morning for from 80 $50 week. Yes
we make q regular business of H. We are hired
Just like longShorcmen hodcaTiers, have our
,c6ln,t think that was yerv hard work 70 get no on
the stage there and spar for five ten minutes time of
You think son cloves don't hurt. Well perhaps they
don't this cart" pointing To his left aurcular organ
which knocked ali out OF shape. and was swollen to
twice natural size We, that's Of the results Of
iris hippodrome sparing. It's all fixed and we 20 in
not :" hurt each other, but in the heat or debate
we sometimes forget and hit little harder tian We
intend, and then black eye or cut mp or swollen ear
the results. Then You unless we keep our name
up as lighters We are no good aud can't get an engage
mcnt, have get up occasional glove fights and
get I'm the papers In majority Of cases these
$500 some other sum side, the fellows who fight get
- $40, and the who get up the fight scoop The
balance. The lighters are generally catoln hot 10
hurt each other, but sometimes there's rivalry or some
hard feeling between the men, and then You get genuine
milling with vengeance You nave no oea nov hatu
blow be hit with hard glove They are little more
than protection to tho hands, and can give good deal
more punishment with them IMAM can WIN ul9 pdIe
knuches This nose OF mine wac broken III marc glove
fight that was intended for joke but which turned
ont to be a genuine ght before we lnlshen up. Inc
aforesaid nose was entirely minus bridge ana was up
tilted at an angle Of forty degrees ,
there were between forty and fifty, sparrers
feather weight light weight, middle weight
and heavy weight men. in the business IN New
York. They are all champions, and can al whip each
other ii you let them tell IT, good many OF them never
faced man with bare nuckes or even hard gloves bt
they are all tp-tOp tghters-On the bis-and they help
to catch suckers part OF duties and not the easl
est Is TO sit around the house and cap for drinks
There are any number fools who consider II an honor
to be permitted drink with prize tighter, and to have
the privilege when they bring some green friend III the
place to walk up to some sparrer and
say, Hello, Jimmy, or Tommy, or what
ever his may be, won't you take drink /
They think IL makes them tough and shine In the eyes OF
their friends 'roundcr II wasn't for the fools we
would have go into honest business. Why don't
leave II Because was "a fool and went into IL, and now
late hours and irregular habits have untitled me for any
thing else. haven't brains education enough Tor
rep0l ter and that's the only business that requires the
night hours that am used to. good sparrer II lucky
he ges ~ 30 q night, and they from that down To
81 80 of the boys have been talking about getting
up trade union and striking for higher pay. We ought
to pretty good ut striking by this time, don't you
think I"