Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-11-11
A SURPRISE.

phenomenal occurrence at Oakland
has commanded surprised attention. Two
bruisers have been convicted of felony for
engaging in prize fight, and if between
the quips and quirks of the law they do
not wriggle out of the grasp of the Court,
they will presently be under the BARRIERS
shears in one of the State Prisons of Cali
fornia, and sent to "the yard to labor
along with other common felons. 1t is the
first conviction of the kind in the history
Of the State, and therefore red letter in
criminal history on this coast.
Perhaps the most surprised persons were
the s'ugge themselves; so long has til: I
class of brutes enjoyed immunity that they
have entertained fear of no more than
fine in case of arrest, or at most of brief
residence in county Jail. When, there
fore, the verdict was rendered, and the AL
ameda Court sternly ordered the brace of
pugilists to be "jugged," and refused them
bail, they turned white with amazement,
and their colleagues and hackers as one of
them subsequently declared, Thought the
graves had opened, and Judgment day had
come"
These two face-beaters testified that they
did not fight; twas only friendly sci
entifc" exhibition of the "manly art -
heaven save the mark They wore two
ounce gloves-practically no gloves at all,
and, if anything, more likely to do serious
damage than bare fists, since they protect
the hand without diminishing the stun
ming effects of the blows. We entertain the
hope, but lack faith, that these rascals will
be compelled to don prison stripes, and for
once in their lives learn what the hands
can accomplish at hard work.
This State has too long been cursed by
these slogging matches. They cultivate
the taste for brutal exhibitions; they
deaden the sensibilities; they corrupt, de-
grade and demoralize In the face of the
law and in defiance of it, they have been
conducted to degree of publicity that be-
Titled really important affairs. The peace
officers, paid by the people, have been
spectators of them night after night, osten-
sibly to nicely weigh the force of the
blows, and exercise sort of judicial dis
erection in Judging between the lawfulness
of blow that closes an eye or smashes7
a nose, and the criminality of an under
cut that lays open the cheek or breaks a
neck. The press has catered to the vulgar
taste that hastens its victim from bed to
read at early dawn, while yet the morning
paper is damp from the press, of the
rounds" "eye-openers" lnock-outs'
and ret-bringers" of the mill' of the
night before.
1t is nice reading, to be sure, for the
young son or daughter over morning toast
and coffee. 1t refnes the taste, certainly,
of the youth whom parental control as yet
keeps at home in the evening. It's savory
and nutritious mental pabulum for the
plastic mind Of the young, assuredly.
1t Is not necessary now to inquire into
the causes that project this sort of news
into decent journals. A very distinct
chapter might be written on that subject.
1t is sufficient now to express the hope
that journalism, backed by such verdicts
as that rendered in the Oakland Court,
may some day be able to rid itself of news
which it not only does not desire, but alb
hors.