The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-07-11
Il PRIZE FIGHT.

and ClYililallou-The Greatest Evil tbs
Contempt Of Law,
Philadelphia Leiger, JaLg9.
Theso.called sporting event" 80 long
heralded and 80 deliberately prepared for,
between Sullivan and Kilrain, occurred
yesterday, in exact accordance with the
announced programme, There was no
interference from any quarter the two
brutes met, surrounded by a multitude
OF their kind, and, after the fashion Of
their kind, fought out the fight to n Con
c%lusion, the larger and greater brute de-
feating the smaller and lesser one, Be-
fore the contest began, while it was pro-
ceeding, and until news Of the result
was received, the greatest interest was
manifested by q large part OF the public.
The encounter between the ruiians OK.
cited apparently as much concern as did
in the old war days a battle for the
URion, The newspaper offices weresur-
rounded by eager, expeCtant crowds
from morning until night, Everywhere,
apparently, the contest was the absorb
ing object ofthought and speech. There
would DO something past the finding out
in this il 1t were not known that in the
nature OF all men there prevails u strong,
enduring admiration for mere physical
courage, u certain respect, even, for the
man, or brute, who Is willing to stand up
and with or without good cause take as
well as give blows, Even the prize
fighter displays enough Of this lowest
form oil courage to command popular in
terest.
But there is one fact which proves
that the spirit of civilization is more pc.
tent in the hearts and minds OF the men
Of America than this natural, secret
liking for the display OF mere brute
courage; 1t is that 1t has compelled the
adoption OF stringent laws against prize
fighting, Where the people themselves
make the laws only such can DO made
as the popular will ind power decree.
The laws OF the several States against
prize fighting express tho common ab-
florence OF such brutal encounters. And
yet, without let or hindranCe OF any sort,
despite the utmost publicity and open
Encouragement OF time, place and con-
testants, n prize tight-a thing condemn
ed by law md acknowledgements
yesterday, though tho Governors Of five
Commonwealth Issued their edICts
against 1t, and two Of them ordered out
tho militia Of their respective States TO
prevent II.
Take 1t at It's best, the prize fight Is an
indefensible brutal affair. It is bad
enough that two men should stand up
with tho premeditAted purpose OF beat.
ing one another into n state OF physical
disability; to pound each others faces
TOT jolly to maim and bruise each other
10 the point OF non-resistanCe; but that
is the least OF the demoralizing, .degrad-
ing effect OF yesterdays contest. The
worst OF it was that ii was openly, flag.
rantly, without any %ConCealment what
ever, done in contempt Of law, with all
the legal authorities virtually looking
OH, for where the crowd OF ruffians and
gamblers went, to RiChburg, Mississippi,
the Governor and troops Of that State
could have gone had they 80 willed..
The prize fight, which was solely q
gamblers and rutllans' and brutes'
fight, mercenary and nothing else, was
III every wayinherently disgraceiul and
degrading to all concerned in 1t, but 1t
was most disgraCeiul OF oil, most de-
m%oralizing and degrading Of oil, to the
society and law which 1t violated, and
whose representatives looked on andsaw
the law trampled under foot and society
dishonored by 1t.
Thagn hn,tNnb ~ Nhn OptVn RIM fnnnl,f
as the brutes ilght-till one fell ex-
hausted and could give or take no fur
Their punishment. The ordinary brute
is rather their superior in the prize
ring, however, as he leaps or Crawls
over the body Of his defeated antagon-
ist to seize the prize money, the price
he has received for playing the brute.
The dog that is let loose In the ring to
bite and tear his antagonist is nobler
than the human brute, for at least he
does not fight for hire aud salary.
But, as We have said, the worst part
OF yesterdays brutal contest was the
freedom enjoyed by all tho participants
in IL, whether as principals, hackers or
spectators, to set the laws aside, TO spurn
them openly, and show themselves
higher than, and independent OF all law.
There Ia one thing that the American
people seem yet to need to learn, which
Is, that 1t were better that all laws were
abolished and crime should stalk unre-
rebuked and unrestrained through our
streets, than that recorded law unre-
pealed aud vital, shall be openly, fla.
GRAVITY violated by the sutferance or
connivance OF the people themselves, or
Of those bound by their public duty to
M farm I'm lnu,