New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-02
JUSTICE LAYS HOLD OF SULLIVAN

JUSTICE LAYS HOLD OF SULLIVAN.
Sullivan was arrested Wednesday evening,
spent the night in custody at Police Head
nuarters-wbere he was treated with unneces-
sary consideraton-was arraigned yesterday
before Judge OBrien, and is now on his way
to Mississippi to stand trial for prlze-hghtlng
in that State. Few legal procedures have been
more gratifying to decent people than this and
II Sullivan can now be promptly tried and sub
iected to the maximum penalty the satisfaction
will be complete. so far as he is concerned. 1t
is to be hoped that no feeling OF sympathy with
the defeated man will cause Kil'ain to be neg
lected. With both ruffians in jail-preferably in
contiguous cells with thick walls, where they
can hear no sound save their own -ings, the
outcome of the Mississippi pize-fght will be
very precious to the community.
We observe that Mr.. Nicoll expressed what
was perhaps proper sense of his obligation
to client namely, hope that his submission
would be rewarded with light sentence. Apart
from professional etiquette, we discern no rea-
son for such desire. Sullivan was resigned
because he had to be. Before his arrest Gov
ernor Hill had honored Governor Lowry g
requisition by signing the essential mandate,
and no one is obliged to suppose that the
pugilist would have given anything away ex-
cent under compulsion. Behind his magnan-
imous waiver was a grim necessity, his counsel
frankly acknowledging that the proceedings
could not have been successfully attacked. More
over. there is nothing whatsoever in Sullvan's
character or career to suggest sympathy. There
have been prize-fghters who possessed many
redeennng qualities which it was impossible
to forget while condemning their vocation, men
Of courage and generous instincts, who, outside
the prize ring, lived decent and orderly lives.
If Sullivan has single trait of character which
is not utterly abominable he has been extraor-
dinarily successful In concealng the fact. lie
is a bully, a braggart, a drunkard, wife-beat-
en- a malignant insolent vindictive BLACKBOARD
in every proclivity and impulse. There is
scarcely large city in the country which he
has not affronted and disturbed with his de-
baucheries, and in which he has not amply
earned an intimate acquaintance with the in
side of prison walls. 1t would be an unspeak-
able relief to know that he was securely jailed
for the longest term the law of Mississippi al
lows
If the foregoing description Of the champion
is not eXaggerated-and there is n long array
of evidence behind every word OF tive do
not need to look further for a measure of the
service which Governor Lowry has done the
country by his course since the prize-fght.
The anonymous imputatons put upon him in
respect to other matters have nothing to do
with this case. He has attempted to vindicate
the law against prize-fghting with great cour-
age and persistence, and up to this time with
conspicuous success, and has well repaired his
failure to prevent the fight, failure which
now seems to have been chargeabe upon his
sub ordinateS rather than upon himself. Thus
far one of the principals, the referee and one
or more of the railroad accessories have been
held to answer for their share in the perform
ance, and we hope TO hear within day or two
that Kilrain is following Sullivan to Jackson.
One man never before did so much as Governor
Lowry has done to bring professional pugiliSm
to full and permanent STOP