The Jersey City news., 1891-09-12
INJURED INNOCHN7S.
Fleeced by a Hippodrome
Prize Fight Sport
ing Notes.

Jack McAuliffe and Austin Gibbon
met in the ring at Hoboken last night.
The late P. 7. Barnum remarked thae
the American people liked to be hum
bugged. He knew. He played on the
old quotation, "What fools we mortals
be.'
Now for the prize fight. 1t was arranged
by the Granite Association of Hoboken.
It offered a purse of $4,000 for the men 10
meet and pummeI each other until one OF
the other was beaten into unconscious
ness. By the terms of the contract IL was
fight to finish. McAullne mas tne
honor of being the lightweight champion.
Recently he engaged in bookmaking at
the race tracks. He is clever
pugilist, but not successtul
gambler, and when his book closed ne
was heavily in debt. To recoup he glad
ly accepted the offer to make a Few tnou-
sand dollars by punching Gibbons into
comatose condition. or course. he did
not lack hackers. They had no confidence
in his ability as booKpaker, but were
positive about his fighting qualities,
and they advanced $500 as SIDE
wager with his opponent. gibbons had
scored a dozen victims in the ring and
recently returned from England where
he quickly vanquished star pugilist,
He had host of admirers. and
an ample supply Of money was
at his command. There was no
trouble in making the match. Ihere
would have been no dtfhculty IL tne
stakes had been double what they were:
The Granite Association is not actuated
solely By love of sport. They were I'M
PEELED by mercenaiy motives to offer the
liberal purse. They had one experience
with the Slavin-kilrain contest ana
hi I.ca
admission fees are not profitable
as the battle between the heavyweiRhts
was not IL success financially. They re-
duced the ante for the lightweights both
in the purse ana for the cards OF admis-
sion. They are content or Will be When
the Treasurer submits his report.
They cleared enough by the specula-
tion last night to wipe out the
deficit caused by the fancy figures charged
to see the previous mill, and have snug
balance of several thousand dollars. Not
much fault would have been found with
the association had they exercised ordin-
ary business tact in the sale or
the tickets. Instead of having
number issued to just meet the
seating capacity they ordered several
thousand in excess, and these were sold
indiscriminately. There was. an enor-
nous demand for tickets, and it could
have been easily determined when
enough had been disposed of to I'LL its
rink The avaricious managers continued
TO sell, however and even sold tickets
last night, when the rink was overcrowd,
ed and two thousand or more were walt
ing to get in, the money may be re-
funded to the disappointed purchasers.
1t should be. The unfortunate purchas-
ers who imagined that the association had
exercised business Judgment came
in coaches and other cOnveyances, many
had been crushed in crowded horsecars,
n =. J. Al t-.,I fN rh<.sr t1Ar
able frame structures on the meadows.
A barbed wire fence has been
put up around the building
with narrow openings at the three mar
row entrances. In the vain hope Of Sc
curing places of advantage in the surg
ing lines Of ticket holders, eager but
duped buyers crowded between the
strands of barbed wire. AS they forced
their way to the wire they were met
with demand of twenty-five cents
from the enterprisin2 youth to hold the
wires so far apart that the anxious ticket
holder could go through without damage
to his rainment. He was wise VINO paid
it. Those who did not-they were in the
majority-found the wires contracted SO
as to touch and tear their coats and
trousers. Many suits were ruined. The
doors would have been forced open by the
angry mob, but the Granite Association
had q score of uniformed policemen on
= 0ohA VASA Lac 49, SeASNSs ~-~~ S>~-~~~ ''S>S
Kept busy.
Punctuality has not been one OF the
characteristics of managers of prize
fights. 1t ls rarely started until an hour
often three or four-has passed
after the time fixed before the
principals enter the ring. Consc-
quently many did not arrive until
half-past eight or later, believing that it
would be eleven and not nine clock, the
hour announced, before the fight would
begin. Those who reach there half an
houi before the time fixed for closing
the doors found enough men IN
line To fill the building which
was then crowded. The orders were
given to close the doors and bedlam pre-
vailed. No one would be admitted. was
the command. The angry crowd threat
ened and implored; it was of no avail
"You couldn't see a thing even If you got
in," said Captain Boyle TO several friends.
They believed him. Even Commissioner
Cook was content that this was true, aud
was inclined to go home. 1t was long
after niue o'clock. The men were in the
ring, and the disappointed crowd
stood outside censuring aud condemning
the association, but convinced they were
debarred. Commissioner Eddie Dugan
arrived. just then Captain Boyle APP
peared and again assured many friends
that IL was useless to remain. as not