Los Angeles herald., 1891-06-19
FRIDAY. JUNE 10, 1891.
AN UNPLEASANT rENDENcY-puGILIsM

AN UNPLEASANT TENDENCY-PUGILISM.
There is something especially disgust
ing in the great prominence that pugil-
ism is taking in the occurrences of the
latter part of the nineteenth century.
In this respect we are certainly going
backward. In the opening days of the
century the ring occupied position OF
great interest and Importance. The
burly George ~. was a great slogger
himself, and there were few profession
ais who could have knocked him out,
he bearing to monarchical modern affairs
about the relation which the Emperor
Commodus illustrated in the history of
the Caesars. King George was fine
blackguard in every respect, not even
Wales being able to outpoint him in
grossness and brutality. Yet in those
days even highly respectable men
showed an interest in the prize ring.
When the Emperor Alexander l. visited
London after Waterloo, prize fight was
gotten up in his especial honor. A
finer era of refinement then set in and
continued for great many years, the in
terest in slogging seeming to revive
about the middle of the-century. In the
United States, Yankee Sullivan, Tom
Hyer and John Morrisey, during the
fifties, were probably more discussed
than the leading public men OF the
country. The advent of John
G. Heenan, the "Benicia boy"
marked the climax of the pugilistic
craze of that time. Heenan was per-
sonally probably the best of the tribe of
ring gladiators, and was product OF
California, first developing his talents
in local elections at Benicia, in this
state. He showed such an astonishing
hitting power that the "talent" started
in to cultivate the young giant. In his
encounter with Morrisey he was unfor-
tunate, but his fight with Tom Sayers,
the English champion, really assumed
an International Importance. AT least
the interest in that ntwas something
quite out of the common. The general
impression was that Heenan would have
beaten or killed Sayers. At the
critical point the cry OF police was
raised, and Heenan's old enemy, Nor
risey, rushed in and cut the ropes, thus
ending the fight.
There has been much unfavorable
comment on the fact that John Nor
risey, a professional prize fighter, was
elected representative in the congress
of the United States and senator of
4 g NJ &c, sin 1Ior
circumstance, however, that Morrisey
proved to be valuable, conscientious
and incorruptible public man. In none
of the legislative bodies of which he was
a member was he ever found supporting
a questionable measure. His intiexlble
integrity resulted in probably the most
unique political event ever chronicled in
the United States. His rugged inde-
pendence or perhaps personal offensive
ness piqued the Democratic leaders OF
Gotham. They determined to beat
Morrisey for senator. The contest was
to take place not in the Five Points re-
gion, but in the most aristocratic
wards of New York-those in
which the Vanderbilts, Stewards
and Tildens lived. His enemies knew
that they had hard task before them.
They therefore resorted to an extreme
measure. They nominated Augustus
Schell, then the chairman OF the Demo-
cratic national committee, as the regu-
lar Democratic candidate. They thought
that this, as a matter of course, would
al IL a n
independent Democrat. To the surprise
of the Democratic leaders, the Wander
bilts, Stewards and other ''solid" men
OF the senatorial district rode up to the
polls in their carriages and voted for
Morrisey. Such thing had never been
known before. 1t was certainly the
most remarkable compliment ever re-
ceived by prize-fghter, and it was a
tribute to the official integrity of the
man.
1t has been often sought 10 make cap
ital out of the fact that prize fighter
could be elected to the congress of the
United States. There was of course
something peculiar in such selection,
but this is by no means the only coun-
try in which such thing has hap
pened. About dozen years ago the
announcement appeared in the English
papers of the death of Mr.. John Guppy,
who had been for thirty years member
of the British parliament. The unob-
trusive Guppy began life as prize
fighter; and, like Morrisey, he was said
to be an excellent legislator, of the quiet
and subdued order.
The occasional elevation to high office
of man whose force is supposed to lie
in his fists is by no means so discour-
aging as the great interest which is now
being taken in the brutal pastime OF
prize fighting. 1t is sought to make the
press responsible for this craze. This
is all nonsense. The newspapers would
far rather devote their space to more
dignified subjects. In giving long ac-
counts of brutal bouts in a twenty-four
loot ring they merely respond to an ex-