Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-10-01
(New York TImea. 25th.)

IL Is the influence dlieClei Ioih NIh'
quarter that ! am rather afraid the com
'bined powers Of the Coney Island Am
letic club. John Z. McKane. and District
Attorney Ridgway Will find too strong to
Withstand.
yesterday tho storm began with little
rumbling thunder; a cloudburst IS sure
to follow"
The general opinion IN Brooklyn IL that
ouch a storm or public indignation VIII
be aroused as will compel the authorizes
OF Kings county to prohibit such "a us
graceful and brutalzng exhibition VIII
In the limits Of the county.
That an officer Of the law. sworn 10
discourage and punish breaches oil me
peace should have so dehantly dlsreEaI '-
"a the public opinion ar sentiment OF the
community as Justice Newton has done
Is regarded as without parallel even ID
the long-continued maladminisuauHn oil
rubIic affairs I'm Kings county. Ills con-
dlct has evoked the strongest coh4'lIliI'-
ton among all reputable citizens anu ln'
course pursued by the New York Ilne5 Il
warmly commenced.
Already prominent citizens ana cleIEF-
men Of Brooklyn have suggested the pro-
pretty OF holding mass-neclhg5 10 "-
mand that the authorities shall eN'I'
aIl the power vested n them 10y law 10
prevent WHAT tlliy A'o'''' 49,
and a disgrace. .o
with the view OF asccrtaining the state
Of r,iblic feeling. a reporter called ycst'r-
dov on several OF the most prolHll'eH'
clcrcymcn Of Brooklyn, and lh' tH'S'
whose opinions have been obtalntI mere
tofore. thev were unanimous in conAemh"-
ton Of the proposed iight.
The Rev. DR. Lyman Abbott pastor ol
Plymouth church. was amazed that "
Iition I'm KINGS county could have pe'h
oven entertained. and spoke In strong
terms Of condemnation Of the bru'alNhg
orfocts ~ urize fights and their d'moiai-
izirg influence on the community. lie
"prizo fighting IS barbarous, and as
/ understand n illegal I believe this prlzH
ccht is 10 be conducted with gloves uut
the mere wearing Of gloves doeS h'1 an
II out Of the category Of barpaiouS eAli'.
hitione Sullivan aud COrbett fought
brutany with gloves at Ne" CIle,"H' ~
the uewspapers said ] do not heHrN' ],
tales il out OF the category OF ilieg
artions II prize tights are fought with
GLOVES. The duty Of the authorities Is per
C.ctlv rIaiu-thcy should put stop 10
any such uuCilstic exhibition.
"rf necessary they should arrest all
,,o,s,rs having any connection with IN"
npht There ought to be moral s'hu-
meut enough iu Brooklyn To MAKE
very hot FOR public oihclalS WHO l'i"''
10 discharge their duty.
"P.rsorally ] should be very G.aA 10
ioln i- a movement to create or awaken
hubble sentiment that would demand
rropcr action to bee taken 20 prevent any
such crime from being 'rpctratci
TO allow such a prize-hsht 10 take
Mace has certainly two bad eiiec'S. I'D
The first place it brutalzes all WHO take
mart in IL i'm any manner whatever. Anu
in the second place il IS an object lesson
To the criminal and lawless in our COM
munitv; that II there IS money lh'eI,9~
enough behind them they can violate 'he
law with impunity, ana the oHlce'9 VIM
ave sworn to enforce the law viii violate
their oa,hs II they allow the laws TO De
broken ,.,..
81 hope The officers of the law In Kings
county will not allow any such disgrace
10 at7ach 10 themselves and 10 the com
munity. 1t should not require any puhlc
meeting or public protest To hold lhtM
up 10 their plain duty In the premises
81 am very glad the New York Times
| has taken hold of this matter. 10
should have the support OF an Sood 'li-
| z.us in it's endcavors to protect AS from
| what if carried out, would Toe p"ohc
| disgrace. because a INbllN 'ii'i'''
| Br. Abbott concluded by saying that ne
| could not ind language sufficiently strong
10 express his condemnation of the brutal
| ling effects Of the proposed international
prize-nght at Couey Island.
The Rev Dr. Reese i. Alsop, pastor OF
| St AIMS Protestant Episcopal church'
! clinton and Livingston streets, was
| equally severe in his condemnation OF
| the dcmoralizing effects Of prize-lghunS'
| Il do not know he said. what the
provisions of the law are in regard 10
prizo-hghting, or in relation TO such con
! tests. Whether those taking part IN
! such contests can Doe brought within the
| technical reading of the law / do not
! know But that such contests are de-
moralizing and brutalizing ! am perfectly
! well convinced. And / think that If there
| is any law that can he brought 10 pear
| to prevent them il should be invoked.
| The fact Of such exhibitions taking
place and the report Of the large amounts
| Of money that accrue 10 such brulserS
have a debasing effect upon many OF our
| young men. II man can make hNlhs
and amass fortune by allowing hlmseit
| TO be bruised or battered for an hour or
| two. II may seem to many better thinS
to be pugilist than good workman.
| THE whole thing IS an announcement
TO the brutal clement In human nature,
ana civilization ought 10 exclude II, not 10
speak OF Christianity
| The Rev. Dr. G. c. Hall. pastor Of the
! First Presbyterian church. Henry and
Clark streets, also spoke in condemnation
Of the proposed priZe-hght. ~ said:
"My position in regard to the whole
| thing is very clear to my mind. and /
should be glad to be able to make 1t
equally clear to the mind Of the commun-
ity.
There seems to be a double ground for
protest against prise-tighting The general
| character OF the institution OF pugiism Is
such that it hardly admits Of justification
II do not wish to be intolerant in regard
to any form OF sport which helps 10 re-
neYe the monotony of life for the hard
working population, and IL Is my desire
| In criticising the practice of prize-fghtine
! to put myself as far as possible In the
place OF those who take an interest IN
those things.
But when ! look at IL in the most
fairminded and uuprejudiced way, the
conditions under which this sport Is now
carried on are so brutal and so demoraliz-
ing that II is impossible TO justify them.
The strongest sentiment Of the commun-
ity against prze-ighting is not unjust
or extreme. Too mach. think. cannot be
said TO discourage this particular form OF
athletic sport.
THE other ground for protest against
priZe-hehting is the absolute contempt
Of the law which is apparent in arranging
for this exhibition. This is but part OF
| a spirit of lawlessness which has mani
tested itself in a great many ways, and
more and more definitely OF late.
II therefore heartily join with DR.. Alb
bott and Or. Alsop IN the opinion that ef.
forts should be made TO invoke public SEN
timent for the purpose OF rebuking this
| contempt for the law. and putting a STOP
! to the proposed night
The Rev. Or. T. De Witt Talmage eX-
pressed his condemnation of prize-hght-
| ing In vigorous language.
II have no idea the proposed prize-fght
at Coney Island Will take place he said
I'VE have I'm authority here men who will
not allow our city TO be btought under the
| criticism OF the whole world.
when such brutal exhibitions take
place. It Is impossible for men 10 witness
them without being demoralized. whether
they take any part In them or not II is
time that such brutalities should pass out
side OF civilization. Such an exhibition
should not be allowed to take place here.
They can have their bull-nghts In ethes