New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-30
GOTERNOR FLOUER'S DUTY.

GOTERNOR FLOUER'S DUTY.
Governor Flower seem, to be thoroughly in
earnest in his determination to break up the
prize fight on Coney Island next December
but no does not know how to 60 abont it,
We can tell him how to do it. 1t will not be
necessary TO wait three months and then to
call ont the militia and to have recourse to
other extreme measures. All that he needs to
do is to hold the officials of Gravcsend and
Kings County responsible for allowing the law
to be violated last Monday night If he will
do this there will be no further talk about
another prize fight next December.
If newspapers could be put in evidence there
would be no need Of formatics and delay
The account of the last prize fight on Concy
Island published by 1.-THE Brooklyn Eagle on
Tuesday last is conclusive as to the illcgality
of the exhibition. Judge Barrett laid down
the law in these wodS: If severe blows are
struck which are likely to cause injury to the
parties CT to inflamc their passions, or the pas
sions of the by>tandelS. or which are likely to
cause a disturbance or breach of the peace or
which are in any just sense brutal or revolt
ing. it will he the duty Of the police to act
promptly and with vigilance" The details
leave ~ room for doubt that Monday night :
performance was brutal and revolving, that II
nnamcd tho passions Of Il large concouTSe OF
qaians. and that il ended when bruScr Smith
was knocked >cnsoleSs by bruiscr DiXon. II
was not an exhibition of scientific Spal1ing. IL
was brutal and monstrcuS prize fight in viol1-
ton of law. and no effort was made by the
Superintendent of Police. John y. Mckanc, or
by Sheriff Courtney tO stop it,
Another bit Of newspaper evidence equally
conclusive. If admissible. would he the inter
view with Sheriff Courtney. published in 1.-The
Ncw-York sun" Of Monday. II was an nnccm-
promising defence Of prize fights conducted
under the conditions of the Dixon smith and
Corbctt Mitchell meetings. and declaration ot
their legality in the Judgment ct the sheriff.
Vie frankly announced his intention of attend
ing Monday nights fight. and Of taking his
boys with him - that they could learn the
ways % the world.
The Govcrn,r may not consider 1t dgnl-
fed proc durc - accept the plain evidence
of the csSc as contained in these two news
papeis I'm that case wc suggest the appoint
mcnt ii a commission for taking evidence re-
>pccting The meeting between Diycn and smith.
and the neglect of superintendent John Y.
McNanc aud sheriff Courtney 10 enforce the
law BY this method he will obtain the facts
in a form which will authorize mis- Intervention
in the case lie will then be- in a position 10
force. ,hc official, who neglected their sworn
duly on that occasion II take the consequences.
In thi, way be will break up the Corbctt-
Mitchell fight in advance. and will prevent the
Of hos q lOupV
Island.
We have read with great care what COY
crn,r Flower has had 10 say 10 correspondents
of the press and we are anxious 10 give him
fun credit FIR sincerity and public spirit in
matter. lie seems 10 understand perfectly the
distinction between prize fight and >paIrlng
exhibition and what constitutes violation of
the law ~. defined with lucidity BY Judge Bar
IT. What he fail, t, appreciate. we fear. Is
the extent to which tins issue has been carried
int the politics Of Kings County. Hugh Me
Laughln. sheriff CouIthcy, John y. Mckanc
and the Ring and Gang in general not only
Ike pie fights. but also apprchcnd political
r.pri>als if they interfere with them. They
VIII resist >trnuou>ly every effort OF the Gov
ornor Ia put an end t. these barbarous cXhibi-
tons. IT ne waits until Dcccmbcr, and con
tents himself with warning the officials that
they must stop the fight on else take the con-
sequences. nothing viii come of il. sheriff
Courtney will 20 ont of Office on the last day
of the year and will not be concerned about
the consequences.
Now is the time for thc Governor to take
the matter in hand There cannot be more
unmstlkablc and more .!agrant breach of law
in December than there was on Monday night.
Let the Governor act At once and he will have
nothing t. d. three months hence. Let him
fake hold of these officials who have neglected
10 enforce the law, and bring them face to
face with the consequences.