Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-09-11
BOXERS TO BE INVESTIGATED
.rpcp HARRIS so INSTRUCTED
rur GRAND jury YESTERDAY


\ The September term Of the Seven
h feenth district court was opened this
morning at Q o'clock, Judge W. y.
u Harris presiding. The non-)ury
+ hoclset WIS called and set for TINS
4 week. The trial OF criminal cases VIII
K begin next Monday.
y 1'he grand jury is composed as iol-
r lows: j. +. Slater, Marion Lloyd W.
Z NJ. Triplett, ]. b. cadenhead, H. W.
I. s.:.sher, w. p. Smith. j. b. Baker. A.
4 NJ. ouayie. w. II. Evatt. George jack
son X. C. Mexico and Frank Young.
= IN his charge to the jury Judge far-
ria dweit upon several matters which
no deemed It important that the grand
fury should investigate. As 70 uh-
orderly houses he said that there are
+ n cissa OF houses In Fort Worth that
might DO termed 'sem-respectable as
orderly houses" which he considered
even more harmful than houses OF
mora public nature. One reason why
the proprietors Of these houses are
not prosecuted Is tho upwillingness oil
nltiz@ns who live near them ana suiter
from them TO come into court, as their
wives and chldBen would have 10 APP
pear as witnesses in such cases. the
grand Jury should especially direct It's
intention to places Of this character
Judge Harris also called the attention
OF the grand jury to violations OF the
law IN districts that had voted for
local option and to tina selling Of drugs
by parties who are not qualified 10 act
na haiesnlon.
As 10 prize lighting, Judge Harris
utslted that there Ia astatute In Texas
usainst 1t; he did not know to what eN-
tent the law had been violated In Fort
Worth, but recently he had seen fire.
uuont reports of prize lights In the
newspapers Of the city, notices OF
fiRhts. and reports OF them after they
had taken place. He read several eS-
tracts from newspaper reports OF prize
Nights that ha dreccnily taken place
here he supposed those who conducted
these fights either thought the grand
Jury Of Tavant county were never TO
rneot again, or else they boldly deter
Fnined 10 have the fights and take
their chances. These prize lights, Judge
Harris said, are bold and fragrant
Violations Of the law, and II was the
duty of the grand jury to lndict all
who were engaged In them.
Tho boxers who VIII doubtless be ar
ralgned on charge OF breaking the law
prohibiting prize fighting have ant.el-
pnted such u step on the part OF the
Nudge from the beginning, they say.
They also expect TO be indicted, and
have pooled lntere8ta to defend theme
felves and show that the law In quea-
tion was not Intended TO prohibit box
ms bouts such as Judge Harris called
Intention TO.
The law has been fought both In this
state and IN Louisiana each time sue
rcHatully, and they mnlntnin that the
precedents set and the facts In the
rase Will eNonerRte thom either from
Intentional or actual breach Of law.
Tho trial OF similar cases In Louigl-
ana became of national interest az the
'nnc, Attorney General Cunningham,
one Of the most distinguished criminal
lawycri of the state. aided by equally
pr mincnt counsel, prosecuted the
rtatGa cause, The defense Instituted a
sharp but indefensihla discrimination
between the prize fight proper pnd the
hoAing or glove contest, Despite the
eifurtn OF the atqte's able counsel the
state was defeated and the decision
stirred up q storm among the oStrem-
lists. opposed to letting brutes who
knew no better mani each other"
These claimed that the splrle OF the law
had been defeated by it, letter
This position was Il subject o. rldl-
rule and lest among all who knew any
thing Of the manly art 10 whom the
distinction made by the defense was so
plain.
In this state Ia Galveston. hardly
three months ago. the same ruling pre-
vailed IN the court OF lrat trial and
ono OF the contestants In recent box
ing match here. 'fISldn Lewis was In
nlctcd. tried and acquitted on the same
matter that Judge Harris brings before
The grand jury here for confederation.
who had been taking active part In the
boxing contests here had anticipated
that they would be misconstrued us
open violators of law and expected to
have "A hearing on the matter ard be
acquitted or convicted on the merits OF
the case. They make Il read "acquit-
ted" however aud are convinced that
they are violating no law.
Judge Harris charge 10 the jury has
not had the effect, expected by many,
OF scattering the lovers OF the manly
art to the four points Of the compass.
Yesterday match was concluded he.
tween 'kid" Lewis. the clever ilttlo
featherweight, and jack Wilnnms. az Il
ioulslana, who boxed together three
years aEo In Houston Tor forty-three
rounds 10 draw Wllliams " feath-
erwtight and the contest Is to tnke
place here on September 20. '''
III Judge Harris don't s1uelch us
said KID Lewis yesterday "ws Mink
we can show the difference between y
boxing contest ana ouch prize fights an
the Sullivan-lNllrain night and the ike"
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