The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-02-07

The following letter received at the
governors office is selr-eXplanatory.
The TT Wayne athletic club is a recent
ly organized and Incorporated institu-
ton, but in the short time of its exist
ance it has become we'll known and
prominent as a local club for social pur-
poses and athletic training. 1t has
handsome club house and grounds and
it's membership does, as the letter states,
embrace some Of the leading citizens of
TT. Wayne The letter, however, would
never lead one 10 guess that fact. 1t is
as follows;
"FT. WAYNE, Jan. 81 "a.
THE Hon. Claude Matthews, Governor Of
Indiana:
Dear Sir-The TT Wayne athletic club
is regularly organized and Incorporated
institution and its membership conf
prises some of the wealthiest Ond most
influential citizens of Ft. Wayne. We
are DESTROYS Of getting the COrbett-Jacl1-
son scientific glove contest TO take place
under our auspices, provided we can do
so without violating the law. The re-
cent Corbett-Mitchen affair proved con-
clusively that there is not one-tenth as
much brutality in a well-cOnducted glove
contest as there is in a single game Of
football Both contestants at the recent
affair at Jacksonville appeared in the
streets within an hour Of its terminal
ton and neither of them gave outward
signs of having engaged in such a con-
test.
LAS stated in the commencement Of this
letter, we are DESTROYS Of and to that
end wish to test the legality of such a
meeting in the courts. To that end we
wish to arrange a contest under precise
ly similar conditions and invoke execu-
tive Interference. We viii then carry
the matter TO Ahe upper courts and upon
the decision OF the courts we Will rest.
If the courts decide such contests illegal
we will drop the matter entirely and
abide by the decision. If the courts de-
eide the contests within the pale Of the
law we would then proceed with our ar
rangements. The object of this commu-
nicaticn is TO ascertain whether such a
friendly test of the law would be agree
able to you. Hoping to hear from you
at your early convenience, we remain,
respectfully yours,
FIT. WAYNE ATHLETIC CLUB.
LOUIS HEILBRONER, Secretary
The letter was a surprise to Governor
Matthews and he was somewhat puzzled
to know what reply to make. He con-
sidered the matter carefully and yester-
day wrote the following:
INDIANAPOLIS, Feb 3, 1894
''Mr Louis Heilbroner, Secretary
Athletic Club. TT Wayne, Ind:
Dear Sir-Your OF yesterday is just
to hand. You state that the FIT Wayne
athletic club is DESTROYS of getting the
Capitalization scientific glove contest
to take place under our auspices and
10 test the legality of such a meeting in
the courts you propose TO arrange a
contest under precisely similar condi-
tons and invoke executive Interference
In reply 1 most courteously and posi-
lively decline TO enter into such
friendly test Of the law / regard the
question as already having been settled
by the courts. and have that faith in
the sheriff, prosecuting attorney and
other conservatOrs of the peace in Allen
county to believe that they will vigor-
ously inforce the law. Without enter
ing upon a discussion of the merits or
dement's of such contests. / beg to assure
YOU that the CoTbett-JacksOn prize
fight will not take place in Indiana. Very
respectfully CLAUDE MATTHEW'S