New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-29
an OPENING AT nASPETU.

A sociaI and art site institution known rs the
Emplre Athletic Club was recently organized In
tbIs vicinity. and on Monday night II opened a
now clubhouse in Naspeth. Long Island. The
oncning was accom- piiscd under the most favor
oh,e ouspiccs Abont three thousand persons
uore I'm attendance and Il cheerful informally
~ costume and doineanO characterized the com
many The regular proceedings began with an
cng,cemcnt between Messrs. Skcly. Of Brook
lvn and Erne. Of Buffalo. who weighed in at
toG mounds each. and were received with much
enthusiasm. The usual assortment Of blows
labs and smashcs followed. and at the end Of the
seventh round the crstwhile sanguine Skelly had
had enough he being at that point PROSTATE ana
helpless The ingenious and enduring Erne was
thercupon proclaimed the victor. and the first
bols Of the programme was generally considered
to + . been very bloody and delightful sue
ccss The closing event was of similar char
actcr, the principals being Mcssrs. lAvigne OF
Saginaw. Mch and Handler Of Newark. \. j.
The latter Is a prot6g6 Of Robert Fitzsiinmons
csa.. and partly on that account his advent ex
cited he most plcasurablc anticipations. But he
nrovcd TO be unworthy Of that great mans
patronage and in the fifth round. under the I'M
pact Of Mr. Iavignes terrible right he dropped
like log and lay where he fell. Two knockoufs
I'm one ring on the same evening are Justly con-
coded 10 hive opened the new clubhouse In
hirhly satisfactory manner and to constitute
happy omen OF continued prosperity.
inexperienced persons might suppose that some
slight cmbarrassmcnts would be apprchended by
thc managers of the Empire Athletic Club on ac-
count Of the statute against prizcfghng In the
State Of \cw-York. But so far rs we are able
to Judge they have no need to worry. Perhaps
they are wise TO keep up the fiction Of boxing
matches. with limited number Of rounds, but
any extra precautions would be superfuous. The
dead game sports" whose favor they aim to
cultivate and deserve know that it is good. old
fashioned fighting which they are going 10
see. Talk about sparring for points does
not deceive them. They pay for mutilation
and gore and confidently rely on getting their
moneys worth We should not be surprised II
the new club made an even bigger record
than the kindred institution at Coney Island,
where prize-fghting has long been VIGOROUSLY
savage and profitable. We seem to remember
that the public authorities Of Brooklyn conceived
the idea of attempting to enforce the law at that
resort several months ago. but that some SUI
preme Court Judge thought it was hardly worth
while To make fuss, and we guess that the po-
lice will keep their hands off the temple OF
plgisic art at Maspeth.
There are only two or three States in the
Union. we believe, whose statutes now permit
prize-ighting. One of them apparently is the
State of New-York At least the guardians OF
the law interpret 1t as meaning that man may
be legally hammered into insensibility within
the walls Of clubhouse, TO the entire satisfac-
ton of the spectators, If only false prctence Is
made In the preliminary announcements and on
the programme. The hackers Of Corbett and
Fitzsmmons are wondering whether they VIII
be allowed to bring their men together in Texas
or at some other remote point where Sherlifs
are supposed TO be few and friendly. We can
not see why they should plan to go so far and
take so much trouble. What is the matter with
the clubhouse ut Maspcth? But even supposng
that the law has enough meaning in it to scare
off rivals for the worlds championship, II Is time
that NEWCOMERS stopped pointing the finger OF
scorn ut communities which have no law against
prize-fghting. A statute which says much and
does little is nothing to boast Of