The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-10-03
NO FIGHT IN TEXAS.
COrbett-F itzsimmOns FightCan-
not Come Off There.
Legislature Passed the Emer-
gency Law in Hurry.
ONLY SIX OPPOSED.
The Work Was Done in Exactly
Three Hours.
Law is Stringent and a Victory
for CulbersOn.
ONLY SIX OPPOSED.

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 3.-There will
be no prize fight at Dallas October 81
between Corbett and Fitzsimmons.
This fact was settled yesterday after
noon by the Texas legislature in ex-
actly three hours by the watch. The
two committees, one in the senate and
the other in the house, gave an audi
ence to the Dallas attorneys all the
morning to ascertain their objections
and protests to the passage of the law.
After hearing the gentlemen until
noon, the two committees adjourned.
When the two houses met at o'clock,
both committees were ready to report
and the senate bill was very
promptly considered From the time
the bill was placed before the SEN
ators to the time it passed was ex-
actly ffty-five minutes. During this
time Senator Dean opposed the bill
and Senator Lasker spoke in its favor.
There were only two gentlemen who
spoke on the bill, the balance satisfy
Jug themselves by voting. The vote
on the final passage of the bill was 81
ayes and 1 no, Dean being the mega
tive voter. The bill was Immediately
sent over to the house and a clock
that body began discussing it, substi-
tuting the senate bill for the house
bill. After several gentlemen had
spoken on the bill and the emergency
feature, pro and con, final vote was
reached at o'clock precisely and the
bill passed the house by a vote of ITO
ayes to five nays. Thus, within three
hours, did the Texas legislature for
ever put an end to prize fighting in
Texas.
Governor Culberson's friends con-
slider it e great victory for him, and
lost no opportunity to congratulate
his excellency On the outcome of one
of the hottest and. it might be safely
termed, one of the bitterest, as well
as the shortest. political fights ever
brought up in the Lone Star state on
any one single man.
The bill that will prohi bit prizefght
ing in Texas in future, as passed, reads
as s 5S;tG%Si / Be | enacted by the leg
islature of the state of Texas, that
any person who shall voluntarily en-
gage in pugilistic encounter between
man and man, or fight between a
man and bull, lOr any other animal,
for money or other thing of value, or
for any championship. or upon the re-
su OF which any money or anything
of value is bet or wagered or to see
which any admission fee is charged,
ther directly or indir ectly, shall be
dee ned guilty of a felony and, upon
cosvietiOn, shall be punished by i'm
prisonment in the penitentiary not
les, than two nor more than five years.
Section ?. BY the term ''pugilistic
encouter,' as used in this act. Is meant
any voluntary fight or personal en-
counter by blows by means OF the fist,
or otherwise, whether with or without
gloves, between two men for money.
or for prize of any character, or for
any championship, or for any other
thing of value, or upon the result Of
which any money or anything of value
is bet or wagered.
Section 3. That all the laws and
parts of laws in conflict herewith be
and the same are hereby repealed.
Section T. The fact that there is now
no adequate penalty against prize
fighting or pugilism, or against fights
between man and beast, creates an
imperative public necessity and emer-
gency requiring the suspension of the
constitutional rule requiring bills to
be read on three several days. and
that This law should take effect and be
in force from and after its passage,
and it Is hereby SO enacted.