The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-05-19

that there was a training school for gia-
diators at Capua They were taught cor
rect postures to assume In falling and in
dying, and q suggestion Of peculiar hor-
ror IS found i'm the fact that they were
given such food as would thicken their
blood, so that II would flow less freely,
and so afford the people a more leisurely
survey of their butchery. They fought
not only singly, but in troops and com
panies. almost In regiments, and the size
of the arena permitted the populace to
view contests that, in the numbers OF
those engaged, Approached the dignity OF
pitched battles 30 strong grew the de-
sire for this species of sport that land
battles were not enough. The arena was
flooded with water, ships were brought
in and naval battle took place in the
view of 100000 people. For over 700 years
these brutal exhibitions continued. until
finally brought to an end, In the eastern
half Of the empire, by edict Of Constan-
tine, A. d. 1876; in the west by Theodore,
A. d. 800. At this time there was fighting
enough to be seen without going to the
Coliseum to be amused at it, the people
in the horrors of barbarian invasions soon
forgot the gladiatorial games, and the
prize fighting world was done in earnest
with the Roman world for the prize.
After Europe settleJ. own again into com
parative quiet. prize fighting took another
form. Chivalry had come into existence
with it's pomp and parade and ceremonious
show of a courtesy that was more show
than substance, and the prize fight imme-
diately took the form of a contest of skill
a jeweled scarf, or some such token, for
reward. The jousts and tournaments OF
the middle ages We're only prize. nights,
stripped. Il is true, of much of the Dru-
tality that characterized the gladiatorial
games, but still prize nights. During the
Roman days, for gentleman 10 engage IN
such a contest was reckoned disgraceful,
though on more than one occasion, the
Emperor COmmoduS disgraced himself in
this way; but when knighthood came into
vogue the most popular man was the best
Aah a nd far from being dis
graced promotion was IN view Tor MIN
who wps oftenest successful. The tour
naments were not the harmless tnlngs that
they are sometimes describeds men were
often manned, sometimes killed, and even
ROYALTY was not exempt from the peril Of
these encounters, for in the fourteenth
century one French king was killed and
two more were badly hurt by their antago-
nists in the jousts. OF course, death and
injury were the result Of accident. but so
also were the deaths OF recent years In the
,riza ring and the general result, so far IS
TIE parties most interested were concern
"a was the same as If they were inten-
tionaliy killed or manned.
The tousts and tournaments were civil
lied sports when eomparsa with inc ZERO
cious trial by battle This was form
n the administration Of justice as Justice
was understood in those days OF cruel
punishments and bloody wars. W heh
man was accused of anything, from petty
larceny 10 murder he had right, accord
ing TO the crude Jurisprudence OF the time,
to face his accuser and demand trial by
hattie Even in civil cases as when
Niece pIssas of ground or other property was
in dispute the parties concerned could ap-
~ II the wager Of battle" to decide
the question, the theory being that h the Al
70 fhe right In matters OF comparatively
small importance the pi egI61tes star sor were
~ ~ natter each other to pieces, to the
enthusiastic delight Of f the rssele. but IN
So to1rnament Both the contestants
Confessed and had a5solution, because.
daetb certainly resulted, as the officers of
Justice stepped in at the close &, and If the
nut 10 death as being certainly guilty Of
The crime Each Of the contestants was.
therefore desperate. and fought with
degree of ferocity that might be expected
Uben man knew that If beaten, he would
he hanged like dog. Even women and
nriests were at one time, obliged either
r. fight or TO find champion. When
S,yonnan challenged q man she was given
an advantage, proportioned TO her inferior
strength.