New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-06
{ TIGUT To 4 FINISH.

Young man. scarcely more than boy. was
carried home dead on Friday night after prize
fight i'm which he had been beaten. He prob
ably died from the injuries which his antago-
mist inflicted. though there is talk abon' sub
scuucnt assault. Ills family. respectable per
sons are terribly distressed. some Of the rulanS
connected with the affair are under arrest. and
the police are irving 10 find out just what was
done and who did IT, Surprise is expressed thu;
:, many Young fellows should have encouraged
such performance. ana there j. still more aston
ishmcn, over their success in arranging the fight
and carrying out their plan. contrary 10 The law
and in defiance Of the police.
We confess that these various facts in the
case do not seem 10 u> 70 warrant amaz,mcnl.
In theory The public authorities Of this State and
city are constantly on TIE watch Ia prevent he
lawc>S pr liminaricS and the specific act 81
prizc-f fighting There j. 10 doubt about III" eN-
iscncc AMI the rigor "f the statute. hul il !
not and never has been enforced. Clubs have
been organized and maintained for the express
purpose Of promotn. pu.ili>m for the pleasure
Of their members. and in these clubs numerous
successfully brutal and bloody combais have
been fought to a finish without the slightest in
reference from any quarter. 1t * represented
that technically the law permits such cncoun-
tiers under the protection Of such organizations.
We do NOT believe that power - stop them has
ever been lacking. though Il Dissemination 10 do
50 has always been apparent. But waving thi'
question and proceeding 10 another, what have
the authorities - say about the formal ncSoiia-
tons and signing Of article, FOR championship
prizchshts which are Il familiar part of the cur
rent news Of this city whenever such bras'ly
enterprise j. in prospect: The law Is ~ clearly
violated by everybody who engages in these
preparations rs it would hr 10y the men who
should enter the ring within the State Of New
York. But nothing is ever done or attempted 10
prevent such planning or 10 punish the ncsotl-
ators Superintendent Byrncs once gave a sort
Of warning. but il was universally accepted by
the opponents 81 puglism rs nothing more than
a warning To- bc lo>s noisy and conspicuous. and
il did not produce even ,hat effect. Prize fight
ers have repeatedly left this city openly and amid
the applause of n host ~ turbulent parti>an>
for the avowcd purpose of fighting Every one
Of them was Il laWbrcakcr by that act under the
explicit definitions of the statute. and ought 10
have been arrested instead Of sauted and pro
tcctcd.
Hy means Of al his obvious. practically
acknowledged. lUNIUbTtUtf 10 INC INV, tue Eilu-
raj belief has been officially encouraged that il
was perfectly safe not only 10 fight under club
roof, bu; 10 make plans for fighting anywhere.
II is not surprising that cotcrc of young men
should escape the vigilance Of the police" and
crafty their taste for a bloody encounter. There
was very little vigilance 10 escape. Very likely
they supposed that a slight prclcnce Of secrecy
would be quite enough 10 secure immunity II
is not improbable that some Of them M lca~t
imagined that they were within the letter of the
law And perhaps that would have been the
official understanding, if homicide had not
resulted. inasmuch rs the pugilistlc managers
nj Ccncy Island and Maspeth are held gullilc>s.
The law forbids such operations aS these. i il
not time 10 enforce ~ Or. If the officers Of The
law cannot make mp their minds that i; is en-
forccablc, would il not be decent and salu-
tary act 30 amend the law in such Il manner rs
..fp H.,