The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-06-11

New York, June 1O.-Peter Maher and
Thomas Sharkey. the heavyweight pu-
gilists who were arrested last night af-
ter their fight at the Palace Athletic
club. were discharged by Magistrate
Cornell in the Harlem police court to-
day. The magistrate admitted that the
conduct of the men in the seventh
round might have been disorderly and
said he was glad they had been locked
up but that, nevertheless, as Iar as ne
could see there had been no violation
of the law.
The first TO arrive in court was the
Maher party. The crowd on the streets
greeted Maher with a cheer. Soon after
Sharkey and his friends made their ap-
pearance. They received a reception
similar to that Of Maher. The two pu-
gilists did not seem TO pay much atten-
however, the slightest evidence of i'll
feeling.
The case being called, Magistrate
Cornell invited Inspector Mclaughlin
10 tell him all about the case.
The inspector said he believed the
law was violated by the men last night.
There was smuggling and knocking
down, and he believed it was his duty
to stop them.
Magistrate Cornell interjected that a
good many things happened at per-
formance of that kind that would not
look well at a o'clock tea.
The inspector insisted that there was
smuggling, brutal pounding and knock
ing down. If that did not constitute a
prize fight, he did not know what did.
Magistrate Cornell stated that he had
read the account of the fight. and while
he believed the inspector was perfectly
right in separating and arresting the
men he did not think they could strict
" be held for taking part in prize
fight.
Counsel for Sharkey claimed there
was no violation as far as the sparring
contest went and there would have
been none 70 the end.
Counsel for Maher remarked that AS
semblyman Horton was at the contest
himself last night. and he said the
performance was perfectly legal up TO
stated that he went to the dressing
room of the men before they entered
the ring, read the law TO them and told
them there must be no smuggling.
Here Magistrate Cornell interpOsed:
II think you did right, inasmuch as the
men were disOrderly. But you must
understand that they received much
encouragement The public had ap-
parently expressed great interest in
what they were about TO do. They
were very much interested themselves.
They are big powerful men and pre-
sumably high-tempered. 1t is not to be
wondered at if they lost their heads.
On that ground an arrest was war
ranted. if they acted disOrderly- I am
glad they were locked up and would
have been glad had they been forced
TO stay all night in the Jail. But / Will
not entertain a complaint OF prize fight
ing against them. l think they are
within the Law.
Turning TO Maher and Sharkey, who
stood side by side before him, Magis-
trate Cornell said: -Maher and Shar-
key. you are discharged
Then there was quick clearing out
of the court room and a crowd of adj
mirers escorted the pugilists to the
Third avenue cable cars
1t was noticed that as far as appear
ance of the men went. there had been
no smuggling. One of Makers eyes was
somewhat blOOdshOt but his friends
said that was a constitutional affection.
There was a little scratch behind Shar-
keys left ear, but that his seconds
said was there a week ago
Mayor Srong's hand. was probably
seen in the action of the police stopping
the fight in the Palace Athletic club
last night.
4 am opposed to the Horton law" he
said, this morning, and l gave orders
to Chief COnlin to see that there was
no prize fighting permitted 1 know
that it is hard at times to distinguish
from scientific sparring and prize fight
ing, but 1 believe that the police ex-
ercised good judgment"