The San Francisco call., 1897-08-24
MR.. OLIVER HAS
LEGAL ADVICE
He Refuses to Give Up the
Proceeds of a Prize
Fight.
Steps Taken by the st. George
Club to Have Him Put
Under Arrest.
Indignant Members Say Harsh Things
About Him in Meeting and
Offer Some Advice.

The st. George Club held a meeting last
night with reference TO the action OF their
late secretary, Edward Oliver, in retain
ing possession OF the books and in refus.
ing to turn over TO the club any of the re-
ceipts of a boxing entertainment given
for the benefit of he club. The entertain
ment, in the words Of one of the members,
did not prove TO pc ''bloomin'' success.
for the receipts-about $1100-could by
no means balance reported expenses OF
about $1,000. Neither the gentleman who
was knocked out nor the gentleman who
slugged him on the neck received any OF
the stakes, consolation or otherwise, VII lch
in matters of that kind are tho reward of
virtue. Both were present at the meet
ing last night and Mr.. Oliver was absent
Tor reasons of delicacy.
James Haggin called the meeting to
order and called for the report OF the COM
mittee of three which had been appoin ted
to call upon The lawyer who represented
S cretary Oliver. James Spantor made
the report. 1t was oral and rather unsat-
isiactory, but that was not Mr.. Spantor's s
fault. He told how the committee had
called upon Mr.. Hutton and how that
gentleman had cheerfuIly admitted that
he had advised Mr.. Oliver to hold the
money, because it had been paid by the
people to see prizetght, and prizefigEt IS
being prohl bited by the statute were not a
valid subject of contract, and therefore
Oliver had as much right to the money as
anybody else and no court could or would
make him give Il up.
This report made some of the mem bers
angry. They did not appear to have
much respect for the fine distinction be-
tween the oyster and the shell drawn by
the law.
Mr. Poyser, a member of the com mi ittee,
reported that Mr.. Hutton said: Well,
gentlemen, we can settle this thing in
about two seconds. l have instructed Mr..
Oliver as his attorney to keep that money,
for it belongs to him as much as to any
one else. He will give you the books at any
time you will appoint committee to ex-
pert them" Hutton's reason for giving
this ad vice. as explained by Mr.. Poyser,
was that a prize-hght was against the law,
and that no court could compel him
to give up the receipts. Mr.. Poyser added
that it was apparent that Mr.. Oliver was
trying to hold the money on techni-
cality, and he advised that a warrant
should be sworn out for his arrest. "If you
don't do something decisive you might as
we'll close the doors of the club" added
Mr.. Poyser.
the Supervisors had given permit for the
fight and therefore it could not be IL
legal. This was followed by the statement
ny disguised club man that it was not a
fight; it was sprlntiDg match.
A motion was made that the club in
dorse whatever action the executive COM
mitttee might see fit to take in the mat
ter, but this was not approved, some of
the members clamoring for inform alton
as TO what the committee had dons in It's
executive session a half ho"r before. They
insisted that the committee should pro-
cure the arrest of Mr.. Oliver. The presi-
dent announced that the executive COM
mlttee had taken legal advice and taken
steps to have Oliver arrested before he
went to bed that night. This pleased the
meeting and the action of the com mmittee
was indorsed unanimously.
The statement was made that the cash
book left by Oliver showed that Oliver
owed the club about $3.50 by his own ac-
count after he had paid number of bills.
The meeting adjourned until next We'd
nesday evening, when the executive com. .
mittee will make further report.