The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-06-11
FIGHTERS SET FREE
POLICE MAGISTRATE CORNELL Is
ONE OF THE JOLLY SORT.

Maher and sharkey Brought Into CouI
Charged With Violating the Horto
Law Inspector McLaughIin's Yer
iChastened Idea of What the Manly Ar
Should be - Court Says it Was Wei
Enough to Arrest Them. But That ii
Guesses They Have Done Nothing Wronl
and Discharges Them.
New York, June 1O--Ieter Maher and
Thomas Sharkey, the heavyweight DID
gilists, who were arrested last nigh
during their fight at the Palace Athletic
club,were discharged by Magistrate Cor
nell OF the Harlem police court today
The magistrate admitted that the con-
duct Of the men in the seventh round
had been disorderely and said that he
was glad that they had been locked up,
but that nevertheless, as far as he could
see, there had been no violation of the
Horton law.
The first 10 arrive in court was the
Maher party. The crowd on the street
greeted Maher with a cheer. Soon af-
ter Sharkey and. his friends made an ap-
pearance. They received a reception
similar to that Of 1Iaher. The two pug
ilists did not seem 10 pay much atten-
ton TO each other. There was not, how
ever, the slightest evidence CT ilI-feeling.
The case being called, Magistrate Cor
neil invited Inspector Mclaughlin to tell
him all about the case
The inspector said that he believed the
law was violated by the men last night.
There was smuggling and knocking down
and he believed that il was his duty TO
stop them
Magistrate Cornell interjected that
good many things happened at a per-
Torrance of that kind that would not
look well at a 3 o'clock tea.
The inspector insisted that there was
elugging, brutal pounding and knocking
down IL that did not constitute a prize
fight, he did not know what did.
Magistrate Cornell stated that ne had
read the account OF the fight, and while
ne believed that the inspector was per-
?ectly right in arresting and separating
the men, ne did not think they strictly
could be held for taking part in a prize
fight
Counsel for Sfrarkey claimed that there
was no violation so far as the sparring
Contest went and that there would have
been none 10 the end
Counsel for Maher remarked that AS
semblyman Horton was at the contest
himself last night and he said the per-
formance was perfectly legal up to the
seventh round
The inspection stated that ne went 10 |
the dressing room before they entered |
the room and read the law to them and |
fold them that there must be no slug |
ging.
Here Magistrate Cornell interposed:
Il think you did right, inasmuch as
the men weredisorderly But you must |
understand that they received much en- |
couragement. The public had apparent |
,y expressed much interest in what they |
were about 10 do. They were very much |
interested themselves. They are big. |
powerful men and presumably high |
tempered. II is not 10 be wondered al |
II they lost their heads. On that ground /
an arrest was warranted if they acted |
disorderly. l 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 fighting against them. 1 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
There was quick clearing out Of the
court room and a crowd Of admirers es-
corted the pugilists 10 the Third ave-
hue cable cars.
1t was noticed that as far as the ap-
pearance of the men went there had
been no smuggling. One of Makers eyes
was osmewhat bloodshot. but his friends
said that was constitutional affection
There was a little scratch behind Shar-
keys left ear but that, his seconds said,
was there a week ago
Mayor Strong's hand was probably
seen in the action Of the police stopping
the MaherSharkey fight in the Palace
Athletic clug last night. II am opposed
to the Horton law" he said this morn
ing, land 1 gave Chief Conklin orders 20
see that there was no prize fighting per-
mitted. / know that it is hard az times
70 distinguish between scientific sparr-
ing and prize fighting. but / believe thar
shep ohce exercised good judgment"
COMMENCEMENT AT SALTWATER