The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-06-16
Neither Was He Aware that a Knock
out Blow Had Been Delivered,
Though He Saw Fitzsimmons Fall.
CONTEST WAS PURE SCIENCE
AND THE HEAVY PUNCHES MERELY
JARRED THE PUGILIsTS.
Row with Lawyer Moss-Testimony of
Girl Who Says Women Are
Continually Blackmailed.

NEW YORK, June 15-The sittings of the
Mazet investigation committee to-day
proved interesting and, in at least one in
stance exciting. and after a squabble with
the minority members over the matter or
adjournment the sessions were adjourned
until Aug. /. Chief Of Police Devery was
called on by Mr.. Moss to explain why he
first threatened to stop the Fitzsimmons-
Jeffries prize fight and then went TO the ring
side and allowed it to go on to knockout
finish. Chief Devery admitted that he took
an interest in prize fights and upheld prize
fighting and the Horton law. He said the
recent fight complied with the law and was
in all respects a clean-cut contest. He
fenced a great deal regarding whether Fitz-
simmons was knocked out and ended up by
saying he thought the Cornishman had had
enough.
Mr. Moss then questioned Devery as TO
whether he had made any attempt to close
poolrooms, since he was last on the stand.
Devery said he had not. A wrangle ensued
between the two and unpleasant PERSONAL
itics were passing between the two when
Mr.. Mazet ordered Devery to leave the
room AS he made no move Mr.. Mazet
called the sergeana-at-arms. Devery then
stepped down from the stand and went from
the sitting.
Testimony was given TO the effect that
policemen were guilty Of Matchmaking dis
orderly women. This was testified TO by an
eighteen-year-old girl, who had attempted
to kill herself in Bowery music hall. She
said the policemen had regular schedule
of prices for protection to tie women OF the
lower East Side which the women had to
pay under pain of arrest.
When Chief Deyery took the witness
stand he said he had attended a number of
boxing performances, but had seen no vio-
lation of the law He did not know. he said,
that money was charged for admission to
the Jeffries-F -Fitzsimmons exhibition; he did
not see any money pass for tickets of ad-
mission (under the Horton law boxing exhi-
bitions may be given only before club MEM
bers, the contestants being also members.
and no fee may be charged) He explained
the difference between Marquis of Queens
berry and London prize-ring rules. He would
interfere in fight under the London prize
ring rules, but there was, he said. no bru-
tality in bouts according TO the Marquis of
Queensberry rules. He had wanted to pre-
vent the Jeffries-F -Fitzsimmons bout but de-
ferred to the wishes of the people, who took
the opposite view.
CLEAN AND SCIENTIFIC.
Ibid you see any heavy blows struck?''
Chief Devery was asked.
"They Jared little 1t was a clean. scien-
title contest. Neither of the men complained
that 4e was struck heavily
WAS there Knockout blow?
THAT can't say. The man went down.
can't say If he was knocked out"
You saw him knocked unconscious and
carried from the ring?'
II did not saw him put in chair re-
cover Immediately and shake hands with his
antagonist
Mr.. Moss quoted at length from newspa-
per clippings regarding the fight. but the
chief stuck to his position that. under the
law, the police had no right to interfere In
a glove contest like that of Jeffries and
FitZsimmons.
Asked how Jeffries comes to he the cham
pion If the contest was not a fight for the
championship Of the world. the chief said
Under the law. he is the Horton cham
pion.'
The chief denied that he let the Fitzsim-
inconsistencies contest go on because he was
warned III he stopped that fight he would
have TO stop all others and might thereby
hurt the business of his friend. Senator Sui
livan.
WAS Fitzsimmons knocked down by
Jeffries?'
He fell. A little tap might have dropped
him while he was side-stepping.
1T looked If he fell as the result of
bow?"
He might have. My personal opinion wa!
that he did Ny official opinion was tha
the law was not violated
Mr. Moss. still reading referred TO ''twc
blows in the face that were like the kick o.
a mule.
Ibid you see those two blows?"
''I saw those two scientific taps" Chic
Devery averred. He saw nothing in the Law
to prevent such fights in the future, he said
Chief Devery and Counsel Moss then go
into fierce wrangle regarding friend o.
the chief and his connection with pool
rooms. and the chairman ordered the chic
of police from the committee rcom threaten
| ing at the same time TO have him elected b,
| the sergsant-at-arms. Chief Devery left.
The remainder of the testimony durinf
the day was devoted TO probing into th'
dives on the East Side and poolrooms Th'
committee then adjourned TO Aug. /.
Committeeman II. Hoffman, on behalf o.
the minority. submitted statement IL
| which he declared that the committee had 81
| far accomplished nothing; that many wit
| nesses essential TO the inquiry. includin;
| Senator Thomas c. Platt. his sons and Elih,
| Root and BENZ. b. O'Dell. had not beer
| called. and he asked. in behalf of the mi
| nority. that the inquiry be adjourned with
| out date