Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-06-10
The Prize Fight and Iammany kuIe.


der was very conclusively demonstra-
ted in connection with the big JeitrIes-
Fitzsimmons prize fight which occur
red at Coney Island, last night
1t was very evident, early In the
week. that the better sentiment of
New York was being aroused over the
contest and there was a fear that If
the local authorities should appear to
be lacking in an appreciation OF the
requirements of the situation Governor
Roosevelt, backed by the best people
of his state, would find a way to in
woke the state authority for that pur-
pose. Besides there was the Mazet in
vestigation in progress and some pre-
tense at least of desire to enforce the
laws and preserve the peace seemed
absolutely requisite upon the part of
the New York officials
To meet the situation chief of Police
William $. Devcry. last Tuesday night,
issued and caused to be sent out by
The Associated Press, a manifesto in
which he announced a very commend
able purpose to prevent the ''sparring
match from degeneratlng into "a bru-
tai prize fight" In this statement he
said:
Considering the parties to the con
test, their respective weights, 210 and
l65 pounds, and other attending cir
cumstances ana conditions, it is al
most physical impossbllity for the
two individuals referred 10 to carry on
a lawful contest for points in the
coming occasion. The very nature of
things tend to an out and out prize
fight | shall be present at the con
test and as chief Of police, | shall per
sonally see to it that the letter and
spirit of the law relative to such con-
test are obeyed and that there will be
no slugging or heavy hitting; nothing
but clean cut. lawful sparring exhi-
btion for points. Any person who per
mits himself to be gulled or imposed
upon by thinking otherwise will find
himself very much mistakened. 1t will
be We'll for the public q understand
that the first heavy blow struck Will
mark the end of the contest"
This had, apparently, the ring %
sincerity. The report of the big fight,
however. shows that il was simply
Devery's lame attempt to square him
self with the decent public. There was
no legitimate ''sparrine match" The
contest from first to last was a slug
ging match, as brutal prize fight as
has occurred IN this county for some
years II Chief Devery was there he
evidently was in a trance in his enjoy
ment Of the occasion and forgot all
about his manifesto of Tuesday night.
marking "the end of the contest" it
actually marked the beginning Of 1.
All the blows were heavy. When a
man weighing 210 pounds strikes an
other over the heart with all his
strength, and when he finally pounds
him into A semi unconscious condition
ii would naturally look as If few
heavy blows" were being struck; and
Chief Devery was present and witness
ed the whole brutal perform
ance The fight was really held
under the Tammany auspices
AMI protection and Devery, un-
der secret orders from his bosses. was
simply putting W the. best possible
front with the public. The whole af-
fair was disgrace to the state and
city Of New York. but if it shall serve
to arouse public sentiment to the de-
gree where the better elements OF so
ciety shall appreciate the supreme i'm
portancc Of uniting against the in
iquitics of Tammany rule it will not
have been wholly in vain.