The Saint Paul globe., 1899-04-27

With the Club Takes Second
to the Money.
Sporting circles were considerably torn
UP yesterday over the outcome of the
McLeod-Burns wrestling match at the
Auditorium Tuesday night. The action
of the contestants, in quitting the mat,
each with fall to his credit, and them
selves deciding to call the match drew,
was a complete surprise to the specta-
tors and also to the managers of the
athletic club, so much so to President
Egan. Of the club, that he still refuses to
turn over any share of the gate receipts
to the wrestlers. The action of Mcleod
and Burns, claimed by them to have been
perfectly legitimate under the Police Ga
zette rules governing the match, will be
thoroughly investigated and unless the
rules, which nobody yet has been able
to see. bear out their claim, the purse
will be seriously jeopardized.
Neither President Egan nor Secretary
Grathwoll, of the club could be found last
evening. but it was stated at the club
rooms that, though the wrestlers had
yesterday demanded that the purse be
equally divided between them. Pres
ident Egan had declined to do 80, on
the ground that his course In the matter
depended upon the result of the investI-
cation in progress.
A conflict between the articles of agree
ment and the governing rules complexities
the matter of the purse still more. Ac-
cording to the statement Of the club Of
ficials the articles of agreement specify
that the match was to have been decided
by the best two out of three falls #
the claim of the wrestlers, however that
the Police Gazette rules allow them to
quit by mutual consent after midnight Is
correct. which. by the way, no one seems
to be able to determine a conflict arises
BY some 1t is claimed that rules take
precedence over the articles of agree
ment, or. in other words, that the rules
are absolute, no matter what may have
been In the articles, SO, as matter of
fact, there Is in reality no conflict after
all when recourse is had to the final gov
ern1ng power. The wrestlers claim that
II the articles were drawn up contrary to
the rules that it may have been unfor-
tunate, but does not in any way invali-
date any provision of the rules
What will be the ultimate outcome Of
the controversy is a mater of specula-
ton. Various arguments are advanced IN
support Of one contention or another
Burns and Mcleod, aside from justifying
their course by the rules, claim that the
articles called for a match on April Is,
and that they need not have wrestled
longer than IL o'clock. On the other
hand, regarding the claim that the rules
govern absolutely, the club management
assert that the articles of agreement are
In the nature Of a contract. In falling
to go for the best two out of three falls
1t Is intimated that there was breach of
contract on the part of the wrestlers,
point which may be settled by the courts
If the pending investigation by the club
officials should warrant and the wrest-
lers insist on getting the purse.
Capt. Whitmore, who refereed the
match, is strongly of the opinion that
while the spectators may. have been dis
appointed, the wrestlers acted squarely
and in accordance with the Police Gazette
rules in quitting. Said he in discussing
the affair last evening:
1.-The first proposition to quit came from
Burns. He turned and said to me and
half to Mcleod. Lets call it a draw 1
told him to go on wrestling. Several times
after this Burns made, in effect, the
same suggestion. Finally Mcleod said,
We'll. call 1t a draw. He won't mix up
and there is no use going on this way
The spectators did not hear the talk go
ing on between the men and thought Nc
Leod was quitting. whereas both men
stopped by mutual agreement
Beyond question, the men had q right.
under Police Gazette rules, to do as they
did. have wrestled and refereed matches
under these rules and know them
fully. They specify that by both
contestants agreeing they may stop
o'o f1o
contest shall be called a draw. The
rules also specify that the match
may be resumed the next day, If both
contestants agree to such course, but
in Tuesday nights match there was no
such agreement. I gave my decision in
accordance with the rules, called the
match draw and declared all bets off.
I had just such an experience some years
ago In refereeing a match in Detroit,