Arizona republican., 1900-12-08
FIGHTING THE BULL
Likely That the Combat Will
 Not Come Off.
The Unearthing of a United States Statute Which Browns Upon Con tests Between Brutal Men and Brutes.

The proposed bull fight ran against a mora material obstacle yesterday than the adverse sentiment of the peo- pie, which found expression in indig- nation meetings the day and night be- fore. It is Section 1, Chapter 12 U. s. k. S., which is as follows:
 Be it enacted by the senate and mouse of representatives of the United States of America in congress assem- bled that any person who in any of the territories or the District of Co., lumbta, shall voluntarily engage in a pugilistic encounter between man and man or a fight between a man and a bull or any other animal for money or for other thing of value or for any championship or upon the result of Which any money or anything of value is bet or wagered or to see which any admission fee is charged either directly or indirectly, shall be deemed guilty of a felony and upon conviction shall be punished by impris- onment in the penitentiary not less than one and not more than five years.'
 l This law was hurriedly passed on February '. 1896, at the time the Cor bett-Fitzsimmons prize fight, which was never fought, was impend- ing in Texas. The governor of Texas had announced that he would prevent the fight on which the managers had already spent large fortune. It was proposed at length to pull it off somewhere out side of Texas. Points in Oklahoma, Mexico, New Mexico and even Ari- zo1a were all considered. Arizona had an anti-prize fight statute, but the | other Territories had none. On the day before the date of the | fight all other business in congress was side-tracked and the measure was rushed through and signed by President Cleveland.
 The bull fighting clause was put in to meet a growing tendency in towns along the border to introduce the Mex fcan national sport.
 The promoters of the proposed fight said yesterday that it would come off i anyhow and in such way as not to violate the law. The people who have been opposing it resolved to take no chances and a committee was appoint ed to wait on Acting Governor Akers | and inquire what he proposed to do. The acting governor replied that there was but one thing for him to do, to enforce the law which was plainly prohibitory.
 As a further precaution. the follow ing telegram was sent last night to United States Marshal Griffith at Tue son:
 Phoenix, December '. 'To Wm. Griffith, U. s. Marshall,
 Tucson, Ariz. "We, the undersigned citizens Of Maricopa county, Arizona territory, are informed that persons propose to commit a felony near Phoenix on or after Monday. Dec. 10, by exhibiting [ bull fight. See sec. 1, chapter 12, page 1 5, U. s. statutes at large. We request you to take necessary steps to prevent such violation of law. Please answer.
 Emery W. Fisher, J. O. Dunbar, D. Goldberg, T. Herbert Taylor, J. w. Evans. R. F. Miner, Dwight R. Heard, Harvey J. Lee. w. w. Hubbard, D. Nicholson, C. w. Grouse, G. B. Rich mond, L. A. Sherman, M. W Messinger, John w Messinger, A. J. Edward, c. H. Davidson, G. B. Crouch, G. D. Gray, J. Ernest Walker, S. M. Mc- Cowan, B. Heyman, w. G. Lentz, c. D. Doris, John J. Sweeney, B. $. Wakelin, w. H. Stilwell, Wm. Wylie, Lewis Halsey. B. T. Gilldtt, William Duffield, J. M. Swetnam. Gordon H. True, A. c. Baker. A. H. Fulton' 1 George B. Pratt, J. l.. B. Alexander, J. H. Langston, N. A. Morford, M. Il. McCord, F.. Ganz."
 The executive committee of the car nival met yesterday morning and pass | ed the following resolution:
 "Inasmuch as it is the sense of this committee that bull fight held in the city of Phoenix would not only bring | into disrepute the name Of the city, as well as that of the territory of Ari- | zona-which we as good citizens are 1 bound to uphold and protect-would l give a false impression abroad as to the character of the citizens Of l Arizona, that especially at this time | when we are seeking statehood for our people, and striving to show to those, in power our fitness therefor that | such an exhibitior> would be highly 1 discreditable to us as a people and cal culated to injure us,
 '"Therefore, be it resolved, that thls | committee protest against the holding | of a bull fight, refuse to accept the proposition of Hugh M. Creighton, and ] hereby affirm their former disclaimer of any connection therewfth.'