New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-03-02
TAMMANY'S BOLD MOVE
GRADY'S EFFORT TO DEFEAT REPEAL.
OF HORTON LAW.
EBT TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE !

for Its final hearing before the Senate Coaes
committee Senator Grady himself the COM
mander in chief Of the Tammany cohorts at the
Alpahy camp, came forward to do battle This
was. indeed. evidence that the causa OF nr,ze
fighting has fallen into dire straits Hitherto
the fight against the bill has been conducted nv
such obedient subordinates as Assemblymen
Roche and Tim" Sullivan These ueutenan,s
however, were cashiered when the repeaI hill
passed the Assembly
senator Grady sought to annihilate the meas
ure by long substitute bill He proposed to
let prizehghts go at present under the
e~lstihs statute but also to provide means to
prevent brutality aud fake" fights. His
methods to secure these ends were so compre-
hensive that the members Of the committee at
hrst thought his bill to be the bylaws of some
prize ring. He proposed that fights with gloves
OF not less than five ounces each in weight
might De permitted in any incorporated athletic
ciuO win the approval of the police All con-
tests should not be to exceed twelve rounds
In order 10 guard against accident the ring
is TO be defined by ropes and wooden posts
Inc hoors of the ring be padded so as
20 prevent injury to the participants To fur
Their insure the life and limb of the cornbatants
each association under whose auspices a fight
is conducted. is to employ reputable licensed
physician. 1t is to be the duty Of this physi-
clan TO examine the participants two weeks I'm
ADVANCE or the contest, and also one week be-
fore they come 10 blows. and again on the day
OF the fight If each of the combatants is found
TO be OF sound health on all these occasions he
is TO receive certificate 10 that effect Other
wise the captain of police of that particular
district is authorized TO stop the fight. Senator
Grady, furthermore, would make it a INSIDE
meanor for such a physician to give a certf-
cate to a contestant who shall be found to be
unfit. The license of the club which would per-
mi s11Ch vic iario or+
revoked.
PROVISIONS OF GRADY's BILL
IN order that the contestants might not be
un6uly exhausted the Tammany Senator pro-
vided IN his bill that such athletic associa-
ton should have electric time clock to de-
termine the length of each round. and the time
a contestant might be allowed to rest before
resurning active participation in a fight after
being temporarily disabled.
To insure justice the bill provides for two
Judges and a referee, it being the duty of the
former TO decide to the winner. In the
judges disagree. the referee is to give the de-
Gliding vote. In Of a Touchdown the
onds to be counted off by regularly
ployed timekeeper No two persons to be
permitted TO engage in boxing contest when
the differences in weight shall exceed ten
pounds except when both participants weigh
more than 1913 pounds.
To carry out the law captain of the police
IS to be represented at the scene Of the contest
In order TO guard against sensational news
paper reports the representatives of two trust
worthy newspapers are be invited TO be
present
Most remarkable OF all the stipuations OF
Senator Gradys BILL which is intended TO pro-
hibit fake fights. The Senator would provide
that If it can be proved that participant for
any purpose or consideration whatsoever has
with
ISOLATION, and has failed to fight his best fight,
ne is to De dsbarred from participating there
after in any boxing contest in the State. HIS
license is also to be forfeited.
To lure the granger members of the Legis-
lature into supporting prize rings the bill throws
out most alluring bait. The scheme proposed
is similar to the Babcock BILL introduced in the
Assembly, which proposed to turn over 10 per
cent of the profits of przefghting to the agri-
cultural societies of the State. Senator Grady.
in a mood Of economy, only provides IN his bill
that 3 per cent Of the profits shall be poured
into the pockets of the farming peple
A RUsE TO GAIN TINE.
Last Of all. the Senator would not have the
act go into effect until December 81, 1900. so
that ample time would be given 10 dsgruntled
sports to sell out and leave the State. 1t was,
ct once seen by those who were present in favor
Of the Lewis bill that the measure Of Senator
Grady was not to be taken seriously. II was
intended instead 20 clog legislation and compel
the uautflated bill Of Assemblyman Lewis to go
back again to the Assembly. Delay was visibly
the main plan Of Tanmany to insure the defeat
Of their opponents.
Nevertheless, the Senator who had thus
sought to placate both sides by his padded ring
bill defended his measure with all apparent
seriousness He said:
The main Prescriptions Of those who would
repeal the Horton law fall into two classes
One is the claim that the sport Is brutal; the
second that il is gambling. Now, where 90 these
people get their information? None OF them
have seen a prizefght What they know or
them they only gather from the sensatlohal
newspapers. Now, to prove that the sport Is
noG brutal / may say that the most noted par
Elephants engaged in il have been in from TWEEN
ty to forty fights. There is George Dixon, VINO
has fought thirty-fve times; McGovern who
has forty antagonists. and MCFARLAND,
who has been in fifty bouts
ONE OF GRADY's JOKES.
Here Senator Grady closed his eyes, as he does
when preparing 10 spring joke. He said
Gentlemen I prizefght myself want
70 tell YOU about it, TO show how dinerent the
reality IS from the pictured accounts IN the
newspapers. Well, it was a good scrap ana at
the end ] found the defeated contestant had
reached the front door before / had Away ne
went I'D the street with a crowd OF admirers at
his heels. Next day L picked up paper ana
read of most beastly exhibition. Why' the
reader made to think that the poor "retch
had been beaten senseless, the very fellow VINO
beat OF the front door.
This bill passed the Assembly on wave or
Indignation aroused by fanatics, people VINO
heard but had / trust this Will sub
side into level OF common sense. My bill pro-
vides for the sport on a scientific basis we
must fight: therefore let us fight with order
and decency-
James Oliver. the former Assemblyman. who
4,,Ss adj he defence OF