The Saint Paul globe., 1900-01-18
is Run BY The GANG
BOXING IN NEW YORK NO LONGER
A SQUARE SPORT, SAYS REF
EREE GEORGE sILER
HORTON LAW IS DOOMED

Politics Plays an Important Part In
the Game in the Empire State
Some of the Battles in the Ring
in Which Crooked Work Is Al
Neutrality-suspicious. Decision
Like Highway Robbery.
CHICAGO Jan. 17.-In an interview
George Siler, the well known referee, says
that there seems little doubt that the
Horton boxing law will be repealed. If
any question remained 1t was settled by
the Choynski-McCoy fight, which. judging
from the press accounts, was very clear
case Of highway robbery.
'This robbery, however, is only one in
scores which have been perpetrated on
Gotham ring followers within the last
year.
"Get your money down with the gang
and you can't lose," has been the slogan
around New York during the last year,
and such has been the case.
Edwards knocked Judge out in the Sec
ond round at the Pelican club, in Brook
lyn, last fall, but the referee, Frank Her
aid, gave Judge fully half a minute to
regain his feet. Later on in the contest
Judge dropped his man, and before Ed
wards had time to touch the floor he was
declared out. In speaking about the af-
| fair afterward Herald said they were not
betting their money or running a club
on losing basis.
Shortly after that fight Owen Zeigler
| and Kid Mcfarland met at the Broad
| way club. Mcfarland had the better Of
G,.1& hI1f thn nt Y
| teen Zeigler slammed the Kid all over
| the ring. The crowd-that is, those not
| in the play-eXpected that Zeigler would
| receive the decision, but Referee Johnny
| White announced that Mcfarland had
won on points, which decision brought
forth a howl that could have been heard
on the Brooklyn bridge. 1t is needless
| to say that the right money was down on
| the Kid
"a short time after that Eddie Con-
molly and Matty Mathews clashed at the
same club, and Connolly beat his man
handily, but draw was the best Eddie
could get Johnny White refereed the
contest
''Following that came the Charley
Burns-Owen Zeigler fight. This contest
| took place at the Hercules club, and the
wise money was down on Burns to win
In five rounds. Zegler accordingly took
a nap in the fifth for the limit
MCOY-CHOYNSKI AFFAIR.
''These are only a few of the good
things that were executed by the ngne
promoters while was in New York. The
battle between Mccoy and Choynsh was
the biggest steal ever known to the
Broadway club. Mccoy was l to IA
| vorite, and from all accounts thousands
Of dollars were placed at these odds. 1t
looked like picking up money, and it was
reported around town that after the first
round, which was all in favor of Mccoy,
the managers Of the club sent some of the
gate receipts into the arena to bet on the
Kid
"It is impossible for any man not an
| actual spectator to state just what or
what did or did not occur, but according
to all press reports, Choynski had Mccoy
dead to the world in the second round
and the referee gave him from twelve to
| fifteen seconds to regain his feet, and the
timekeeper pulled the gong forty seconds
| before the end Of the round.
"Choynsl1i looked like a winner just
about that time, but there was too much
money at stake, hence the referees long
count and the timekeeper's mistake.
"After the gong had sounded, denoting
| the end Of the third round, reports say
that Mccoy struck Choynsh, the effects
of which blow prevented Choynski from
continuing the contest. The blow. Judg-
ing from the accounts. was foul, and,
whether Intentional or unintentional, it
incapacitated Choynski from going any
further, and therefore he should nave
been declared the winner.
| HAD the foul blow not initiated against
| Choynskis chances Of winning, or had 1t
| had no material effect on the result Of the
battle, the referee might have overlooked
it with caution; but such was not the
case, and from the press reports Of the
OBJ GhOUOSIj
robbed. wonder what that crowd, with
all that money up would have done with
me had [ disqualified Mccoy? Every one
who follows pugilism knows how few
| Of the faithful yelled when / declared
Jeffries a winner over Sharkey. They also
knew the job O'Rourke and others put
| ur to prevent me from refereeing the
Erne-O'B Brien fight; how they got Chief
! Of Police Devery to notify Inspector Nc
Kellen to stop the fight should I enter the
| ting as referee, etc.-but they dij not
| know that O'Rourke had bet $3.50 against
$500 that OBrien would win, but that
when he reached the clubhouse and was
informed that I was to off1clate he i'm
mediately hedged his money on Erne.
Does not that look as though there was a
lob on foot? If O'Brien was good enough
to win for ORourke with some other ref
eree why was he not good enough to win
with me as Judge?
| "After that battle several New York
papers printed the story of Chief
| Devery's doings, and number Of these
papers, together with personal letters,
were mailed to Gov. Roosevelt all Of
which am sure he took cognizance of.
POLITICS CUT. A FIGURE.
politics cuts an important figure in
New York pugilism. Gov. Roosevelt.
Chairman of the Republican Committee
Odell, Assemblyman Merton E. Lewis, Of
Rochester, and other Republican leaders,
are opposed to the Horton law.
81 do not wish to see pugilism killed,
but when it resolves itself into a case of
gamble, or when the better man Is not
permitted to win. and when he does win
he and his hackers are robbed by a gang
Of sure thing men, I say, for the good
Of the pugilists who are not in with the
gang, and for the benefit of the supporters
Of the game, kill the law and kill 1t at
once.
"This may appear bold as coming from
me, especially on account of my long
connection with pugilists, which dates
back fully thirty years, but when an hon.
est fighter cannot get his just dues it is
time to call halt"
Kid Gordon Won.