The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-02-08
HORTON LAW REPEAL. BILL.
HEARING BEFORE THE ASSEM- BLf
CODES COMMITTEE.

Tho Committee Decides 10 Report II Fa-
yorably by "a Vote of D to 3-The Bill
Backed nv "a Delegation Of Ministers
and Members of Law and Order Leagues.
ALBANY. Feb. THE final round in tho
hearing on Assemblyman Lewis's bill to re-
peal the Horton law was fought before the
Assembly Codes Committee to-day. and Il
partial decision was rendered by tho com
mittee In favor Of the supporters OF the bill.
by a vote Of q to 3 K was decided tonight to
report the bill favorably TO the Assembly to-
morrow. but tho bill not come out in its
original shape. as II will be amended so as to
take effect on Sept. | next, instead OF i'm
mediately. Mr.. Demarest. Democrat, OF Rock
land county. voted with the eight Republicans
to make q favorable report. Mcssrs, Sanders,
Rytenberg and Poth dissenting. On the mo-
ton to amend the bill all voted In the aflrma-
tive. Mr.. Lewis Ia now confident that the bill
will pass the Assembly aud that the Senate
will also take favorable action. The OPP
ponents Of the measure, however. profess
to believe that tho bill will never become n
law,
Every part OF the State was represented at the
hearing to-day. Mr.. Lewis was backed by q
large delegation Of ministers and representa-
tiNtNo VI ihN hlh olutI l'iS u TIC emporium
had a delegation from Buffalo. composed OF
John Leyden OF the Olympic Athletic Club,
Charles Wilson Of the Hawthorne Athletic Club.
Lewis Ortner OF the Black Rock Athletic Club.
George W. Garner. Joseph Stockmar and John
Herman. The delegation was represented by
their attorney. Charles A. Tellman. william
r. Mcclure, Jr.. representing the Hercules
Athletic Club Of Brooklyn. Assemhlymen
Dillon and Roche and former Assemblyman
James Oliver Of New York city also appeared
In opposition.
Messrs. Feldman. Mcclure. Roche, Dillon
and Oliver spoke against the bill. Mr.. Field
mans argument was that in Buffalo the Hor-
ton law is lived up to. and that II it was violated
in other cities it was the fault Of the police Of
flcials and not OF the law. He read n telegram
from Superintenl lent OF Police william r. Bull
Of Buffalo. who said that no one had ever been
seriously injured In a boxing contest in Buff
falo, and Mr.. Fcldman added that 600 Of
them had been held in that city. The others
took the position that the contests held In New
York city were not brutal and wcrelnot prize.
fights. being held under police supervision. In
regard to brutality. the considered football TO
be worse than fighting and that boxing was a
healthy, manly sport.
out blows were ever permitted. He sal that
he boxed some himself IN the cluhroom, and
when Chairman WrekeS asked him to describe
the sensation Of Il knockout, he replied that
you get hit, go down and when ynn get up
ask II you whipped the other man" Mr.. Dillon
said that the trOvernor had seen fights when he
was n Police Commissioner, and he could have
stopped them then II he thought they were
brutal, instead Of waiting until this day TO
Those who spoke in favor Of the bill wore the
Rev DR.. Thomas Poulson, pastor Of the DIN
Methodist Church of New York city; the Rev.
Il. i 4 lat Rap Lon aAEa - h NI.a
| County preshytery; the Rev. |. y. Dalhy. Pre-
siding Elder Of the Rochester district Of the
Rochester Conference Of the Methodist ,Episco-
pal Church; the Rev. II, G. Peoples Of. Rocnes-
ter. the Rev. Madison, G. Peters Of New York
city. Frederick W: Block Of the citizens
Vigilance League OF New York city, and IT,
Quincy Tully. Secretary 81 the Law and En-
forcement League OF Brooklyn.
pr. Peters mad" the main argument In favor
OF the repeal If the law. The others when Iues-
toned asto whether they had ever seen aprize-
fight. replied in the negative, bur Dr. Peters
saii he went once to what had been advertised
heard them described as innocent sport and he
wanted To be among the innocents. But he do
clared that II was a prlzr-iight. pure and sim
pie. debaslng and damning. and that no one
could truthfully declare contrary to that state
ment. IL was demoralizing and detrimental to
good citizenship.
The others took the ground that the bouts
permitted under the Horton law were DEGRADE
Ing and demora.izing to the younger genera
ton. and asserted that il was a disgrace to the
Olult. u I"I'llI u Ut. lDulSDl Null ne lt-
lieved in healthful athletics. and that II could
be secured by other means than fighting, He
was a promoter Of physical culture. and II any
one doubted 1t they could 20 to some conven-
lent place and test his strength.
Mr., FULLY presented resolutions adopted
against the Horton law at the mass Meeting
held IN the Academy Of Music in Brooklyn last
sunday. and which were adopted by 1900
persons present; also n petition signed by the
majority Of ministers Of BROOKLYN and several
Catholic priests. including the N~icar-General
OF the diocese. 4 number OF other petitions
and resolutions which had been passed by
churches and societies were presented.