The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-02-04
Makes Statement Regarding
JeffrieS-Ruhlin Contest.
FULL POWER OF STATE
WILL BE USED IF NECESSARY TO
STOP BATTLE.

Columbus. o. Feb. 3.-Governor Nash
today made the first public statement Of
his position with regard to the proposed
Jefzies-Ruhlin Tight q Cincinnati ana the
grounds upon which his determination to
prevent the fight taking place in Ohio
IS based The statement is contained in a
letter prepared and mailed this afternoon
IN reply to petition from the John g.
Roth Packing company and Loo other cit
lZehs OF Cincinnati protesting against the
interference with the fight. Governor
Nash says in his letter that he fears the
petitioners have been mfsIed by erroneous
legal advice He quotes the law relating
to prize fighting and boxing contests. aud
says:
ne proviso upon which you rely reads
- IuiiYWs; Provided. that nothing in the
foregoing shall apply to anv public gym
naSlum or athletic club. or any of the ex-
eTclses therein II written permission for
the SPECIFIC purpose shall first have been
obtained from the sheriff of the county or
~ tne exercises or exhibition are held
Wltnin the limits of a municipal corpora
Jion, OF the mayor Of such corpora ton
IN my opinion. the pTOviSO covers ex-
eIti9eS among the members of the CLUB
ana exhibitions in which members only
take part Even if my INTERPRETATION is
too strict. it does not authoriza the brine
lnS together of noted prize fighters and
llIt oueIillg OF large prize to the one
Again, the SaengerfeSt Association
company OF Cincinnati and abe exhibit
WHICH u proposes To give are not such an
association, and not such a contest as il
contemplated by section 6Se6 A. n,I,Ier-
stand the contest between Jchfrics and
Suhtih was arranged fOf by lawyer BY
t me name Of White, before the associa-
uon ever mad legal eXistance. IL mas no
gymnasium or han for athletic purposes.
no ulStln"t membership. and none of the
pdrapherLsiia of an athletic club.
The Law Not to be Trifed With.
1t was organized simply FOX the pur-
PO9e OF lodging the law and bringing of
contest between two great fighters the
law cannot and win not be trified with i'm
lHls manner ] earnestly ask YOU to LOOK
81 tne law as ] have explained it, and 7
bs,-I t gu VIII conclude with me that you
nave been mlSled. As ! have already said
20 you IN a telegram. I am firmly con-
winged that this affair. if it comes of.
VIII be a prize fight"
stating his reasons for believing that
eug dIltSed glove contest is to be prize
lsnt' the governor refers to the moving
plcture contract which states that the
PiCUIS 10 De derived from these pictures
shau De divided equally between the as
soclation ana 'ngnteT Of lighters" Con-
unuing he says.
The winner of the contest * offars5
a larger prize by thousands of dollars
IMAM the loser This will cause them to
strike not only skilful but hard blows.
A9u say that your yor and yo1r
splendid police force VIII be on hand .
see that the law is not violated. You ex-
press confidence in the integrity and
dolIlty OF the mayor. of the police COM
tfIIIS,ssIohers and of your policemen In this
Ieeilng ] fully share. But I am confident
that the affair viii be beyond their con-
lf0i' II they do their best The lighters
VIII be very earnest The immense 7o,lltf
Jude OF people, gathered from dfsfsnt
states ana cities. some Of them at least
hot poss essing the highest order of citi-
zenship, will be terribly excited SIicb
men would brook no interference the
VIII nave no control over themselves. your
P0IIce VIII be overpOwered and your CITY
vii vii DC VISITED with disgrace. which YOU
Learlul risLEs rlll-- u ---