The age-herald., 1901-01-11
Is Expected That JeffrieS-Ruhlin
 Contest Will Occur
MAYOR PROMISES PERMIT
When 1t Was Understood That the Fiuht Would be Declared Off Gin cinnati Ministers Announced
 Meeting for Plain Services.

N.''~ afternoon the president of the Saengerfest Athletic Club issued the following in re- gard to the proposed contest announced for February 15 between Jeffries and Ruh- lin, the board of directors approving the statement:
 After a session with our counsel we have not changed our position one iota, and the announcement that the contest IS off is in no way authorized
 Contracts have been let for remodelinS Saengerfest Hall, and the workmen are now busy at that place. The Saengerfest Club has an old debt of $66000, and in ad- dition to the s5OOO forfeit contracts for over s5OOO for remodeling the hall, etc., and it is claimed that they will be involved for about $9OO0O unless the fight is pulled off.
 When it was first proposed to have this contest here for the benefit of the old Saengerfest board Mayor Fleishmann promised that he would issue a license or a permit for the fight. He still insists that he will keep his word, but the permit has not yet been issued. Meantime his corpo- ration counsel rendered an opinion that the permit could not be legally issued, and Judge Davis instructed the grand jury to consider the matter. This gave rise to the rumor that the fight would be declared off.
 Mayor Fleishman passed the whole mat ter up to the Saengerfest Athletic Asso- citation, calling attention to the opinion Of corporation counsel and the instructions of Judge Davis to the grand jIry. Cor poration Counsel Wade Ellis held that the contest would be illegal and that the May or, therefore, would have no power to issue a permit It was held that after consider ing the matter so far it shows that it would be prlze-fghting, not merely spar ring match and therefore felony under the Ohio statutes.
 The opinion of the corporation counsel and the action of Judge Davis, together with the persistent reports today that the fight would be declared off, have greatly stimulated the efforts of the Ministerial Association, the womens clubs and all other organiza tions he-e that have been been opposing the fight The Evangelical Alliance even went so far as to call a special meeting for a praise service next Monday on the assumption that the fight would be declared off by that time.
 While the directors of the Saengerfest Association and their friends are mere de- termined tonight than ever that the fight shall be pulled off here on February 15, yet tt is evident that resort will be made to | every possible legal obstruction and to | every other opposition that can be made | against having the fight here next month and the preponderance of popular senti- | ment about the city is that the opponents | of the fight will win in the end.
 There Is no doubt now that the contro- | versy here will be settled tomorrow. As | the directors of Saengerfest Athletic As | sociation are daily mourning expenses in their preparations they decided tonight that they would tomorrow make a formal request of Mayor Fleishmann for the Jef- fries-Ruhlin contest, and if the permit is granted them and they have it in hand, they will proceed with their arrangement and pull off the fight at all hazards. If the Mayer does not give them the permit they will hold a meeting at once to cominuni- cate with the managers of the contestants with view to declaring the fight off
 It is stated by some of the members of the Saengerfest Athletic Club and some others that politics has entered into the controversy. It is well known that Senator Foraker who is a candidate for reelection tilis year. and Governor Nash, who will head the Republican State ticket for second term, are opposed to having the fight here. George B. Cox, who is at the head of the Republican organization in this county, and on close relations with both of the Ohio Senators as well as with the Governors and others, has come out openly against the fight on the ground that It will operate against the dominant party in other parts of the State, especially in the rural districts. Mayor Fleishmann is a Republican and in close relation with the leaders, but he insists that he gave his word long ago to the Saengerfest board to issue a permit and If it is possible fer him legally to do so he will keep his word
 Under the Ohio statutes 1t is said that the contest will be held to be felony, and if it was only a sparring match that it could not be given under the auspices of the Saengerfest Athletic Club, which was organized for the purpose of pulling off this fight only and is not a standing or ganzation for the development of athlet- ics. etc. sr,N
 There is much gossip on the streets to- night about pleading for the political lead- CTS to Mayor Fleishmann and the sport ing fraternity is offering odds that the fight will be declared off, and even that Mayor Fleishmann will not issue his permit on the ground that he cannot legally do SD under the advice of counsel The Mayor made his. promise without consulting the corporation or other attorneys