Waterbury Democrat., 1902-11-03
THE GOOD COMMITTEE WINS |
The Corbett-Rice Bout Has Been
Knocked Out.

Pugilist Rice in the Police Court To
Day-He Was Put Under Bonds Of
$500 to Keep the Peace for Ten
Days-Manager Crowley Said This
Afternoon That the Contest Would
Not Be Given.
The city court was crowded to-day
the attraction being the case against
Austin Rice, the boxer, charged with
intending to violate the law in having
arranged TO meet Corbett in boxing
exhibition here next Thursday evening
under the auspices of the Waterbury
Athletic club There was a most dis
tinguished'' attendance. Among the
strangers were the Rev DR. Anderson,
Rev DR. Davenport, the the Rev Mr
Lewis of ST Johns p. ID. church, +. B.
Rice, his son Archie and Mr. COe, pres
ident of the Steele & Johnson manu-
featuring company. There was con-
siderable confusion before court open
ed and it was some time before the
preparations of the court could begin
owing to the noise. Two or three
times Judge Burpee had to command
silence. Rice plead guilty. He was
defended by Attorney Russell and At
torney John O'Neill proecuted.
Rice stated that his home is in New
London and his occupation a teamster.
At this point Attorney Russell objected
claiming that under criminal proceed
ing such questions should not be al
lowed and that the accused should be
instructed that he need not testify to
anything tina might incriminate him
self. Attorney O'Neill held the pro-
ceedings were not criminal. The
question was allowed, however, and
the examination proceeded. Rice then
stated that he has also engaged in
boxing matches to the number of 116
or 1T for reward or compensation"
The exhibitions were conducted under
certain rules sometimes the Marquis
of Queensbury, sometimes other rules.
He then went into statement Of the
difference in the rules, but it was
shown there was not much The main
thing in all the exhibitions in which
he had appeared was points" that is
excellence in the science of boxing.
Always the feeling between him and
his opponent was friendly, but he al
w
| Usually, too, there was an award, but
both contestants received the same
amounts. Upon cross examination
Rice said that in all of his battles he
has never been hurt or ssknocked out''
William Z. Crowley. the manager of
the Waterbury Athletic club, was call
ed next. His testimony was to the
! effect that he has known Rice for some
l. ~ H. =
having engaged Rice and Corbett to
| appear in boxing match next Thurs
day night at the Auditorium, of twenty
rounds for $4O0 each. The engage
ment to take place under the Queens
bury rules and under the laws Of the
state as well. An admission fee was
to be charged and here two tickets
We're introduced as evidence and it
was shown that these were placed by
the advertiser Of the match. Jean
Jacques. Furthermore, the contract
between Rice and Corbett was publish
ed in two of the principal papers in
Hartford
To Mr. Russell the witness stated
/ that the contest was to take place I'M
der the local as well as the state laws.
/ For twelve years he has been giving
these shows and at local ones many
of the most prominent citizens have at
tended. Cruelty has never been wit
messed in any of them. He then went
into the cases of "knock OUT He has
always been careful he said to stop
the match if any of the contestants
Degan TO show undue spirit. "The test
in boxing" he said lis more in sci
ence rather than force" The point in
boxing is to lead and land blow The
best people generally attends these af-
fairs and every college man is sure to
j be there. Then he went into the mat
/ ter of different kinds of boxers. some
are clever, some engage in s.foot
j work" all of them have their special
points. Some spectators admire s.fo0t
work" boxers, some think the aggres-
i sive fellows are the best.
John Hurley was the next witness
He was not long on the stand He
merely said that disturbance of any
kind have never taken place at the ex-
hibitions of the Waterbury Athletic
club 'sand Mr. O'Neill himself ought to
know that,' said Mr. Hurley, 'sfor he
always takes them in.'' Great laugh
ter
The arguments then began. MI
i ODNe1ll quoted the law referring to the
arrest of John L. Sullivan when he
fought Jake Kilrain in the state OF
Mississippi. He held that the board
of safety had no power to issue Ii
cense to hold a boxing match because
the state laws prohibit such exhibi
tions. Then again the ordinances are
faulty. He concluded asking thai
Rice and Corbett, when the latter vii
be arrested, be placed under a bond OF
$1,000 each to keep the peace; the les
ser lights $500 and the featherweigh
$500. He reminded the court tha
maximum penalty for prize fighting
is five years in the state prison and fol
aiding and abetting the same, that /:
being spectator at one, the penalty
is two years in the state prison.
A bond Of $500 was imposed to kee1
the peace for ten days
John Lynch and John J. Jones wer,
each fined $5 and costs for being in
toxicated yesterday.
Manager Crowley, when seen aftel
the court proceedings were over, sait
that he had decided to call the con
tests off. He maintained, however
that he had violated no law and woult
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