Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-22
To STAGE ATTELL
AND MORAN BOUT
District Attorney to Have Repre-
sentative at RingSide to
Watch the Battle
TO REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR
No Interference Expected when
FeatherWeights Enter the
Ring Friday Night

1t seems to be understood by those
interested that the advertised boxing
contest between Abe Attell, feather
weight champion of the world. and
owen Moran, scheduled for Friday
night at McCarey's Maud Junction pa
vilion, will be held as advertised and
that a representative from the district
attorneys office will be at ringside to
ascertain If the several boxing bouts
came within the requirements of the
statute and the city ordinance or
whether they are prize fights within
the meaning of the penal code of the
state.
District Attorney Fredericks said yes
terday that he had received a COM
munication from the governor in which
he was asked to investigate conditions
and ascertain whether the bouts were
legal or in violation Of the state law,
and If in the latter event to prevent the
bouts from being held.
WHAT FREDERICKS SAYS
When asked as to what action he
would take in the premises he said:
81 received today letter from the
attorney general stating that the gov
ernor had heard that prize fight was
to be held in Los Angeles and that the
governor wished me to investigate the
matter and If such was the case to
take whatever steps were possible to
prevent the same.
."I do not know whether or not a
contest of any kind, call it sparring
exhibition or prize fight, is advertised
to take place here in the future.
'As Los Angeles city has enacted an
ordinance under which contests may
occur, and has endeavored to determine
the difference between a prize fight and
sparring exhibition, 1 presume the
only point to be determined is, is the
contest a prize fight prohibited by law,
or a sparring exhibition permitted by
the city ordinance?
"In the territory over which have
exclusive jurisdiction there is no
county ordinance defining a sparring
exhibition, and 1 have held that all of
the attempts at fistic encounters at
tempted in this territory have been
prize fights, and, therefore, prohibited
by law.
THE CITY ORDINANCE
"Now comes the city ordinance, how
ever, and defines what is a sparfing ex-
hibition. 1 assume that this ordinance
has been drawn by the city attorney
with due regard to all the decisions
determining the difference between a
sparring exhibition and a prize fight,
and that those features which the de-
cisions of our courts in other states
hold make the contest a prize fight
have been by this ordinance forbidden,
and only those things are permitted
which by the decisions are held to
constitute a sparring exhibition as dis
tinguished from a prize fight.
"This subject, l will confess, is one
OF some difficulty to me. 1 never saw
a prize fight or a sparring exhibition.
I have, of course, my personal ideas in
regard to the same, which will in no
manner affect my opinion Of the law.
IF determine that these exhibitions
are prize fights l, of course, must con-
clude that the terms Of the ordinance
permitting these contests do not prop
erly define sparring exhibitions, as
have no doubt the police force is pres
ent to see that the terms of the ordi-
nance are not violated.
Il will give the matter my best con-
sideration and endeavor to decide it
according to the law. Any matter, of
course, called to my attention by the
governor will receive the careful con-
sideration which it merits.
II will also submit this ordinance to
the attorney general and consult with
him in the premises"
MAN AT RINGSIDE
Owing to the confessed ignorance of
the district attorney regarding boxing
contests and prize fights, and the wide
difference between them as claimed by
L. J. McCarey, promoter of the pro-
posed bouts and manager of the Pacific
Athletic club. under whose auspices
the bouts are to be held, it is probable
that the district attorney will be rep
resented at the ringside by somebody
who is more of an expert in such mat
ters, and whose opinion will guide
whatever action Fredericks will take
after the bouts are held and he re-
ceives the report of his representative.
Owing to the license created by the
city ordinance permitting boxing con-
tests between boxers who use siX-ounce
rounds, and where no decision Is rem
dered by any referee, Fredericks is of
the opinion that the limited round no
decision bouts at Maud Junction are
| fairly within the requirements of the
statute and the city ordinance. Being
| unable to determine this fact, however,
| he will conduct the investigation de-
sired by the governor and act after
wards, which is taken to mean that
there will be no interference with the
bouts unless at ringside it appears that
they are prize fights instead of boxing
contests within the law. In the event
that they develop into prize fights they
| will be stopped of course, but Freder-
icks believes that the police supervis-
| ion in the past, wherein police officials
have been at ringside to prevent vio-
lation of the city ordinance relating to
prize fights, is good indication that
the bouts have been held within the re-
quirements of the law, and he does not
| feel justified in taking any action in
advance of the staging of the bouts.
ONLY BOXING BOUTS
Information which he has been able
| to obtain in advance tends to convince
him that only boxing contests are be-
| ing staged at Maud Junction, but for
| the purpose of a thorough investiga-
ton of the bouts and the application
of the statute relating. to prize fights
| he will cause to be made thorough
| investigation, and this will include in
| formation from ringside Friday night.
Fredericks will report the results of his
| investigation to the attorney general
of the state, and also will submit a
COPY of the city ordinance under which
these ten-round no-decision bouts, with
heavier gloves than those used in ord
inary fights elsewhere, for the informa-
ton of the attorney general and gov
ernor. With the facts before them
they will advise Fredericks as to his
action in the matter, and the fate OF
| the Maud Junction boxing bouts In fu-
ture will be decided.
Manager McCarey claims that al
| the bouts staged at Maud Junction are
conducted strictly within the require
ments and license of the city ordinance
and that they are held under the strict
Marquis of Queensberry rules govern
ing boxing contests. Under tn!