Arizona republican., 1910-05-25
Draws Line Between B0xinQ
 and Prize Fighting THE FIRST IS SCIENTIFIC.
The Latter, He Tells a Dele gation of Protesting Min isters, Is Almost As Rough As Football, and Is to Be Deplored.

San Francisco. May 24-The first definite step in the campaign that is being waged by the representatives Iof the churches against prize fight ing in general in California and the IJeffries- Johnson contest in particu- lar. was made today, when a delega- tion of prominent ministers and their legal advisers appeared before the police committee of the board of su- pervisors to protest against the grant, ing of permit to the Broadway Athletic club to conduct a boxing contest in this city on July 1.
 John L. Herget, who. when he was middle-weight prize fighter with championship aspirations some years ago. was known to the ring as Young Mitchell.' and who is now a city and county supervisor. sat as chairman of the committee that heard the appeal of the clergymen. A rec ommendation was made by the com mittee to the supervisors that the permit be granted to the Broadway club. of which Jimmy Griffin is pres ident and under the auspices of which Jeffries and Johnson will fight on the national holiday
 Rev. William Rader, Rev. A. c. Bain and Attorney J. F. White took the leading parts in voicing the pro- test of the church people. Chairman Herget informed the prOtestants that the Jeffries- Johnson fight was merely to be a scientific boxing exhibition and that it would be countenanced as such by law.
 When the ministers referred to the scheduled event as a prize fight and to Jeffries and Johnson as prize fighters, Herget objected and ruled that Jeffries had never been in fight in his lift and would not know one if he saw it.
 Mir. Bain warned the members of the committee that they would jeopardze the chances of the city in getting government support for the Panama Pacific exposition if the fighting game was encouraged here Chairman Herget informed the min- ister that the Royal Arch. an order to which several of the supervisors belonged, had made a subscription of s250.000 to the exposition stock fund. And how much did the San Fran cisco church federation. which you gentlemen represent, subscribe to that fund?" he asked.
 "The church federation is not money making institution" replied Mir. Bain, and. besides, many of our members made individual subscrip- tions"
 And then Herget wanted to know why the church federation did not devote it's attention to a consecrated fight against the white slave evil, and do something for the souls of these poor girls and let US grown-up men alone" He was informed that if he would attend church he would learn what was being done to cope with the white slave" evil.
 You clergymen ought to attend our boxing exhibitions which you fights" said Herget. q invite you and your whole church federation to be present at the next fight
 But Mir. Bain replied: T would be quite willing to go. Mir. Herget, if you would come to one of the churches and listen to a half hour sermon on the fight natter
 I'll do that. Just name the time" was Herget's acceptance.
 T think you will find that our ob- jection to this prize-fight business is really more serious than you admit. MT. Herget." interpolated Mir Rader
 Reverend, I must object to you saying that we are going to grant a permit for a prize-fight. This is to be merely a boxing exhibition"
 ''Is Jeffries a prize-fighter, or a boxer?' asked Mir. Rader.
 "A boxer" answered Herget
 Then he is not fighter at all?" coaxed MT. Rader.
 Not in my opinion," the super visor replied
 And he has never fought?" the minister queried.
 He has contested,"i Hexget ven- tured as the delegation of church people broke into a laugh. a
 Well, in my opinion, the affair is intended to be prize-flght. and the permit should not be granted" con lcluded Mir. Rader. Tt Is certainly |not to be picnic"
 T must disagree with you again. said Hereet sThis con- |test is. to be cond6c>sd nfrictly under |the Marquis of oueenshrS5 rules |rules laid down by Genlleman and Ia peer .of 'Essiahd ] rhooe fuI1e gov-. Tern all boxing co6to5ts here. v prlue-. flight is a lint Wtf4 hlo m It