The evening world., 1911-09-23
RIk~@
COLUMN
T~%
Madison Square A. c. License
to Be Revoked Monday Be.
cause Of Commissioner
0'Neil's Insistence That Box.
Ing Law Be Enforced.

THE New York World.
nOxING COMMISSIONER FRANK
s. O'NEIL has shown himself TO
be very much OF . fighting man.
Weeks ago he became an insurgent and
announced that he would fight for the
strict enforcement OF the boxing law.
regardless Of political pull and all other
opposing influences. He has carried
that tight from tho rooms OF tho Com
mission here ia New York ~ the Gov
NOR ONCE In Albany. The result 10
that Gov. Dix has given Commissions
o'Neil his Official backing. and from his
time on all boxing clubs must absolute
" conform with the law ~ It stands
on the statute books.
COMMISSIONS O'Neil's stand
saved the game There Is no doubt that
II things had been allowed to continue
- they started the Frawley boxing law
would have been repealed. Already a
strong opposition to tho game had de-
vsloped. The only thing that could off,
81 that opposition was strict enforce
msut OF the Law in every detail.
Tho Madison Square A. c.. which has
In its short life become practically a
boxing trust with q corner on big bouts
aaA on spectators. will In all probability
loes its license when the Boxing Com.
uassion meet' at 2 o'clock Monday az
tssuoon. O'yseil has made the Madison
Square A. c. the object OF his main at
tack. From the beginning he has stated
positively that the club did not rave a
genuine lease on Madison Square Gar
den covering n year-a requirement
undO the new law. He based his argu-
ment on the fact that prior TO the clubs
lease ths, Garden had been let under
coatract TO tho Pure Food Show. the
Horse 0how. the Dog Show and the
AUTOMOBILE Show. and that the sale
Of tho Garden had teen arranged. the
new owners 70 take possesson In Feb
ruary. seven months after the signing
OF the Madison Square A.. C.'s lease.
Two days ago O'Neil had an interview
with Gov. Dix In Albany and the Gov
eraor sent word to Commissioner Dixon
that he was convinced that the clubs
lease did not cover tho required length
Of time. and that the license granted
the club should be revoked. He asked
Dixon to vote with O'Neil for the rev.
ooation OF the license.
IN yesterdays meeting the matter was
laid over until Monday. because the
= commission had assured tho Madison
Square A. c. that It would be granted
at least twenty-four hours notice. %
that Il could have legal representation
At the meeting when the license matter
wss brought up again.
when the license was originally grant
I'd Commissioners Sullivan and Dixon
voAsd for It. understanding that the
club had . years tease on tho Garden.
Commissioner O'Neil dissented and
voted against granting the license. Since
Mr.. Sullivan's r~esigning there has been
q deadlock In the commission on this
question.
When asked yesterday II no would
refuse to vote according to the Gov
srnor's Instructions. Commissions Dixon
said: II most certainly will comply
with the Governors wishes" Thi.
moans that tho license OF the club will
Be taken away on Monday. and thai
there will be nc more boxing bouts ir
Madison Square Garden, at least until
the matter has been threshed out IL
the courts.
The license Of Tom o'Rourke's Ma
tionai Sporting Club was revoked yes
terday. on the ground that II did no
have q BONA fide lease. covering on
year. 1t Is doubtful that O'Rourke will
be granted another license. 1t In elaine,
that the National s. c, had the use o
the Amsterdam Opera House only on It
night nights. and other Entertainment
not unde control OF the club were heI,
there on different dates.
INCIDENTALLY the Commission in
tsrrogated Referee White with regar,
4 TO the Morris-Flynn bout. Ate
hearing why he allowed It go on afte
Il had deteriorated into a mere bruta
.~k pactanttdn slpurtno vnatah a..
taking the testimony of DIR. Crane,
who attended Morris after tho ngh
and who stated tina Morris was no
seriously injured. the Commission ex
onerated White from all blame, but tol
hm not to let It happen again. In III
future referees must stop all bouts tina
are one-sided or that become at a
brutal, and must refuse to oficla,
where II Is evident that the boxers ar
not we'll matched and in fit conditio
for hghting.
Major Dixon says that he has no IN
tention OF resigning from the Boxln
Commission. that he isn't a gutter,
ana that he certainly will continue I
perform his duties according to h
own best judgment as long as he hold
ONCE. The Governor has not Yet al
pointed a new Commissioner In NJ
Sulliyan's place. As for the Madiso
6quars A. C. and the National A.. c
under the Frawley law they can carr
tho matter to the courts. n no doui
key will oppose the revocation Of the
licenses.
However, all this may come OF
eventually. It Is tho best thing this
s,uld happen for the good OF the BIO,
ing game. II is proving to the peop
OF New York State that the new boxin
Law Is no joke and that the Boxin
Commission will enforce the provision
Of the law. 1t 10 restoring public col
hdeuc~ tnt or At the npest and no
0nnienf Of HDorta