Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-06-07
HORSE Thieves
VS.. PUC|L|SIS
EXCERPT FROM JUDGE POES
CHARGE THAT CAUSES TALK.
FIGHTS RIGHT ON main
Condemns the "Art" as Brutal
Fighter Does Nothing for Man
dnd-The State Law.

Perhaps no charge by Judge Poe
TO the present grand jury Is creating
such an amount Of talk and specula-
ton as that wherein he touched up
the art Of prize fighting. Both
praises and condemnation have been
hcapod upon his head since he told
the Erandiury on Monday that there
is little difference in the fial sum
ming up, between horse theft and
a prize fighter, and that he would
rather a boy OF his be a horse thief
than a prize pugillst,
That part Of Judge Poes instruc-
tions dealing with prize fighting, YER
batim, Is as follows
1--WE havo another law; I am going
TO instruct YOU on this law and you
may observe It or not rs you like. !
believe | will read It to you:
Prize fisAt n msdemeanor Every
person whJ engages in, instigates, en-
oourapes or promotes any ring or prize
fight or any ther premeditated fight
or contention, whether as principal
aid, second, umpire, surgeon, or 9TH
erwise, although no death or per-
sonal injury ensues, is guilty Of a mis-
. demeanor.
Challenge TO prize fight. Every
person who challenges another to en-
gage in any such fight as IS specified
in the last section; every person who
accepts any ouch challenge; every per-
son who knowingly forwards carries
or delivers any such challenge, and
every person who bets, stakes or wa
gers any mlncy or property upon the
result Of any such fight or who under
takes to hold any m lney or property
so betted, staked or wagered, to be
delivered 10 or for the benefit OF the
winner tn ertof, Is gulity of a misde-
meanor.
What constitutes a challenge. Any
words spoken or written or any signs
uttered or made to any person, ex-
pressing or implying or intending to
express or imply a desire, request or
demand to engage in any fight, such
as is mentioned in the second preced-
ms section, are deemed a challenge
within the meaning OF the last sec
tion.
Duty of peace officers. II is the
duty of all 3herlffs, constables, police
men and watchmen, who have reason
able grounds to believe that any Office
specified in section 25066, Chat is the
one l just read to you) is about to be
committed within their jurisdiction,
to make complaint ulder the provls-
ions of this act to some magistrate
within their jurisdiction.
Neglect o. duty. of peace officer
Every officer. constable, policeman or
watchman who wilfully neglects the
duty prescribed by the last section Is
guilty Of a misdemeanor, and in ad-
dition to the punishment prescribed
therefor shall forfeit his office.
This law, gentlemen OF the grand
jury, Is directed against prize fight
ing; it has rot anything to do with
athletic sports. One is fight where
in the participants receive prize
either in money or other substance;
one is a contest Of endurance where
ny one party seeks 10 put tne Otner
out of commission in ten seconds,
that is priz4 fighting. There was one
pulled off 9t>Sapulpa not many moons
ago between a gentleman by the name
Of Morris, and | forget the other
fellows name, and Morris put his
man out OF commission. That was
a prize fight. | have never attend
ed one In my life; l am not a Judge
of those things, but II I know what
the authorities mean In commenting
and passing upon what 1t takes to
constitute a prize fight, we have had
several prize fights here in Tulsa on
Main Street within the past two
months.
Now, as I stated, there is no law
against athletic sports and sparrins
matches where the skill OF defense
is acquired, but this is n law against
prize fights II is a good law be-
cause a prize fight does not appeal