New-York tribune., 1911-09-12
Man Who Was at Madison
Square Fight Hearing Reveals
Managers Testimony.
PERMIT HANGS BY THREAD
Commissioner 0'Neil May Force
Issue at Meeting To- morrow,
and Prevent Flynn Morris
Bout Friday Night.


admitted TO the State Athletic Commits
SION that his lease Of Madison Square
Garden covered only certain selected
open dates, according to a statement
given 10 The Tribune yesterday by one
~ the seven men who heard Powers
testify before the commission last FRI
day.
As president Of the Madison Square
Athletic Club did YOU select certain
open datss?" was the way the question
vas put 70 him by Commissioner Frank
s. O'Neil
Yes was FowerSs answer
on the above admission of Powers.
coupled with other admissions and
statements concerning the validity Of
the so-called one year lease. the clubs
license 70 conduct fights is hanging as
by a worn thread.
Frank X Sturgis. president Of the
Madison Square Garden Company. the
lessor in the alleged Lease which Pow
ers filed. by COPY. with the applica-
ton for a license. IN his statement TO
The Tribune. printed Sunday. clinched
tho same state of facts when he said
that neither Patrick Powers nor any
one else had lease Of Madison Square
Garden for every night until July p.
1912
With positive knowledge n Powers's
admissions before the commission, to-
eether with a copy Of the statement
from Mr. Sturgis upholding the same
facts. 2 Tribune representative asked
Commissioner O'Neil yesterday whether
ne intended to approve Of continuing
the license held by the Madison Square
Athletic Club.
mo" replied Mr.. O'Neil. ''it Mr. stur-
ris's statement is correct, and I have
reason 70 believe it Is. the Madison
Square Athletic Club has no more right
to a license under the Frawley law than
the Knickerbocker Club Of Albany had,
and under the law the commission has
no choice but TO revoke the license for
boxing shows in the Garden"
mo Favors to Large Clubs"
Mr.. O'Neil declined TO confirm or deny
the report Of Powers's admission, say
ing only that the transcript Of the testi-
mony would come out in proper time.
That will be after the case is closed,
which II seems likely now will be at the
end of the special meeting Of the com
mission tomorrow afternoon.
The upstate commissioner said he was
determined that no favors should he
granted TO New York City clubs to the
detrinent OF smaller clubs in upstate
cities.
To a question as to whether the sup
rosed political influence credited to
Powers and his Madison Square Athletic
Club was powerful enough TO make the
commission keep hands off," Mr.. O'Nell
replied:
1T isn't case Of anybody's influence.
II is d case Of the law-not even g case
~ the Interpretation Of .he law. but sim
ply Of the enforcement ofsn The Frsw-
ley law distinctly states that a club or
organization must file with its appltca-
tion one-year lease on the building in
which it is proposed 10 hold bouts. II
filed with the application of the Madi-
son Square Athletic Club for a license
then that license is invalid.
AT least one upstate club fled
lease. in which II was admitted that
the clubs rights in the building we're
only for certain nights Of the week.
and that application was denied. What's
sauce for Albany is sauce for New
York. and If the Madison Square Ath-
letic Club has rights in the Garden only
on certain specified dates It has no
rights under the Frawley law"
representative or the Madison
SQUARE Garden Company informed The
Tribune Yesterday that all rights and
title 70 the Garden will pass from the
present owners 70 the syndicate repre-
sented By Southack & Ball on Feb
r7Iary 3. 1912 This informant stated
further that there are no hold over
rights. titles or leases after that date.
41ent for New Owners to Testify.
ALVIN Ball IT. Of the firm which rep
rssents the new syndicate, has been
out Of town for the last three or four
DAYS. but is expected back on Wednes-
dsy morning II is not expected that
Mr Ball will object to telling the State
Boxing Commission what his general
plans are for the Garden after Feb
ruary 3, 1912. and II is understood that
he will be- requested 70 appear before
The commission 70 give information
which will permit the commission 70
nudge as 70 the truth OF Powers's asser-
ton that he has control up TO July.
1912.
According 10 the information obtained
yesterday. the last question asked Of
Powers AZ the last meeting Of the COM
mission was:
"on your oath. Mr.. Powers, and on
your word ~ honor. do you want this
commission n believe, and do you want
the public 70 believe. that this lease Is
yslid?"
Yes was Powers's reply.
n the statement Of Mr.. Sturgis that
No lease Of the Garden for every nlgnt
until July, 1912. existed is correct ana
n the statement previously made oy
southack & Ball that the syndicate In
tends 70 begin 10 tear down the Garden
ss soon as they take possession next
February is also true. the alleged lease
held by the Madison Square Afhienc
Club cannot be valid under the pro