New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-25
pALzER A FIGHTER
IN AND OUT OF RING
Says O'NeiI, of State Boxing
Commission, Owes Him $500,
and Brings Suit.
WHERE THE SHOE PINCHES
Sheriff Writes Governor Dix
That "Mr. Stewart Was Tot
tering" When He Stopped
Bout in Garden.

AL Palzer, the heavyweight pugilist,
fled a suit yesterday against Frank 5.
O'Neil, a member of the State Boxing
Commission, appointed by Governor DIX
TO recover $500 which Palzer says he gave
the Commissioner to arrange bout for
him with Jack Johnson. The fighter says
he has demanded the return OF the
money, but has been refused.
Commissioner ONeil said last night that
the suit is the outcome of the enmlty
borne him by Tom O'Rourke. manager
OF Palzer, and one time chief owner OF
the National Sporting Club, which lost
its boxing license. He said he had repre-
scented Palzer in his professional capacity
as a lawyer, and that with his own att-
tude and that of the commission toward
johnson we'll known, the suggestion that
he was to arrange a fight between the
negro and Palzer was ridiculous.
Palzer's story is that he gave ONeil
the $500 after he boxed Bombardier Wells
at Madison Square Garden. Through
Bob Armstrong, says Palzer, Commits
sioner O'Neil obtained Johnson's consent
20 a bout. Subsequently, the fighter says,
Armstrong and John Mack met OMEN
and Armstrong was engaged at so week
20 train Palzer. The white Hope" says
/ he trained several weeks and then the
Boxing Commissioner began to back out
of the agreement when Governor DIX
took hand.
Palzer called on Commissioner OMEN
: and quotes him as saying: You know
am your silent manager, and / can't al
ford to have my name mixed up IN THIS
lack Johnson is getting in bad with the
public right now, and / don't think
match would be much Of success
The pugilist goes on TO tell of his de-
,mand that ONeil return the money ana
of the Commissioners alleged refusal
After this meeting PalZer contends the
defendant sent for him to come to MS
office and asked him to sign statement
saving that he had never given him any
money According to the fighter, the COM
missioner said: You know am state
boxing commissioner, and I am not In
position TO have it known that received
money from you or any one else
Commissioner O'Neil said last night:
Some interesting Developments will come
out on the trial Of this suit which do not
appear now. When Palzer and his man
ager. ORourke fell out and were saying
harsh things about each other Bob Edgren
sent Palzer TO me to represent him In
some serious trouble in which he was at
the time. II will be remembered that be-
tween the time that Palzer and o'Rourke
made UP the Boxing Commission revoked
the license Of O'Rourke's National Sport
ing Club. O'Rourke is now bitter toward
me, and several times has threatened me
with violence. Now he has chosen Palzer
10 try TO discredit me- Also, IL Is known
that [ never would consent 10 have john
son fight in New York, which shows how
ridiculous this whole thing is. But
O'Rourke and Palzer will fail. A man in
my position must expect these things"
Sheriff Hamburger made his report TO
Governor Dix yesterday Of the bout in
Madison Square Garden on Monday night.
when he hurled himself and his hat In
the ring and put an end TO the unequal
combat between Mr." Stewart and Mr."
Smith. His letter, if such it may be
called follows:
I was present on Monday evening, Octo-
Der 81 at the boxing contests held at the
Garden Athletic Club. One Of the bouts,
that between Jim Stewart and "Gunboat
Smith was stopped by me because or the
brutal and unequal contest between the
men. .
The newspapers Of to-day state that the
, Boxing Commission met yesterday and
called before them Referee job, who
refereed the bout in question. lie tesu-
fed that he stopped the bout before L
climbed through the ropes. That is an
utter untruth. The fact Is that, al the
end of the seventh round, l entered the
ring and examined Mr.. Stewart. one OF
the contestants, and ascertained from
such examination that the said Mr.. Stew
art was in a comatose state, and physic-
ALLY SO weakened that he was in no con-
.dition TO continue. The referee was In MS
corner expecting the bout TO go on. When
the eighth round was about to commence,
Mr. Stewart, lettering, and unable to
stand on his feet. started TO go toward
lMr Smith, the other contestant, but was
unable to do 50 because of his weakened
condition The referee did not interfere,
and thereupon stopped the bout because
II was a fight, and was most brutal In Its
nature After the completion OF the bouts,
Mr. Stewart was brought into the ring 10
show that he was a nj person 10 continue
the bout told him that he was then IN
such weakened condition, mentally and
physically that many in the large crowd
had not only noticed 1t, but had informed
me that he faltered on his way while he
was returning to his room, and that he
was absolutely unfit to continue boxing.
Every subterfuge was used by the man
agement to endeavor to show the public
that I was wrong in stopping the bout,
but I know that I was absolutely right,
and will not allow anyone TO turn right
into wrong.
The Boxing Commission and the boxing
club have now evidently tried TO befog
the true state OF affairs. and have tried
70 make II appear that they interfered
and not l. Their position Is an unwar-
Yanted one. and as chief peace officer Of
this county I will uphold the spirit of the
law as so thoroughly ennunciated by you
TO me, and intend to see that the law is
not violated.