New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-12
SHERIFF TO STOP FIGHTS.
Hamburger Will Use Own Judg-
ment on Boxing Bouts.
TO WATCH ATTELL FRIDAY
If abe" or the Englishman Gets
Rude and Rough, MIL" VIII
Be Ended Then and There.

Prizehghts, sparring exhibitions. boxing
matches, bouts and all tho phases Of the
sport Of fsticufrs look to be In bad way
In New York, even II the Frawley law Is
on the statute books. Sheriff Hamburger
received yesterday q letter from Governor
Dix ordering the chief peace officer OF the
county to stop the bout between I'D
wolsast and "Packey" Mcfarland, which
was scheduled to be fought In Madison
Square Garden on September 81.
The wolgast-McFarland affair was
called off BY the managers Of the Garden
Athletic Club. even before Sheriff Har-
burger got the letter from the state exec
utive, but that makes not bit OF dit-
ference to the Sheriff-on-the-job. MT.
Hamburger said that Governor Dix's de-
sire to stop the fight mentioned because II
might be prizehght, which Ia prohib-
tied even under the Frawley law. showed
that he must be opposed to all prizehghts'
That IL where the Sheriff comes In. He
said YESTERDAY that he meant TO put an
end to all prizehghts. and would himself
Interpret the meaning Of the term prize
fight" as distinguished from boxing cx-
hibition.'
Mr.. Hamburger will begin his campaign
on Friday night at Madison Square Gar
den, on which evening Abe Attell VIII
meet Harry Thomas. Of England. In an
interchange Of jabs, uppercuts and
swings. The Sheriff. with several of his
deputies, will occupy advantageous places
at the ringside. and at tho fret sign that
It is a prizefight Mr.. Hamburger means
to stop the mill" II his official word Is
disobeyed, no will climb through the
ropes and stop II himself OF course. his
deputies will be n'ar by to render aid. II
necessary.
81 know the difference between prize
fight and a boxing exhibition" said the
Sheriff II used to box myself, and
know the game" Sheriff Hamburger WAS
once the featherweight champion OF HIS
neighborhood.
The Sheriff wrote letters TO Commission
er Waldo and District Attorney WHIT
man, requesting their aid In carrying OUT
the law and the orders Of the Governor
He also communicated with Commissioners
O'Neill, of the State Boxing Commission
asking for q list 81 the licensed boxing
clubs and a schedule Of their fights
In the mean time Albert Blumensuei.
of counsel 10 the Sheriff. will ponder over
the law and try TO determine what Ia
prizehght But until he renders his opinion
that OF Sheriff Harburger viii go. ana u
Attell and Thomas try 10 be rouSh-as Al
they meant 10 hurt each other--there lie
good chance that the fight VIII DO stopped.
And that viii go for all other boxing
events. says the Sheriff.
After receiving from Governor DIX
letter inclosing copy OF the one cent
10 Mr.. Hamburger, District Attorney
whitman wrote to the Sheriff yesterday
a. follows:
write this letter to offer you The flil
and complete assistance Of this once IN
your efforts and IN the performance OF
your duty 10 maintain and enforce the
law and In taking legal steps TO prevent
any contest IN the nature oil prlzeHsH'
which Is violative OF the law
You arc doubtless aware that tho penal
law OF this state makes II a misdemeanor
for any person 20 engage IN. insusate, sIu
or encourage a fight between two or more
persona commonly called ring or prize
daht. under certain circumstances, more
particularly mentioned In the statutes.
The act OF the Legislature known as
Chapter 40 OF the Laws OF 1911 permits
tho holding OF boxing contests Of GER
tain kind and under certain regulations
and conditions, fully and particularly
mentioned in the act.
I understand that the purport OF the
Governors communication to you is to
the effect that you, as the responsive
peace officer OF tho county, endeavor 70
ascertain whether the fight arranged be-
tween Wolgast and Mcfarland Is viola
tive os the law and II so TO take steps
10 prevent it, I assure you that " you
will inform yourself as 90 tho arrange
ments for the proposed contest and the
conditions under which It is TO he held,
shall be ready to give you my prompt as
sistance and TO 20 with you before mag.
istrate for the purpose or obtaining legsl
H.