New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-23


reached the end of a puglistic career
which might be classed as an artistic
and financial success. Several months
ago we took the liberty Of suggesting
10 the East Side tooth carpenter that,
while he had been darn good little
fighter. he had done worn out. But
Leach could not see anything like good
business in abandoning a profession
which Melted him nearly $4,000 week
for the uncertain grapple with the
bicuspid and the occas ional tussle with
the molar. SO he did what they all
do-kept going along until he met that
inevitable younger and better man"
While Leach Cross has never been
an idol in his own home town, New
York. we have always regarded him
as a good fighter and credit to the
game. The dentist has always given
the dollar boys in the gallery their
moneys worth. The Hebrew light
weight also had courage that never
could be questioned, besides intelli-
gence that is not so common in the
ranks of the manly maulers.
Yet Leach was a drawing card. SIM
ply because New Workers wanted to see
him knocked out. They were dissp-
pointed He was knocked out far from
home twice. Jimmie Britt, of Cali
fornis. wsxed fairly wealthy in the
same manner. Californians used to
pay high for seats on the chance that
JameJ Edward would be counted out.
Britt bought apartment houses and
laughed at those who wished him harm.
According to the income tax returns,
Leach Cross can laugh even more
loudly.
While Cross never held the light
weight title, in our opinion he was
one OF the best sportsmen and the best
fighters among the lightweights Of his
time.
p. S.-Now that We have written this
nice obituary for him, we hope that
Leach will consider himself pugilisti-
cally dead, and retire.
Kid Mcfarland, who does the arbi-
trating at Colonel Reisler's tonsorial
and lighting parlors in Harlem, used 10
; a fighter, and some fighter at that
lie had an opportunity to demonstrate
that he was still there pugilisticaly At
the Monday night show. In his desire
TO give the boys a big card. the Barber
Of One Hundred and hirty-fifth Street
crammed his p ogramme.
Il was past midnight when two pairs
If .r.,t
ring at the same time. One pair was
dark, the other pair was lily white
The anthracite section Of the gallery
shouted: THE colored gentlemen first"
Dissenting voices shouted: white
hopes first,"
IL was very delicate situation. John
the Barber thought so, for he imme-
dlately went out TO ask policeman
what time it was. In the meantime the
ring got cluttered up with assorted
gentlemen. All were talking loudly.
and up in the gallery could be heard a
rasping sound Of razors being honed
for immediate action.
This all displeased Kid Mcfarland,
who Is now a man of peace. He brushed
through the ring, upsettng the con-
tents thereof. you all get out Of
here" he yelled. The old battle light
was cleaning in the kids eyes as he
brushed back his curly name.
"Yes. Mr.. Mcfarland" said the
white hopes and the coal-hued glad
iators together The ring was cleared
and Mcfarland rearranged the pro-
gramme to suit his own ideas OF the
prophecies.
There seems TO be considerable Gu
riosity a. 10 what would happen If
either Willard or Moran were disquali-
fed on a foul at the fight set for the
Garden on March 25. Some contend
that the championship would not pass
to Moran il Willard happened to be
disqualified. They base their claim on
the fact that the referee cannot give
a decision in this state This is true
enough. yet tie referee is permitted to
count a man out. which automatically
renders a decision. In the same way
n referee disqualiies one man for
fouling he naturally declares the other
the winner.
The Leonard family Of Harlem is ad-