New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-20
WenCk Holds WeiSmantle
Has Claim on Champion
old Rule Found
BY w. o. MCCLELLAN

The Darcy-McCoy match, which was
set for preparation on March at
Madison Square Garden, is still as
much in the air as Mahomet's coffin.
Only two Of the Boxing Commissioners
were present at yesterdays meeting Of
that tangled and tortuous tribunal.
Commissioner Wenck declared that
John Weismantle, the Brooklyn philan-
thropist, had a prior claim TO the ser
vices of Champion Al Mccoy, the
homogeneous middleweight title holder,
Commissioner Franey, who had dared
the ice OF the Hudson in fast canal
boat. declared that as Weismantle had
no written contract Mccoy was as loose
as ashes and free 70 sign with Grant
Hugh Browne for the Darcy match. 50
the commission stood 5000, and Will
remain in that strained position until
the arrival of Commissioner Dryer,
which, as the song has 1t, may be for
years and il may be forever"
During the clamor which ensued at
the Park Row haunt Of the solemn
solons of Fistiana Pop Rudolph, the
proud parent Of Al Mccoy, dug up a
copy of the Boxing Commissions rules
and pointed out that one Of these pro-
vided that all contracts with boxers be
in writing. Chairman Wenck naively
admitted that very few contracts, II
any, had ever been put into writing.
Franey Discovers Old Rule
When Commissioner Franey found
that there was such a rule he decided
that Mccoy could not be claimed by
Weismantle without written agree
ment, and voted that Grant Hugh
Browne could have him.
At this announcement Grant Hugh
Browne paled visibly. II the match
between Darcy and Mccoy should be
forced on him he would stand to lose
about $4,000, which is lot of dough
with potatoes at the price they are at
present. According to the Darcy-McCoy
articles, Darcy gets 100000 and Mccoy
$4,000. Mr.. Browne has realized from
his debut experience that the hight
game is not exactly Golconda. lie
is not anxious to toss twenty thousand
brand new one case notes into the
river.
Darcy himself is in a more embar-
RAISING position than the match. Life
promises to be just one lawsuit after
another as far as he is concerned. His
former manager, h. T. O'Sullivan, is
ready to slap an attachment on any
money he may have. Also, O'Sullivan
still holds the $4,000 forfeit which
Grant Hugh Browne posted with Darcy
to bind the match with Mccoy.
If Browne can pry Darcy loose from
his entanglements he says that he will
match him with Dillon or Miske; that
is, if ne can get the Australian into the
ring with either of them without the
aid of n derrick.
The boxing commissioners two OF
them, count them. two suspended the
Olympic and Empire clubs and listened
10 some exchanges of rhetoric by
James Jitney Johnston, Baron Of The
Bronx. and Colonel John j. Reisler,
the militant barber Of the Harlem Coal
Belt.
Sidesteps Cowler's Party
10 seems that Joe Bond, Reisler' 5
latest heavyweight importation, had an
engagement with Tom Cowler. a truck
horse in the Johnston stable. At the
late minute Reisler decided that IT
would be lot safer for Bond to fight
Sailor Carroll, the meek mariner VINO
was torpedoed by Al Reich some time
back. Hence the debate, upon which
the commission came TO 10 decision
whatsoever.
This again brought out the fact that
boxers are supposed to have written
agreements. IL IS supposed that verbal
agreements had TO be allowed owing
10 the fact that few boxers are able
TO write. Very few OF them are dumb,
however.
Judge Frederick h. Groehl. former
assistant district attorney under Gov
ernor Whitman, has few kind words
10 say for the boxing game, which IS
being prepared for walking the plank
at Albany. The judge says:
what is more pleasing than 10
sec two clean-cut athletes IN
competition Of science, each match
ing his knowledge Of boxing
against the other? ! have been an
admircr Of boxing ever since ! was
youngster. / often boxed my
self, simply for the sake Of keep
ing myself In shape for my studies
at school, and wish to say that
don't regret H. Even now ] attend
the big pugilistic attractions, and
so far see no harm in them.
Governor whitman while At
Andover College boxed many times
nlonu the Hnmc linca that 1 did