El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-08-03
Tricks In Every
Trade But Ours
How Jack Ryan and Kid Suffer Pulled Off the Real
Thing in Indiana After the New Boxing Law Was
Passed; Mayor Puts Ban on Prize Fights
But Permits Sparring Exhibition.

- NJ
{ IRON the earliest accounts we have
l Of boxing until the present day
/ the game has always had its troubles
with the authorities. This has been
due many times TO the fact that the
boxing ranks have been infested with
gamblers, frame up pugs and other
blots on the game. Objections have
also come from the other extreme
from a class OF lifelong nonenities
who put no punch in anything and
OBJECT 10 anybody else displaying
any life. The latter have always
been ably assisted by a goodly num-
Der OF broken down sports who raised
particular Gehenna in their youth
and reformed when their steam gave
out
Boxing viii occupy its real and
useful place when both classes
are sent in body TO clear UP the
jungle along the Amazon or are
otherwise usefully engaged. In
III that time the game must Grip
PIE along in the same old way.
The New Law.
Many old followers OF the game in
the state Of Indiana recall q mitt
battle pulled off near Indianapolis
shortly after a more stringent boxing
law was passed in that state in 1894.
As interpreted by the attorney gem
eral OF the state. the new law per-
mitted only bona fide glove exhibit
tions Of skill wherein the principals
boxed a limited number OF rounds
and where no purse or prize was Of
1ered as an inducement for the con-
testants."
Prior to the passing Of this law
boxing had flourished in the HOosier
capital, weekly bouts being held The
1lrst bout scheduled after the law
was passed was promptly stopped
and not bout was staged in the
next two months. BY that time the
fans were as hungry for an oldtime
boxing show as old habituals were
for a drink after FL Paso had been
bone dry Tor two months An In
dlanapolls promoter conceived the
idea Of selling tickets 10 the sports
IN the city and pElliug off the bout
in a town some 20 miles away.
On inside information the tick
cts sold like hot cakes. Arrange
ments were made with the author
tiles Of the town to hold a box
Ing exhibition according TO the
laws of the state. all brutality
AID law violations TO be strictly
avoided.
Everything went ali right until
one Of the indianapolis authorities
heard about the bout and through
the attorney general the matter was
taken up with the mayor OF the town
attorney general that he would at
tend the bout in person and see that
ii was legally conducted
Suffer over Weight.
The bout was between a well
known indianapolis boxer, whom we
OF Syracuse, n. y. Ryan arrived in
the town about noon on the day Of
the battle. He weighed 1873 pounds.
Suffer was due at 6 o'clock that even
ing and a crowd was waiting at the
station TO see him. When he stepped
poor Ryan. for there was no doubt
that Suffer tipped the beam at about
100 pounds. He said he weighed 40
but everybody knew that he lied.
A Brutal Fighter.
Suffer proceeded TO get a few
drinks and then relate to assembling
crowds what he intended to do to
Ryan He repeated every other /
breath that he would knock Ryan /
cold and that the purse money of /
$500 for which he was to battle, must /
be in his pocket before the affair be- I
gan, all OF which was carried TO the ]
mayor ana properly magnified by /
nose Who wanted to stop the tight l
Best Citizens Attended.
having sworn IN half dozen ex- ]
ira deputies after supper the mayor /
and the other limbs of the law pro- /
'eeded to the scene Of battle in the
-OWn hall.
Quite a number OF good citizens 1
bought tickets and attended the show,
est their presence be needed in main /
aiming law and order and 20 prevent /
B real prize fight In fact the ele-
nent that were dead sotf against Z
prize fights were there IN full force.
IF course, they cared nothing about /
he bout IT was law and order that /
Ook them there.
Prize Fight.
After two preliminaries with u
ounce gloves in which none of the /
mussed their hair. the
boxers for the main event Of 10 I
rounds entered the ring. To any
lair minded man il was q shame to d
stack RYAN up against such a handi- /
zap as Suffer and the mayor was be- /
sought TO prevent the bout He en- /
erred the ring and announced that /
as he was convinced that the affair ]
was in fact a prize fight and that the /