Show HOW 70 STOP A PRIZE FIGHT Is a question propounded by the christian temperance union how the ogden officers hid behind the phantom idea of a clovo contest for points mayor boyle city attorney allison county attorney halverson chief ot police davenport and sheriff layne are all placed on the rack out all plead ignorance of ability to determine the line between a prize fight and a glove contest for Poin tsA racy story of how an attempt was made to stop the recent prize fight editor standard apropos of the late prize fight in ogden there was some earnest work done by some ot the citizens against the officials allowing that event to take place as soon as they fully realized that there was to be a prize fight several organizations appointed committees to represent them before the lord mayor and other city officials for the purpose of protesting against the city on the south using ogden as a safety deposit suburb for prize fights in which it would not allow its policemen to indulge within its own borders and also bearing petitions to our officials asking them to uso their authority to call off the fight by the way perhaps prize fights are the means the salt lake policemen take of punishing their enemies and getting even with them for certainly it a policeman so punished another of the criminal class while in the act of ar him said policeman would be liable to a charge of assault and battery it his did not happen to be guilty of the crime tor which be was arrested to return to the subject among the organizations above mentioned was the christian temperance union tho members of which knew what they wanted and why they wanted it and were not backward about asking tor the same after having sent written protests to abo papers a from the W C T U called upon the different officials in order to find out as one ot them said who was who well not to keep anyone in suspense they found out although a really good story teller would not have this tact appear until later in a speech at plain city the president of the ladles republican club said that woman in politics bad not been a very successful factor so far and said that it was because she had so many things to learn but that she was beginning to learn it is true that women learn much by experience and it is only when confronted by a hard social problem that touches her every day life that she sees any necessity tor her taking an active part in political life it Is not so much a love of money tame office or even ot power that creates the really earnest politician but it Is the outcome of having long and silently nursed a just grievance the rich rare and spicy interviews which the W C T V committee were able to report to tho union arc hereinafter recorded first they called on the city attorney because he ought to know what the state laws are and it anything can be done you know said tho right supporter of the chairman ot the committee mr allison looked regretfully after a choice havana which he threw away and then glanced inquiringly at the committee mr aall aon cant you do something to stop this prize fight said the chairman ot the committee we have been told that the law relating to prize was omitted from the state laws when they were codified but does that annul the law why said mr allison looking surprised and reach lag tor a copy of the laws of utah 1 I dont know why any one should tell you that it was a territorial law and it still reads just the bamo section says every person who edgag oa in instigates encourages or promotes any ring or arizo fight or premeditated fight or contention either as principal aid second umpire sur beon or otherwise Is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison not exceeding two years and section every person wilfully present as a spectator at any fight or contention mentioned in the preceding section Is guilty of a misdemeanor well eald the chairman the law seems to me to bo very explicit on the subject ot prize fighting yes said the attorney assuming a confidential air but you it Is just this they dont admit that it is a prize fight and they have taken out a II 11 censo under a city ordinance which allows glove contests although there la no doubt in my mind resumed the attorney with a characteristically sarcastic little smile but that this la just a plain prize fight now you wo went on the attorney that I 1 have no jurisdiction over any thing but the city ordinances but tho county attorney would have jurisdiction if a state law 1 broken so you had better eee mr halverson the commet tw just see but thinking they might see it later thoy stepped over to the office of mr halverson but were informed that tho gentleman was not la ater waiting como time they lift a note for him which road mr 0 halverton Halve raon county attorney dear sir the W C T U ot ogden hereby calls upon you to stop the prize fight which is to occur on wednesday evening at tho opera house which you can do according to of the revised statutes of utah to this they affixed their own names and added the words and 45 others afterwards on being seen by sonic of the mr II alverson bald that he fight could certainly bo topped but that the county sheriff tha ono who had power to do that now lets go and see the county sheriff said the left band tiu of the chairman supposing we dont go any farther but go and get out an injunction said the right hand supporter no we donl know diw to basalt fan the chairman it might go off besides it our place to enforce the lacfi let the officers have a chance mr layne was not in the committee looked at one another suspiciously cious ly why are they all so hard to find today but just then sir layno appeared accompanied by a willing little prisoner of a smile mr layne we have just come in to seo what you are going to do about this prize fight cant you slop it that polite official at once looked interested and eaid beaming benevolently on the committee 1 I have just been talking with chief davenport about that very thing but you see it Is just this they dont admit that it is a prize fight and they have taken out a license yes I 1 know said the chairman of the committee breaking in of course they dont admit that it is a prize fight no one expects them to it is for the officers to decide whether it is a prize fight when two men fight for and tho champion ship well said mr layne of course they can go ahead and have this prize fight under cover of this ordinance it the majority want the fight but I 1 have no doubt it there was a sufficient sentiment against it and enough influence brought to bear against it that it could be stopped of course it it turns out to be a prize fight mr davenport could stop it thinking they saw in this a polite species of an invitation to go to the next neighbor the committee moved on not wishing to farther take up the time of a man who had been so polite and had treated tho committee as it it was a distinguished foreign legation here the committee was obliged to separate after agreeing to meet again in the evening to como before the mayor but if any one sees chief davenport interview him said the chairman A short time after a part of the committee did meet chief davenport mr davenport what arc you going to do about this prize fight arent you going to stop it 1 I dont soe how I 1 can replied the chief in a contemplative tone of voice why I 1 should think you could I 1 dont soe why well maybe you know returned tho chief with rising color you see it a prize fight and there is a city ordinance licensing a glove contest well I 1 have heard about this city ordinance di nance I 1 would like to see it Just step in here and I 1 will show it to you the committee found itself in mayor boyles store the chief re turned from the rear of the store and announced that there was no copy of the ordinance there A similar quest at mr achs drug store met with better success now right here said the chief triumphantly in the revised ordinances it says provided that no person shall engage in any exhibition of self defense known the manly art or spar for points or any clovo contest in any manner or form within abo limits of ogden city without first having obtained a special license tor which ho or they shall first pay to the city recorder the sum of one hundred dollars well but that provides tor glove contests and sparring tor points objected the committee and this is a prize fight what do you call a prize fight eald the chief testily why where they fight to a finish for a prize I 1 suppose said the committee the chief nodded cither in approval or sarcasm at the definition and the committee went on it likely men would pay eo much to see two amateurs box one another a little thia must bo a prize fight well said tho chief you see they dont call it a prize fight and they have taken out a license so of course yea I 1 know said the committee we just wanted to know what you were willing to do about it and ask you to call it off because you said after that other prize fight that nobody asked you to call it oft and tho officials cant say this time that wo object to it until after it was over good day in the evening a committee of four called on the mayor elret at hia office the committee finally found the mayor just his store can wo talk to you a few bald the chairman well I 1 am in quite n hurry I 1 had my yet I 1 am very tired and consequently not in a very good humor but ladies I 1 am nt your service we are a committee of ladles who have called upon you mr boyle to see it you wont stop this prize fight why there going to he any prize fight As I 1 understand it it 1 just a glove contest which is licensed by our city ordinances din ances well but it certainly is a prize fight fc well said the mayor impatient ly dont know anything about prize I 1 had nothing to do with his whatever I 1 dont expect to go to it and I 1 time to bother with such things but why do you allow this it would come oft at provo it not here and it will leave one thousand dollar in raid the win that all into he oky iroma said the chairman oh no well then how can you tell that it will be left hero besides you license a prize fight and this certainly Is one for there Is to bo a prize ma bills and it the show it says so on also pictures bliem as fighting with bare fists oh pshaw I 1 dont bellevo it any such show bill step across the street and I 1 will show you they brought up in front of a bill board on the opposite side of the street the committee triumphant and the mayor sniffing contemptuously now hero Is tho picture and here it says but they never do fight with bare fists in a prize fight said the ag grieved mayor you said you know anything about prize fights came from the chairman slyly oh well snorted the mayor there is no use talking to you I 1 time to be bothered with such things I 1 bid you good evening and buttoning his overcoat the mayor whirled on hs hoel and made swift tracks in the direction of home and supper A quartette of did you ever arose from the committee did ho mean us or prize fights when he said such things said the chairman why he seemed mad about something he said the right hand supporter what do you suppose worried him so I 1 say much do you suppose he misconstrued my little joke why I 1 thought the interview had just begun said the chairman so did I 1 but it seems to havo terminated sine die 1 I am afraid said the left supporter with a sigh that diplomatic relations have been suddenly cut short but say shaking a stern finger at the chairman as long as you have been married dont you know better than to poke fun at a man just before supper suddenly some one noticed that no 4 who was regretfully watching a pair of horizontal coat tails as they disappeared around a corner had not said anything what are you thinking about 1 I was just thinking she said slowly that I 1 serve notice on the W C T U here and now that it the W C T U enter politics next election the whole fifty of them and use their utmost efforts to put into office men who are favorable to moral reforms and will enforce the laws they can just count me oft the roll for ive prayed and petitioned long enough now I 1 shall work from this on I 1 am a ward politician then the committee silently bended wended their way homeward silently tor they had started out to learn and they had learned and having received the first lesson they were thoughtfully conning it over again in their minds and one of the committee was reminded of her first primer lesson Is this a dog this Is a dog can the dog run yes the dog can run she remembered that she had been puzzled over the picture of the dog lying with his head on his paws and asked an older brother who was farther along in the book why dont the dog run oh coz said the boy with the scorn of a superior wisdom he dont want to and there aint nobody in the picture to make him run and this was just he same old lesson only being a political one it read Is this an officer this is an officer can the officer enforce the laws yes the officer can enforce the laws again the same old puzzle about the picture and the same old question like a flash comes to memory tho same old answer ah why is it that the first lesson always stands out in such bold relief long after the succeeding ones are to gotten it Is because that first day at school being earnest and ambitious to learn we studied so hardcover what we afterwards found was really the easiest lesson in the book LEOTA S KENNEDY |