ARREST OF MACE & SLADE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1301, 27 March 1883, Page 4

ARREST OF MACE & SLADE.

The ’• sparring ” exhibition between i Mace, his Maori, and other shining 1 lights of the fistic arena (says a New York paper), which was advertised to j take piece at Modison-square Garden, j did not come off. The police did not t permit the doors to be opened, and a crowd of 10,000 people were turned away. Captain Williams arrested Mace and Slade at their hotel, and took them to the Thirteith-street Police Station. They were soon after | bailed out by Harry Hill, but no at- > tempt was made to give a sparring match. Under instructions of the Police Commissioners who had the sub ; ject under their consideration for ' several days, Police Inspector Horn, in whose district the fight was to take Sloce, made a complaint before Police ; ustice Gardner, who granted the warrant for the arrest of Mace and Slade. The action of the Police Commissioners was due to a correspondence between Mayor Edson and the Police Commissioner French. The Mayor sent a letter to President French, of the Police Board, notifying him that a sparring exhibition between Mace, Slade and others was to be held in Madison-square Gardens, and calling his attention to the law forbidding such exhibitions. Mr French sent a reply saying that measures had been taken “ Io prevent any violation of the law in an exhibition of prize fighting at Madison Square Gardens as proposed.” Superintendent Walling called on the mayor in the afternoon in reference to the matter and Inspector Horn accompanied him. Captain Williams received a warrant late in the afternoon, and decided to arrest the men before they went to the Gardens. Summoning Detective J. Schmidtberger, he went to the Metropolitan Hotel, where the sparrers were stopping, and ascertained from a reporter, who had received notice from a bell boy, that they were sleeping in room No". 336, on the third floor. He and the detective ascended the stairs without letting anyone in the hotel know what their business was. The door of Mace’s room was open, and the captain and detective went in. Mace was snoring in bed, and in the adjoining room Slade was calmly and quietly sleeping. The latter was first to be aroused. He looked confused and bewildered when the captain made known his mission ; he got up rubbing his eyes, and looking around him, as though to assure himself that he was not dreaming. Mace was next shaken to sensibility, and he went through a somewhat similar performance. Mace wanted to know what the charge was, and who had made a complaint, and the warrant being read to him, he said, “ I suppose I must go, but I have'nt done anything.” Slade said, “ This is the first time the police ever laid hands on me.” Both men were a little inclined to seek delay, but the captain and his detective badc them be as lively as possible about getting ready to go to the police station. The men speedily dressed themselves and went down stairs with their captors, as though nothing had happened, and they were going simply to take a ride with friends. A coach was summoned, and the officers and their prisoners whirled away to the Thirtieth-street Police Station. The prisoners were subsequently brought before the Magistrate, and after several adjournments, the case was ultimately dismissed. Mace said the interdicted exhibition was simply intended to be a scientific display to show a gentleman how he could defend himself against a ruffian. New Yobk, February 8. Mace and Slade gave their sparring exhibition in Madisou-square Gardens to-night. Notwithstanding the great amount of free advertising they have received, the attendance was small. The spectators at no time numbered over 2000. The performance was of an uninteresting nature, and failed to awaken a semblance of enthusiasm A very large force of police, under the command of Captain Williams, was present. Mace and Slade appeared in full ring costume, Mace in blue and Slade in white. Slade’s pose was easy, his movements quick, and his reach long. In the four rounds given he showed himself active in getting away, quick in return, and a good stopper. Mace assumed his old scientific form, hands well up, and firm on his legs. His whole object seemed to be to exhibit the good points of his protege. In the final round the Maori got in sn upper cut that almost floored the ex-champion. During the evening Mace was presented with a gold-headed cane by a Boston admirer.