The Morning herald., 1876-09-05
THE RECENT l'RIZE FIGHT.
Statement of Weeden.
From the Fhila. Bulletin.

L. AoAAA SAAS AAAAeSs DNAASoAA'l
James Weeden, principal in the fight, ,and
Robert Goodwin, an alder and abettor in it.,
both of whom were arrested in New York,
were brought on to this city yesterday, and
we're locked up at the Central Station, to
await the result Of coroner's inquest. The
prisoners were in charge of Officers Craw-
ford and Houser, and came on voluntarily,
not caring to wait for requisition from the
Governor of New Jersey, which would haye
been necessary If they had refused to come
without it. They do not wish to be subjects
for Jersey Justice. Weeden makes the fol-
lowing statement in regard to the affair:
"Walker and had always been friends
till we fought at DUPONT Mills, Delaware,
last fall. At one time we NOrked together
at Morris & Tasker's foundry, and always
got along well together. had no grudge
against him even when we went out to fight
on Thursday, and bad no intention of injur
ing him; and would sooner he had whipped
me, five times over, than to have hurt him
80 badly. l had no idea that he was so
badly hurt after the fight, and did not
know that he was dead till after was ar
rested. did not try to run away after the
fight. AS soon l reached Philadelphia
/ went to John Cla1k's, 1923 Flbert street,
and from there l went to my fathers,
where | stayed all day. Then I went to
New York, crossed the Desbrosses street
ferry, Goodwin being with me, and went to
Harry Hills, where I was arrested. We
went to New York to take a benefit. !
would much rather he tried in PHILADELPHIA
than in New Jersey, because have friends
in Philadelphia, and have always worked
for q 1yinr kob i.
Walker had always been following up, and
trying to make me fight. One night Invent
to an exhibition to spar for benefit, and
Walker came in with a 500 note and wanted
to fight me. He said that was coward,
and dared me to fight. This was
after our fight in Delaware. l whipped
him In that fight The stories about my
saying that was going eitherto kill him or
be killed myself in the Pennsvile fight are
entirely untrue. had no such intention,
and l never intended to fight in prize ring,
but this man followed me up, and couldn't
get out of it. Another of the untrue stories
is that my hands were poisoned, so that
wherever l struck Walker it would poison
him. There is not word of truth in this.
If had poisoned my hands, 1t would have
been worse for my hands than il was for his
Douy. walker wanted to stop fighting long
hefore he did, but his second, Sam Collyer,
would not let him. In the next to the last
round he threw me. I think it was
putting him in the open boat
under the hot sun, that killed him.
| would have been just as badly Off if they
had treated me in that way. l was kept in
bath for an hour and half, and that kept
down the Inflammation. My face would not
be marked as much as it is If | had not
drank so much rum after the fight. Rum
will make a man worse after fight than
anything else."
Lieut.. Mears, of the Delaware Harbor
Police, yesterday paid visit to the scene Of
the late fight, He reports that there is
much excitement among the residents of
that locality, and that everybody seems
anxious to have all the participants sent
there for trial.