Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-09-15
CHAMPION CORBETT.
Historical Sketch of Father,
Mother and Ten Brothers
and Sisters.
The0ld Gentleman ISa Prosperous
Liveryman and Under
taker.
Pugilistic Jim is a Great
Pet Of His Dear
Mother.

in the fists arena, hundreds of people
have been making inquili>- Of the vic
ter. The Democrat has been favored
With an interview with jim Corbett,
nearly month before the battle took
place. 1t will be read with a good
deal of interest.
The Corbetts are an interesting fam
lily. There are twelve all told, and a
picture of them tells a story of sturdy
manhood and splendid Womanhood
Mr.. Patrick Corbett is 58 years Old,
while Mrs. Catherine Corbett is his
junior by few months. The ages Of
their ten children are as follows:
Frank, 80; Harry, 50; Esther, 2Si
jim dhe champion 26; John "a,
Theresa, D; Mamie, 20; Katie, IS;
Joe, Is, and Tom, ID.
Corbett pere, is the proprietor of 4
large livery stable and undertaking
business in San Francisco, in which he
employs his son, John, as boollkeeper
Frank is a clerk in the assessors office
i'll Frisco. Harry runs Il poOlrOOm
in the Golden Gate city, and everybody
now knows Jim'S line of business. The
youngsters, Joe and Tom, are students
at the Oakland Sacred Heart college.
The four girls are unmarried and live
at home. Frank, Harry and Jim are
family men, but John has thus far
escaped the matrimonial net There is
a strong family likeness throughout the
group, but Katie, the youngest sister,
is the picture of her pugilistic brother,
with the features, of course, softened
down. She is the acknowledged
beauty Of the family.
In an interview Jim was asked, ''Is
your pugilistic ability an Inheritance"
''WeIl, hardly" laughed the big
Californian. My mothers brother,
Tom Mcdonald, was a very clever
collar and elbow wrestler, but that is
tic only member of our family who mas
come to public notice as = sport, and
he never Wrestl9d professionally.
Oh, no. I'm the only black sheep. My
brother, Joe, I think, would turn out
a wonderful boxer if allowed to follow
it up. The kid is at college now and
is great boy for baseball and all
sports, but seems cut out for a boxer.
He is naturally quick and active and
has taken a liking to sparring, but NY
father will take care that he doesn't
get too fond of it. One pugiIist in the
family is enough for him"
''FrOm your fathers photograph, he
looks like a man that could take care
Of himself, if pushed to take his part,"
suggested the interviewer
81 guess he could, though I've never
known him to fight" said jim. "He's
a siX-fCoter, weighs about $50 pounds
and is very strong Really" added
Jim i'll pcnsive way, Il could never
thoroughly understand my father. [
always leaned to mother Fathers a
determined man, awfully quick tenn
pered and harsh at tic,4s. Mother
is just the opposite, kind, affectionate,
easy. At home 1 was always with
mother and the sisters rather soft of
NE, I dare say. When father makes
up his mind to a Thing nothing can
change him."
'Well, his obstanacy didn't stop your
fighting, did it?'
eyes, indeed it did," replied Corbett,
quickly Chat is, in way. TIe was
determined to stop my light with
ChoynsH before the California Ath-
letic club for a $4,000 purse, and /
lad to go off on the quiet and fight for
$1,000"
Il suppose Joe is your favorite broth.
err? was the reporters conclusion.
ooh, come, now, don't print anything
like that" said Corbett, hastily, ''be-
cause that wouldn't be fair. ike
them all equally. I'm interested in
joe, because he's just such fellow
as was at his age, full of life and fond
of sport. Katie is the youngest sister
and looks a great deal like me. But
when it comes down they are all nv
brothers and sisters. and love one lust
as much as do the other" Then he
said, softly: 81 have only one favorite
my mother"
isn't a younger Mrs. Corbett also a
favoite? pertly inquired a pretty,
blonde-haired young woman, swinging
in hammock on the piazza, who had
helped freshen Jims memory on the
ages of his brothers and sisters.
But the pugilist was looking steadily
into space as # to conjure up the dear
face in far off California, and made no
reply.
Waupaca is shipping ten carloads Of
potatoes daily. The price is 40 cents
per bushel