St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-04

HWlul u tllluh VI tNO lhcH lldulllS dNu
manning each other until n or the
other shall be, as they call it, knocked
out think it's a horrid, cruel thing"
And Mrs. James J.. Corbett, the
famous pugilisI's wife, gave her head a
decided shake as she concluded. There
was no attempt at atfectatiOn and 1t was
evident to a reporter for the New York
World that she was sincere in her Mt
terances of dislike against her husbands
profession.
She is an interesting Young woman,
this petite wife of brawney jim COrbett.
and as pretty as she is interesting. a
pronounced blonde, looking not a day
older than the twenIy-three years she
confesseS to, with a wealth of yellow
golden hair piled artistically on a
queenly little head, large gray.b blue
eyes shaded by long, dark lasheS. a fair
complexion, and a figure whose contour
is perfection, 1t seemed pretty hard to
imagine her a prize fighters wife as she
sat in the cozy parlor in a light-blue
bodice, with natty polka-dot tie, plain
navy-blue skirt. and tiny russell shoes
setting off the comeliness of the young
lady.
A Romantic Marriage.
Corbett's marriage was rather roman
tic. in fact included what might he
called III elopemtnt. When the now
famous fighter was one Of San Francis
eos amateur athletes he met his wife, a
Miss Ollie Lake. Mr.. Lake, Ollie'S
father, was a widower who had come to
California from Amsterdam, n. Y, in
1863, when the girl was still a baby in
her mothers arms. Miss Lake was
studying for a Schoolteacher'S position
in the state normal school when young
jim met her. An affection sprang up
between the young folks, but COrbett's
parents would not sanction an engage
ment, the Lakes being Congregational
ISIS while tile Corbetts were stanch
Roman Catholics.
The sweethearts were perforce OBJ
liged to wait. In 1856 jim travelled to
Salt Lake City to fight Duncan McDon-
I'D. There Miss Lake Joined him, and
A second ceremony was performed
when the happy pair returned to San
Francisco. Mrs. Corbett embracing the
Roman Catholic faith to cOnciliate her
%parentS-in law. A school teachers GER
tificate to the state normal school await
ed Miss Ollie Lake in San Francisco
while she was being married in Salt
Lake City.
Mrs. Corbett went to Paris some
months ago, only returning to New
York July /. She has been stopping at
the Coleman house, with occasional
visits to her husband at ASbury Park.
A reporter saw Mrs. Corbett at the
Coleman house yesterday. She was at
first averse to talking Of the fight, but
the reporters query, do you like
pugilism?" brought out the exclamation
Mt the head of this column, and there
after she answered the questions with
out any of her former reservation.
Would you have preferred Your hus-
band to have remained as boxing IN
structor of the Olympic club?' was the
next query.
"Oh. much better, indeed. There, you
see, he had things quite steady. We
knew just how much was coming in
each month and how much was going
out. Of course, he makes much more
money now, but he spends more, too.
You must spend a lot. you know. when
running around like Mr.. Corbett has to.
Those were quiet happy DAYS we spent
in San Francisco, although people said
very cruel things about me at the time,
and even now they say that l led him
into the pugilistic business. But it is
all a lie and a SANDER. l was much OPP
posed to it all, and after we returned
from Salt Lake tried hard to dissuade
hin ilOii SOllS lilo IL IHC OCSI plOOl
of what say is the fact that for a year
after we got back he IA clerk in the
Anglo-Nevada Assurance company"
Drifted Into PaGilism.
GLOW did your husband get into pro-
fessional fighting?"
well, he just drifted into it; that's
the proper word-he drifted into it. Of
course money! matters had also a lot to
do with it. You see, he is a born fight
er. 1t was born in him, just as a man
is born a poet or anything else. His
ambition was always as an amateur to
beat every other amateur. AS long as
he remained an amateur did not mind.
In fact, | rather liked it. l think all
men should be athletes. We women
love TO see strong, handsome men, and
my husband is both of these. 1 didn't
want him to meet Joe ChOynski,
the instructorship of the Olym-
pic club, and that had made
him a professional. Then. after he
fought Choynski, he was fairly launched
on his career. / tried hard TO dissuade
him at the start, but [ soon saw that it
was useless. and then there was a great
deal of money to be made in it. and so
it has gone III. Yes, indeed, he simply
drifted into it,"
"H0W 90 you regard his coming fight
with John l.. Sullivan?"
''Ob. he will win; there is no donbt
about that. He always wins. l think
SO, of course, because / am his wife and
also because-welI--"
Mrs. Corbet: hesitated. She seemed
to be at a loss.
"Why do you think that he will win,
leaving wIfeiy prejudice out of the
question:" prompted the reporter.
WELL. because Mr.. Corbett is more
scientifc-yes, that's the word-than
MIR. Sullivan. Everybody says so. He
is quicker. too. in every way"
Met the Champion.