The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-30
GOV. MITCHELL WROTHY.
HE rs DETERMIyED 10 PREVENT
THE PROPOSED MIL.
The Word slight" TO the Executive Ii
Equal TO Red Flag Before Bull,
The Pugilists "Cussing" Each other

JACKSONVILLE. FLA, Dec. 20.-Goy-
ernor Mitchell, the anti-prize-hght execu-
tive of Florida. hurled to-day another
bomb at the Duval Athletic Club, the
promoter of the proposed mill between
Corbett and Mitchell.
The story goes that the Governor is ex-
ceedingly wroth at the course Of the
Duval county judicial in arresting Corbett
and Mitchell. 1t is said that the Cover
nor has been keeping the wires hot all
day roasting Solicitor Christie, OF the
County Court. for his action In the mat
ter, charging that Christie and all the
other judicial officers of this county are
in collusion with the Duyal Athletic Club.
and are abetting the clubs efforts to pull
off the match, and that the arrests and
proposed test of the law are not In good
faith.
The Governor goes further. IL Is said.
and reiterates that the proposed hght
is in violation of the laws Of the State.
and asserts that Il shall not come of,
unless the Supreme Court decides that
such contests are legal.
ABB ue Day to- rhe sports
The judicial authorities Of this county,
who, IL is said the Governor has attacked,
refuse 10 either denX or affirm the cur
rent report. They asmit that they have
received kilograms from the Governor in
regard to the arrest of Corbett and Nit
chell and the proposed test of the law,
but the nature OF the dispatches they re-
fuse to divulge. The Southern Associated
Press correspondent, however. has IT from
inside sources that the tenor Of the tele-
grams was such as has been described,
and that Governor Mitchell was highly
indignant at what he terms the "cOilu-
sion" OF the Duval county authorities
with the promoters Of the prize fight.
At any rate, this has been rather
"blue day for the sports. and there is
rather "shaky" feeling In regard to the
pulling OFF of the fight.
Says 1t will Violate the Law
The situation is about as follows: Gov
erbor Mitchell and Attorney-Generai
Lamar, the highest law officer In the
State, assert that the proposed contest
will violate the laws Of the State. Bow
den. of the Athletic club, and his law
yers. say IL would not.
Governor Mitchell was once on the
Supreme Court bench. and il is believed
that ne knows as much about the laws
of the State as the attorneys for the
club IL is also believed that the opinion
of Attorney General Lama1 that the
proposed fight would be Illegal was pre-
pared after a consultation with the Gov
ernor and members OF the Supreme Court
as 20 the law I'm the case.
1t is significant in this connection that
Governor Mitchell says no decision save
that of the Supreme Court will deter
him from his efforts 10 stop the fight.
Those close TO the Governor believe. that
tins declaration means that the Governor
knows that the decision Of the supreme
Court will be against the legality OF the
contest
To Mellow and Jolly the Governor.
Several things have conspired 70 make
the Governor very bitter in his opposition
TO the fght. one special dispatch sent
out from Jacksonville has, il is said, cut
him to tn quick and hardened him in his
determination that no slugging match
STALL occur in Florida. The special re-
ferred to stated I'm substance that, while
the Governor was at Tampa for the holi-
days, certain parties who favored the
fight proposed TO get him of on camp
hunt and mellow him and jolly him"
into allowing the fight to come of. lt
was broadly intimated in the dispatch
that good liquids and cigars would play
a great part in the mellowing ana jolly
ing campa gn against the Governor. Nat
the Governor, and il is said that the
mention of the word fight" acts on him
like the sight Of red rag or a bull.
In confirmation Of the above state
ments Of Governor Mitchell's attitude,
dispatch Just received from Tampa says
that the Governor stated this afternoon
In the most positive terms that THE
fight will not come off in Florida He
SAYS that his plans for preventing the
fight are being contaminated. and at the
proper moment he will act.
"Ths Proper Moment"
The proper moment is supposed to
be. in the Governors opinion, when Nit
chell and Corbett are about ready TO
face one another. The Governor is fur
ther quoted as saying. Il regard this
proposed fight as an offense against the
peace and dignity Of the State, and my
determination to prevent ii is fixed
Meanwhile, COrbett and Mitchell are
engaged I'm singing bnlngsgate at one
another, to the great disgust Of the
public Corbett yesterday in an inter-
view called Mitchell "A convict and
sneak" and Mitchell replies to-day, ap-
plying similar characteristic epithets TO
Corbett. If the promoters Of the fight
should by any chance succeed ~ pulling
OH the contest utSpite the AIoNsIDOfs
and Corbett and Mitchell fight half as
well with their fists as they do with
their tongues the spectators will be sure
TO receive their moneys worth.
Governor Mitchell vii Fight 70 the Last.
TAMPA. FLA, Dec Ex-Governor Nit
chell returned last night from days
hunt. He was shown the dispatch re-
questing him to direct the attorney-gen-
eral 10 associate himself with the prose-
cution in the Corbett-Mitchell case in
Jacksonville. and said:
Il am doubtful II my authority Is suf-
iicent 10 make any such order, and
should not do II, al any rate before con-
sulting with General Lamar AS TO my
Withdrawing my opposition to the tight IN
the event of an order from Judge c8n re-
leasing thr men, | will say that the Flor.-
da Supreme CoIrt. the court of last re-
sort. is the only one l will yield TO in
this instance. There are seven circuit
judges, and each one may have a differ
ent opinion. At any rate l know the law
quite as well as any one of the circuit
judges. shall, therefore, do all in my
power to stop this fight until the man
date OF the Supreme Court compels me
to Cesist."