Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-03-20

New YORK, March 19.-Charles
Mitchell, who is staying at the Gedney
House, rose early this morning and read
carefully the biography Of his deceased
friend and backer, Squire Abingdon
Baird. To many of the published
statements Mitchell took decided ex-
ceptions, particularly that which repre-
sented the Squire as sort OF person
about whom prize fighters we're wont to
hang, and the inference that might be
deducted concerning his own connec'
tion with the deceased millionaire.
Squire Abingdon and l." he said,
"have been friends, might say pals
for seven years, but never in my life
nave been under any obligation to
him either financially, or otherwise.
He accompanied me to this country at
his own solicitation. His solicitors,
Lumley and Lumley, then said that l
had saved life by getting him out OF
bed, and getting him to interest himself
in anything, for he had been confined
to his room for three weeks and was
not expected to live. 1t was not neces-
sary for the Squire to find any money
for me TO bind this match with Corbett.
MY FATHER-IN-LAw, PONY MOORE,
put up 81, 500 to make the match for
$40, 900 side ten weeks prior to any In
tmation that the Squire would back
me. The chances were 1000 TO l that
Abingdon would never come to the
United States, and l certainly had not
expected anything from the Squire
then. for during my previous relations
with him we had the only quarrel we
ever had. That was in connection with
the Hall-Pritchard fight. He backed
Pritchard, and l, being with Hall,
naturally regarded him In the light OF
an antagonist
Now want to make clear the way In
which the Squire came TO present me
with $40, 900 to back myself in this fight
with Corbett. On arriving in New York
we were met with the eXhorbitant de-
mand of Corbett that / should put up
S1O.O at once and In one deposit TO
secure a match or else shut up. OF
course that was rough on me, but the
Squire at once came to my assistance
and said, i will give you the money and
as much more as they want to bet.' L
thanked him and replied that $4,000
would be sufficient, adding that l
knew we could get odds for the remain
der at the ring-slde. He put the sl0.-
600 in my hands and remarked In the
presence of forty people, Here is the
money; make your own match. l want
nothing to do with 1t. II you win take
ALL The money was, therefore, a
wholly voluntary gift, which all the
more appreciated as l was not in con-
dition to refuse ii. / also want to say
that | have never been indebted other
wise to anybody In my life for dollar.
I have always been able to earn my own
living and
NEVER WAS A 'CADGER.
In talking about the offer of Jim Cor
bett to-day to fight him for the purse
and honor, without any side bet II nec-
essary, Mitchell said:
at is the only good thing ! have ever
known Jim do or say. OF course, / ap-
preciate his kindness, though / think
his charity comes little too late. The
only time want Corbett TO treat me
nice is when we are in the ring, and
then the better he treats me the worse
l will use him."
Mitchell also said that Hall was
ready to fight Ftzsimmons at the mid
die weight limit In the same week and
before the same club where the fight be-
tween himself and Corbett would come
of.
ESQUIRE Abingdon has been willing
to put up $4,000 to bind this match,
and the money is still ready, and will
be put up at any time. II was my own
opinion and that Of many others" he
said, that Hall can fight better at l5S
pounds. want IL understood that this
is not meant as bluff" It is a bon
aide offer. leave here on Wednesday
on the Majestic, and want IL understood
that Hall and his friends mean business.
The money is ready"
Ike Thompson, the wealthy book
maker, said he was willing to guaran-
tee that the money TO bind match be-
tween Hall and Fitzsimmons at the
middleweiQht limit would be put up as
soon as Fitzsimmons accepted the offer.