Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-12-15
C0RBETT In FLORIDA.
He Says a Good Many Uncompllmentary
Things Of Mitchell.
He MAKES A SPEECH.
Pugilism Il TO Football. He Asserts as
the Lamb Is to the
Lion.

James j. Corbett, cnafnplon oi AihciiS"'
arrived in this city to-day at O'Clock
p. VI. An enormous crowd was at the
depot when his train came In. and the
champion was greeted with cheers. Nc
attempts were made to arrest him, and
he and his party, taking carriages were
driven TO the st. James Hotel.
At the hotel Corbett was seen by the
correspondent Of the Southern Asso-
ciated Press, and talked freely OF
Mitchell and the coming fight. The cham
pion was considerably stirred up ovef
the report that he would be arrested
upon reaching Jacksonville.
I'm not afraid Of arrest on my own
account" said the champion Il have
been to Jail in my time, and can &c
again. II necessary. But I know that II
I were arrested, Mitchell would go arounc
blowing that 1 had come to Jacksonville
purposely TO be arrested so as 10 get
out OF meeting him. I'm up to Mitchelis
tricks. and l was afraid Of being ar
rested because of the use the English
blubber would make of the fact.
ANXIOUS TO MEET MITCHELL.
Il am anxious to meet Mitchell" con
tlnued the champion, "and To get him II
the ring I would be willing to stay IN
Jail six months and train on bread anc
wa r."
As Corbett said this his eyes flashed,
and he clinched his hand in way that
bodies III for Mitchell il he ever faces
Corbctt in the arena.
Regarding the claim made by Mitchell
that he wanted an earlier date than
January 18th for the fight COrbett said
THAT Is all rot. Mitchell did not
want an earlier date. The fact Is. he
wanted the fight to occur at as late
date as possible lie Is making 500
a week starring now. and VIII make II
just so long as fhe excitement about
the fight can 10 kept :? lie wanted
the fight TO be PIT off foi three months
or more so that he could rap harvest
of American dollars and still have time
to train for the contest
Brady, who was sitting by, corrOborated
COrbetts statement.
THE MATTER OF REFEREE.
There Is another point 20 be made
clear" added Corbett. "and that is with re-
ference TO the choice Of referee. Mitchell
I'm a published interview, claims that
Honest John Kelly who has been
gested by me. and accepted by him. The
very reverse Is true. Mitchell suggested
Kelly and / accepted him. The truth Is,
Mitchell is making all these statements
I'm order to confuse the public, and 10
lay the basis for as many objections as
possible.
NO matter who wins this fight" added
COrbett, Mitchell will make SlS5C OUT
of it, You see he Is under contract to
star five weeks at 5000 week. That
makes $4,000. He will get back 5000
Of the original money put up to bind the
match with Blanchard, of Boston. That
makes $1,000. He gets $500 for training
expenses, and then ne will win the Sl0D
which Brady bet him that he would not
show up II the fight comes off. making a
total OF SlS500. That's a rather nice sum
for loser, is it nOt?' queried the cham
pion.
WILL MITCHELL COME TO TIME?
DO you believe that Mitchell will com,
to timer" was asked Corbett.
For the honor of pugilism.' replied
Corbett, Il would like to believe the
Engllshman honest but Mitchell Is sucn
tricky fellow that I'm afraid he VIII
take advantage of every technicalty to
avoid a meeting with me. He wants to
keep the excitement up. however whether
ne llltItlS 10 tbfilt W llilif VI i4'Ns
Mitchell is out for the stuff and as
long as the excitement is kept up he can
get big money starring. II he does meet
me- 1t will only be after he has exhausted
every excuse to avoid IT,
The COrbett party went to Mayport
this afternoon to Inspect the training
quarters.
Corbett is looking remarkably fit. He
says he weighs 1875 In his clothes and l9l
stripped. He expects TO get down to us
or 10 by the time set for the contest.
AT THE OPERA-HOUsE.
He and his company appeared at the
| Opera House tonight. They were greet
ed by an immense crowd. At the con-
cluson of the programme the champion
| appeared and said
Ladies and Gentlemen.-I find 1t diff
cult to express my appreciation of your
! kind reception, and therefore | Will not
attempt to do so. You all know that |
| have come down here to prepare myself
to meet Mitchell, but L come to meet
| him in n boxing-match, not a prize-fght.
| | never was a principal in a prize-iight
i'm my life Every contest | ever had was
| held under protection OF the law. and
was with gloves. Some people character
| ze these contests as brutal and de-
| grading, yet the same people will attend
a football game and after seeing players
carried off the field with broken limbs,
or worse. will applaud loudly. l am an
| American and in my own country, and
/ am going to meet an Englishman. but
that cuts no figure. / want no odds. My
motto is a fair field and no favor and
| all | ask is that the referee do his duty
and let the best man win"
The applause that greeted this speech
was deafening. All talk of stopping the
contest has subsided, but no one knows
what move Governor Mitchell is nedita-
| ting.