The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-12-29
THEY MEAN BUSINESS.
Oorbett and Mitchell Show Their
Willingness to Fight.
THE PUaILIsEs UNDER ARREST.

1t Was q Move Of the Duval Athletic
Club to Test tho Legality of the Pro-
posed "sparring Exhibition" and the
Managers Are Confident.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla, Dec. o0.-Those
who doubted tho sincerity of Champion
Jim Corbett and Charley Mitchell in
their individual effort to pull of the big
fight here in January must give way now
to the stronger evidence Of facts. The big
fighters yesterday voluntarily gave them
selves up to the authorities in order to
forestnll arrest at a later date and TO test
the legality of their proposed contest. 1t
was all prearranged plan, and so far as
the plan itself goes it was cleverly de-
vised and satisfactorily carried out
Manager j. +. 4. Bowden, of the Duval
Athletic club, has schemed for days and
nights so that there might be no inter
ference. 1t has been a cherished dream
of his and Of the other club magnates
that the big light should occur under the
supervision of the Duval Athletic club
and right here in Jacksonville.
But the vague rurnors which have filled
the air that the authorities would step in
and take hand, and the strange uncer.
tainty as to the real movements in the ex-
ecutiye Offices, have thrown a damper on
all these plans and projects. Therefore
George Il, Acosta, attorney for the club
procured warrants for the arrest of the
two puEilists, on the ground that they had
agreed TO participate in fight which was
Ito come off within the boundaries oil
Florida.
Mitchell was arrested at the Everett
House and taken before Judge Baker, OF
the county court. The pugilist was more
than surprised not to find Corbett also In
custody, but when informed by Bowder
that Corbett had been sent for and would
appear during the day he Gained his
troubled spirits The warrant was Their
read to him and he Immediately gave
bonds in the sum of 81 800 to appear be
fore the criminal court Jan. 2, 1894 Mitch
ell and his party left shortly afterward,
for the training quarters at St. Angus
tine.
! About o'clock In the afternoon Cor
bett came to town from his Mayport cot
tage. Corbett also was taken befort
Judge Baker, where he gave bonds to ap
pear before the criminal court on Jan. 2
| This latest move on the part of the man
ayers of the Duval club was entirely un
expected by the outsiders. On Monday
next either Mitchell or Corbett will b,
surrendered by his bondsmen. After h,
has been taken into custody a writ o
habeus corpus will be applied for. If it il
decided that the arrest was an Illegal on,
then preparations for the fight will con
tinue with increased vigor, as that will b.
looked upon as an evidence that no fur
ther opposition to the fight can legally b.
made. If the arrest is considered lega
then the Duval management say that thu
battle will be declared off and all worl
will be stopped. The managers are con
fident, however, that the decision will b
favorable to them, and this feeling
shared by the majority OF the citizens.
Work on the big arena Is being pushct
forward, and tickets for the contest ar
being sold in large numbers.
II. Ar hibald, one of the most prom
inent of the opposition, said today tina
whether the criminal court decided tina
the arrests were Illegal or not, it woul,
have no bearing on the case. Such dc
cision would not prevent the stopping o
the fight by Governor Mitchell, or by tn
sheriff. This view is not shared by tn
ma jority Of the people
Prosecuting Attorney Christie and Dis
trict Attorney Hartridge have wired Gov
ernor Mitchell, who is at present in Tampa
asking him TO send Attorney General La
mar to conduct tho case for the people.