The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-01-26

noon when Honest" John Kelly pro-
nounced him the winner OF the prize
Of $4,000 in his fight with Charles
Mitchell, champion OF England.
The fight was an easy victory for the
American champion. 1t last only three
rounds and Corbett was the aggressor
from the worry start. Mitchell was
clearly outclassed, and, although the
fight was q sharp and exciting one, it
was really a one-sided one in almost
evory particular.
There were fully 1900 people present
and all OF them wore disappointed be-
cause the spectacle was so short as to
hardly give them the worth of their
money, especially those who had paid
S25 for box seats and had come from
1000 to 5000 miles to occupy them.
Although the fight had been adver-
tised to be called at 1:30 p. IN it was
five minutes past 3 o'clock before either
ono OF the pugilists was in evidence.
Corbett was the first to arrive. Hecame
at the main entrance to the arena and
walked brisklY to the northwest corner
OF the ring, preceded by John MONEY!
and followed by William A. Brady. his
manager, and Billy Delaney and Prof.
John Donaldson.
Joe Vendig, of New York, had just
finished calling the audience to order,
ending by Introducing Billy Madden as
master of ceremonies Corbett wore
long. figured bath robe and a sofs,
round travelling hat. AS he asceuded
the stops to the ring he was greeted
with tumultuous applause, and bowling
his head he nodded his acknowledges
ments to the spectators.
He proceeded Immediately to his cor
ner, the southeast one, and took q seat.
His attendants, in the meanwhile,
arranged his buckets and sponges, and
and got the bottles, tie fans and the
towels in place conveniently at hand.
The champion had shaken hands with
Billy Madden as he crossed the ring,
but farther than this he appeared to
extend personal recognition to no one
near the ring or in the audience.
He wore an air of perfect confidence,
and smiled pleasantly at times as no
looked about him. For fully two
minutes he remained quietly seated;
then he rose deliberately, frightened the
cords of his bath robe about his waist,
and walked over to the ropes on the east
side of the ring, and threw his whole
weight against them in order to test
their strength. He was apparently
satisfied, and then returned to his cor
ner
Mitchell entered the arena eight min
utes after Corbett came in. He, too, was
dressed in bath robe and he wore
blue outing hat, which was pulled down
in front over his eyes. AS he walked
along the floor of the arena to the north
west corner of the ring, he was preceded
nv hiq ms Ril1u ThAp, Nd
was followed by Jack Fogarty, Pony
Moore, Tom All u, OF st. Louis; Harry
Darrin. who carried tho bucket and
sponges; Jim Hall, Steve O'Donnell and
Bat Masterson, of Denver.
He took his seat in the northwest cor
ner and eyed the spectators critically
while they cheered him to the echo.
He looked nervous; in fact, he has never
appeared to the critical observer to be
at all confident Of winning this fight,
although he has talked confidently and
quite as boastfully as Corbett and his
hackers. AS the English champion sat
in his corner on this occasion his under
lip was curled even moro contempt
uously than usual. and he did not make
80 favorable an impression upon the
spectators as had been expected.
Both men were now in their corners
and Honest" John Kelly was in the
center Of the ring about TO call up the
pugilists to their work. Billy Maiden
advanced to the ropes and announced
that Corbett's seconds were John Don
aldson, Jack Dempsey, William Nc
MILAN and Billy Delaney and tina; the
timekeeper for the American champion
was Ted Foley. Mitchell's seconds were
announced officially as Jim Hall, Pony
Moore, Tom Allen and Steve O'Donnell,
his timekeeper was BAT Masters on
The official timekeeper for the club
was Snapper" Garrison, of New York
At 2:l6 o'clock Billy Madden an.
nounced to the crowd that Ed. Smith,
of Denver, had challenged tho winner
in this contest to fight for $4,000 a
side and as big purse as could be
secured. This was greete d with faint
cheer and good deal of derisive
laughter.
A minute later the referee called the
men to the center Of the ring and gave
them q few brief instructions. The