The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-01-12
Gov. MITCHELL'S BACK UP.
The Clubs DUfianCeS Only Make Him
the More Determined.


the Governor Will Place the
County Under Martial Law So
AS to Protect the Sheriff and
His Bondsmen From Loss.
jacksonville, Fla, Jan. 1.-THE gov
ernor of Florida has got his back up.
The numerous defiances and manifestos
of the Duval Athletic Climb has clinched
his determination to stop the Corbett-
Mitchell fight at all hazards The club
has thrown down the gauntlet and he has
accepted the challenge. His adjutant
general, Patrick Houston, is in the city
under orders of the chief executive, who
is also cemmander-in-chief of the state
troops, to investigate the situation and
report. The adjutant general and Sheriff
Everett hotel for over an hour this morn
ing and the situation was fully discussed
THE ADJUTANT INTERVIEWED.
The Southern Associated Press corre-
spondent met the adjutant general to-
night and asked if he was here to stop
the fight. He said "No,' adding that he
was here simply in obedience to the or
ders of the governor instructing him to
investigate as to the situation and report.
He could not say what the intentions Of
the governor were. He could not even
express an opinion concerning them.
1t was rumored that the adjutant gen.
eral had all the commanders of the Jack
sonville companies in to see him and gave
them orders relative to stopping the con-
test. There was no truth in the rumor,
further than that the commanders of the
city companies called upon him TO pay
their respects.
THE LENGTH OF HIS STAY.
Gen. Houston was also asked how long
he would be in the city, in fact, if he was
going to remain here until after Jan. 25
He replied that he did not know how long
he would remain. He would be here un-
til he had complied with the instructions
of the governor. 1t is said that the gov
ernor purposes to keep the adjutant gen
eral right on the scene with full power to
mass the troops should the emergency re-
quire that the sheriff be supported by
more force than he can muster in depu-
ties.
THE SHERIFF IN A QUANDARY.
Some time ago Sheriff Broward wrote
to the governor and asked him to instruct
him as to what proceedings he, the
sheriff, should take to stop the Corbett-
Mitchell contest.
The letter was written upon the request
of the bondsmen of the sheriff. who wish
to be protected. The sheriff's bond is for
$4,000. There are five securities. Each
is liable for 81, 600 and for the whole In
default of the others. The sheriff has
received no reply from the governor
He has been all at sea. His
bondsmen are his friends and
he would cut off his right hand
rather than see them suffer loss. On the
other hand, he knows that if he does not
l.. -.
will be cut off. He has been between the
devil and the deep blue sea. The bonds
men can go to the sheriff and notify him
to relieve them from his bond. Then the
sheriff would have to get new bond, and
in case he could not get new bond the
Office of sheriff would practically be va
cant. If he were showed to that ex-
tremity, it would mean the same thing as
chopping off his head.
The action of the governor in putting
him is such hole has been severely crit
icised in this county. 1t is thought that
the presence of the adjutant general
means that the governor appreciates the
position in which he has placed the sher-
iff and that he means to declare martial
law and make the state responsible and
not Sheriff Broward, nor his sureties, at
the same time expecting Sheriff Brow
ard to dohis duty and render all the aid he
can to the adjutant general. In the event
of a declara tiOn Of martial law, the sher-
iff could not be sued for damages on his
bond, and nothing could be recovered
from the governor as the states chief ex-
ecutive or the state itself.
BOUND TO STOP 1T.
1t is the general opinion here that Gov.
Mitchell proposes to stop the fight if he
has to mass the entire militia of the state
in jacksonville. No one who understood
the np1l gifOnfinn has bp1iauaA
that the contest would be permitted in
Jacksonville, and, in spite of the repeated
declarations of the athletic club to the
contrary, these dispatches have so stated.
If the promoters of the fight bring Mitch
ell and Corbett together in Florida they
will have to do it secretly in the woods,
so secretly that the governor can gain no
inkling Of where the meeting is TO occur.
THE GOVERNOR THOROUGHLY AROUSED.
The Southern Associated Press corre-
spondent has IL from gentlemen close to
the governor that he has been thoroughly
aroused by the defiant attitude of the
club and vows that the fight shall not oc-
cur If he can prevent it. The governor Is
also credited with saying that if the fight
occurs secretly he will use every effort to
land the principals and promoters in jail.
THE CLUB BLUFFING.
The Southern Associated Press corre-
spondeut learned tonight from thor
oughly reliable source that the club is not
and has not been so confident of its ability
TO bring about the contest as the state
ments it has been been giving out would
lead the public to believe. These state
meuts have been it is said, "big bluffs"
given out to sustain interest in the match,
and with the hope that something might
turn up to allay the opposition to the mill.
THE CLUBS ATTORNEYS NOT CONFIDENT.
1t is also reported that the clubs attor-
neys do not believe that the fight can be
pulled OFF, publicly in the face of the
governors opposition.
A prominent newspaper correspondent,
whose name cannot be divulged, called on
one of the leading attorneys of the club
recently and asked him about the pros
poets of the fight. The attorney refused
TO talk for publication, but as he was on
intimate terms with the correspondent.
practically admitted that the governor
had the club In a hole, and that nothing
could be done if the executive persisted
in his attitude.
Up to date it looks as il the club people
have been playing "blurn game, and so
far the governor has called them down
every time.
THE MILL BETWEEN THE NEGROES.
The promoters of the contest between
the negroes, Perry and Watkins, have
A1ad uar,1fao ffCtY ,a,ffh ofe,r