The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-01-13
TOPUT THE LAW TOATEST.
The Governor to Be Given a Chance to
Show His Hand Monday.

Place-Lioenses Issued by the City
for the Fake Meeting and the Big
Fight - Bowden Not Afraid of the
Threats of Calling Out the Militia.
Jacksonville, Fla, Jan. 12.-The fight
between the Duval Athletic Club and
Gov, Mitchell is rapidly nearing that
stage where some more powerful weapons
than words will have to be used, that is,
unless it should develop that each party
to the controversy has only been engaged
in big game of bluff So far the contest
between the club and the governor has
been waged entirely with jaws, but next
Monday night some other weapon will
have to be used by the governor, if the
promoters of prize fights in this
state are to be downed. On that date,
Jan. 15, Harris and Watkins, negro pugil
lists, arc billed to fight at the opera house
in this city, under articles of agreement
identical with those signed by Corbett
and Mitchell for their proposed match on
Jan. 25. The city licenses for the fight
between the negroes and for that between
the Englishman and Californian, have
been issued and are now in the hands of
the respective applicants, George Siler
and the Duval Athletic Club. The licenses
were issued to-day.
TEXT OF THE APPLICATIONS.
The applications in both cases, with the
proper change of names and localities,
read as follows.
To Whom It May Concern:
Whereas, harry Mason, on behalf OF James
j. Corhett of California, and Charles Mitchell,
of England, and as required by the city of
Jacksonville, entitled "an ordinance to regu-
late exhibitions of skill in boxing or glove
contests" published Jan. g. 1894, has given
twentyfOur hours notice OF purpose TO hold
and have glove contest or exhibition OF skill
in boxing with the said James J. Corbett
and Charles Mitchell as principals, said con
test to take place at the fair grounds in
the Fairfield suburb OF Jacksonville, on
Thursday, Jan. %. 1894 and the license OF
twenty five (325) dollars. provided by law as
one OF the conditions upon which permission
for such glove contest or boxing match shall
take place, having been paid to the city treas
urer, as is evidenced by the latters receipt
therefor, on file in this otice now therefore,
by virtue of the authority and Injunction en-
braced in the provisions OF the ordinance
above cited, permission is hereby granted to
James j. Corbett, of California, and
Charles Mitchell, of England, to engage in and
have glove contest or exhibition OF skill in
boxing at the fair grounds building in 4 airheld,
%. 1894, provided always that all other condi-
tions not herein referred to and embraced in
the provisions OF the ordinance regulating ex-
hibits OF skill in boxing or glove contests
shall be complied with in all respects.
Given under my hand and,the corporate seal
of the city Of Jacksonville, this 18th day OF
January, A. D.. 1894.
-. WILLIAM c. WEST, Recorder.
TEXT OF THE LICENSES.
The licenses which have been issued by
the city granting official permission to
George Siler and the Duval Athletic Club
to hold these contests are worded as fol-
lows:
City OF Jacksonville, Duval County, Fla:
In consideration Of the sum Of SIS paid TO the
collector of taxes, the Duval Athletic Club,
for James j. Corbett and Charles Mitchell, is
hereby licensed to manage the business or oc-
cupation OF an exhibition OF skin In boxing or
glove contest for the period commencing
Thursday, Jan. %, 1894, and ending Jan. ~,
1924 to be carried on at the fair grounds
building, within the city. Wv,
WILLIAM G. WEST,
Dated, Jan 12, 1891. Recorder.
SILER ONLY A FIGUREHEAD.
Although the application for a license
for the match between the negroes is
signed by George Siler Chicago news
paper man now in the city, it is the gen
eral belief that he is simply acting for
the Duval Athletic Club. The club hopes
that the contest between the negroes will
force the governor to show his hand. So
far the club has been handicapped by ig
norance of the methods which the gov
ernor proposed to use to stop the Corbett-
Mitchell mill. They hope that the match
between the negroes will clear up this
point. As has Been stated in these dis
patches, the licenses are issued under the
ordinance recently passed by the city
council over Mayor Fletchers veto, legal
izing glove contests" in jacksonville.
THE GOVERNORS CONTENTION.
Gov. Mitchell's contention has been
that prize fights are violative Of the laws
of Florida. If the contention be true the
issuance of the licenses for the matches
amounts to nothing, for the ordinance un-
der which the permits were issued Is
null and void, as the city council has no
right to pass laws which are an antago-
nism to the statutes Of the
state, but the courts have
not yet passed on the governors conten-
tion that prize fights are illegal in this
state, and the club hopes that the match
between the negroes will bring the con-
troversy to an issue. The promoters Of
the contest have all along claimed that
they were not afraid of a court decision,
but they seemed to want decision from
an inferior court, as IL Is well known that
members of the supreme court have In
formed the governor and attorney general
that prize fights are prohibited by the
Florida law.
TO EvADg THE SUPREME COURT.
II the negroes should be arrested Mon
day night and released by the Jackson
VILE courts the club people think that
they will have plain sailing for the Cor
bett-Mitchell match, as the state cannot
appeal to the supreme court, the right of
appeal in criminal cases lying only with
the defendant The governor, however,
has repeatedly announced that he will re-
gard no decision in tho matter save one.
from the supreme court, and even If af-
fairs 20 as the club people hope, in the
case of the negroes, the action of Gov
Mitchell in regard 10 the Corbett-Mitchell
mill will still be problematical.
NOT AFRAID or THE MILITIA.
Manager Bowden and the rest Of the
club member this morning spoke with
utter unconcern regarding the visit Of the
state guard officers TO the city last night,
and one Of the prominent promoters Of
the contest said 1--WE don't care in the
least what conferences are held between
the governor and militia authorities We
will have this contest and the militia will
not interfere"
Manager Bowden yesterday wired the
governor for permission to publish all the
correspondence that had passed between
the executive and the club in regard TO
the proposed fight, but so far no answer
has been received.
A