St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-03-02
jim C RB TT 4 FREE MAN.
i KS0NVILLE JUEY. BRINGS M A
VERDICT OF EOT lUiLTY
THE CHAMPION rs APPAAUDER.
Charlie Mitchell Congratuiates
His Opponent on the Result of
the Trial, and He Expects the
Same Treatment Witnesses
All Display Remarkable Ignc-
rance-Ihe Judges Charge.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla, March AT
3:5I this afternoon the jury i'll the case
against James j. Corbett. charged with
violating the laws of Florida by engag-
ing i'll a ur.Ze fight, retired TO make up
a verdict. At 1901, or sixteen minutes
later, the jury returned ami the fore
man handed lie verdict 10 the states
attorney. who read: I'VE, the jury,
find the defendant not guilty"
\ bread smile spread over Colbetts
face as he heard these reaSsuring words,
and the sports who crowded the court
room would have cheered had they not
been informed by Judge Phillips when
the jury came in that he would send
any person to Jail for contempt who
dared express audible approval or dis
approval Of the verdict.
Charlie Mitchell was present when
the verdict was announced, and he
leaned over and grasped Corbett by the
hand and whispered CONGRATULATIONS.
Mitchell, of course, considered the YER
dict i'll the light of a practical acqGittai
for himself, as case against him Of
slmil- nature is pending. There were
four women in the court room at the
time, two of them members of the
after Dark" company, and they
braved the wrath of Judge Phillips to
the extent OF airily waving their Lands
to Carbett. The proceedings leading
up 10 the verdict were very tame. Court
convened at $3.50 a. n, and the State re-
sumed the examination Of lis witnesses.
The attorneys for the prosecution tried
to elicit testimony to show that
THE FIGHT WAS BRUTAL
and to make the witnesses admit that
from the very brutality of the contest
Corbett and Mitchell must have have
harbored malice against one another.
The state, however, did not make much
Roadway on this line, and when it at
tempted to bring iii the check for S20.-
600 which COrbett received in public
after the fight, all the witnesses lad
seen IA piece of paper handed Cor
bett, but all were innocent of any
knowledge of its character. Jack
Keefe, who was chief of police when
the fight occurSed, and supervised it.
was questioned about the check. He
was at the theater when it was present
ed. When asked if the psper was not a
check be said that he did rot know. Up
Oh being pressed further i'll regard to
Its being check, he SAID That lie did
not know, but thought it might be
property" check, such as is used Oh
the stage. Just the same as "Drop2rty"
vegetables, which the theatrical people
make believe 10 eat. This answer
caused considerable merriment. The
state closed here and the defense all
nounced that it would introduce 10
witnesses. Argument was then begun.
The attorneys were brief, and when
they concluded Judge Phillips charged
the jury. The gist OF the charge was as
follows: at is" he said "immaterial
whether it was glove contest or a
sparripg match or boxing match, If it
constitutes and amounts TO fight as
already defined,
IT Is 4 VIOLATION
OF the law OF Florida, against fighting
by previous appointment, as the court
has already read. In considering the
guilt or innocence of the defendant,
under the second count of the informa-
ton, that is 10 say the count charging
assault and battery. il 1t appears from
the evidence that the blows were given
as result of compact which the parties
mutually agreed upon and entered into
and consented 10, the court insiructS
you that if such blows were given I'D
contest and which in the usual course
of things, being carried OH in such a
manner aS would not intiict OF
cause bodily harm or Injury
10 the person, then the con-
sent of the person receiving the
blows excuses assault and battery, and
the defendant, under such circum-
stances, cannot De found guilty of as
Sa0lt and battery. But if the contest
III which the parties were engaged
was OF such nature, and being carried
on III Sucn way as III the usual course
of things would cause bodily harm or
injury. and the blows were given with
the intention to cause bodily harm,
or appIeciable pain, the consent of the
party receiving the blows is no defense
TO the charge of assault and battery,
and the party can be convicted OF as
Sault and battery under such circum-
stances"
With this charge the jury retired. and
soon reached /; verdict of mot guilty."
as noted above. The impression here is
that
TIE WHOLE THING
has been farce. The witnesses for
the state, TO use sporting phrase. "feIl
down." and the defense had the easiest
sort of a walk-over. Wien Attorney
General Lamar was asked for an opin-
ion on the result of the case, he said !:
ut would not be good faith for me to
crticlse the verdict" "Will you push
the other cases noW?'
II cannot say yet" replied the at
torney general. 81 have wired the gov
ernor for Instructions, and the states
course i'll regard TO the other cases de-
ponds Oh the governors advice"
COrbett left TOR New Orleans tonight
with the After Dark" company