Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-01-17
THAT FLORIDA FIGHT
IT WILL AT LEAST NOT TAKE PLACE
IN PUBLIC.
The Governor UnyieidIng in His Opposition
to It-Protest OF JacksonSiilians
Against Troops.

JACKSONVILLE, FLA, January i6.-
The Duval Athletic Club has played Its
last card in the contest It has been waging
with Governor Mitchell. and has lost.
That card consisted of a personal appeal
by Manager Bowden to the Governor,
begging him 10 cease his opposition and
allow the club to pull off the Corbett-
Mitchell mill publicly in Jacksonville. But
the Governor was obdurate. and told
Bowden that the fight should not take
place in Jacksonville or in Florida II he
could help 1t.
The interview between Bowden and Gov
ernor Mitchell took place in the latter s
office, at Tallahassee, the State capital,
where BOwden went last night. Attorney
General Lamar was present at the in-
terview.
It is understood that Bowden's attitude
was very much that OF a supplant He
almost implored the Governor TO let up,
but the Executive. far from being moved
1 by his humility roundly denounced the
club people for their insolent attacks,
especially in the matter of Issuing the
recent statements 20 the public in which
/ the Governors conduct towards the club
was characterized as Contemplate and
| tyrannlcal."
At the conclusion OF the interview
neither Bow,len nor the Governor was dis
/ posed to talk at any length. When asked
| for a statement for the press Bowden re-
/ piled: You may Just say that the situa-
ton Is unchanged. My interview with
! the Governor has resulted in nothing.
/ However, the mill will take place All
u h. I,,f.frn tsrtf tla Cob rhn
/ assemble in Jacksonville on or before
January 9th.
When Governor Mitchell was asked FOR
a statement he said "As far as 1 am
| concerned, the situation remains un-
| changed. I will not desist In my demand
or my efforts TO stop the fight"
THE FIGHT WILL BE SECRET.
| Nothing is left the club now but to
make arrangements for bringing Mitchell
/ and Corbett together in the woods. As
was stated in these dispatches long ago
"A secret fight has been the only resource
| left the club ever since Governor Mitchell
| announced his opposition. Manager
/ Bowden's advice for "all those who de
/ sire 20 witness the fight to assemble In
| Jacksonville on or before January 2lth
! is regarded here as an indication that thc
/ club people have thrown up the spOnge
| so far as a public fight i'm Jacksonvll,
| IS concerned. and will now perfect plans
! by which COrbett and Mitchell can mee
/ in secret and without danger Of arrest
from the State authorities.
Under the amended articles the fgh
IS TO occur either in this OuvaD county
or In St. Johns county in which st
Augustine is located, or on AnastasiS
Island where Charley Mitchell is train
ing. There was a rumor some time az,
that the cub had chosen Anastasl;
| Island as the scene OF the mill, but /
Corbett and Mitchell meet there trouble
! will likely arise. as the Governor ha'
! warned the St Johns county officer
TO be on the alert and prevent the mill.
From this on everything pertaining q
the fight will be kept n close secret b,
| the club, as only in this way can tn
/ Governor be prevented from interfering
, even though Corbett and Mitchell ar
/ brought together In the woods.
Tonight Manager Bowdcn sent the fol
lowing telegram TO the Southern Asso
| cated Press correspondent here:
"TALLAHASSEE. FLA, January 16-
] have read a sensational article writer
| by a representative OF northern am
western papers purporting 10 be an IN
terview between the Governor and my
self. The article Is purely an imaginGr
one. and is calculated to bring distrus
upon our ability to bring the Corbett
Mitchell contest 10 a successful issue
cndeavored 10 dissuade him not 20 sen
IT, but he answered that that was wha
he was paid for. VIII you send this con
tradictlOn over the Southern Associate
Press wires and allow me 10 say that
am not discouraged but on the contrary
(s!cneO ~. Il. BOWDEN."
PROTEST AGAINST TROOPS.
At a largely-attended mass-meetin
here tonight. in which some Of the mos
prominent businessmen in the count
took part, the following resolutions wcr
adopted
whereas it IS currently reported o
the streets of the city Of Jacksonvill
that Hon. II. L. Mitchell, Governor ha
instructed a number of military compa
nics throughout the state To report j
the city of Jacksonville on the 2ith IN
stant for the purpose or maintaining an
preserving the peace; and whereas ther
is no indication Of any breach Of th
peace with which the civil authorities O
the city and county are not fully abl
10 deal, and whereas we deem the mass
ing Of troops In this city under the ell
cumstances unwarrantcd BY law, -
rious reelection upon the character 9
our citizens. and a serious detriment 7
the business interests OF tho city, there
fore, the citizens Of Jacksonville and Du
Val county, lii lhcTf -Ailff-AtlB ff''7' liAf''''
pursuant TO n call of a large number O
our most eminent businessmen, 90 l.
solve as follows
"That we earnestly protest against IN
treatcned massng Of troops In our citS
we having ample confidence I'm the loca
civil authorities and their ability to fun
preserve the peace and maintain the dla
nifty Of the city and county
80 That we individually and collective
~ pledge ourselves to aid the Sheriff j
lawful efforts to discharge his duties, I
maintain and preserve the peace, and I
fully enforce the law.
"3 That we earnestly protest agains
such rumOred action on the part OF IN
Governor. and most respectfully reques
that he desist therefrom and leave IN
conJ,Ict and guidance thereof TO the locd
civil authorities.
~. That "A copy Of these resolutions b
forwarded TO the Governor"
SIMPLE FORM OF PLEADING.