Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-01-09
THE FLORIDA FIGHT.
Defiance Of The State Authorities All and
Singular.
POSITION OF THE CLUB.
Efforts To Ascertain the Law Made I'm
yain-PrisiIege of TEST
Case Denied.

Tho Duval Athletic Club this afternoon
threw down the gauntlet To Gov -i,,
Mitchell and the other State author.,iss
II announced that II proposed 20 bring
about the prize-hght between Corbet, and
Mitchell despite the opposition OF the
Governor and despite the opinion OF A..
torney- General Lamar that the agft VIII
be a violation Of the laws Of FlorMa.
As viii be seen from the statement by
the club. words are not minced IN ,hs
least. The club people seem 10 think ,hey
have the law on their side. ami that C.y-
ernor Mitchell Is acting IN tyrtnrFl
and extra judicial manner. and they say
so In plain words.
The statement OF the club. wh,h VIA
be found below. was called forth by o.,
following letter from Attorncy-G ne.l
Lamar. OF Florida, 10 the Chicago lnicr-
Ocean, and published In that paper ia
morning:
OFFICE OF ATToRNEY-GENEEAL.
TALLAHASSEE FLA. January D. lSA
ITO Editor lnter-Ocean:
Dear Sir,-Your favor OF the "a nsian.
10 hand Therein you request th.t
give you some reliable Information nil.
the probability OF the Corbett Mitchell
! prze-ighrs taking place in Florida. y.t
intimate that you desire this Cor a..
guidance of sports now booking toUlr.
| this state. Governor Mitchell hns de-
clared emphatically that he would us, tu
| the power at his command % pH...f
! the Corbett- Mitchell fight As you
| him, and the Old Hickory quahU.s oI
| the Governor this declaration Itself 80.
/ Ties IL that there will be no fight aU,f
! the prize-nghters can. a. the last mlm.n'.
evade the authorities.
| 'srhe law In this State IL ample to pro-.
vent the fight and punish u hgnt''
/ should they succeed In having 'mu'
| The Governor Is charged by the Cons.
tuition with seeing that the iaws are ilii
/ fully executed. and IN carrying ont alch
command he can use the civil anJ Wii-
tary authority OF the state.
"If II becomes necessary be- VIII u.r
the latter as we'll as the former. luf Hf
present | think he deems the civil author.
/ Ties ample To cope with prizo-NsfNl
! You may safely say 10 the rsflprs oi iHH
Inter-Ocean that the Corhctt Mitchell
prlze-nght cannot be- pulled on in tlIrI-
da I'm the year 1885,
This letter Is a triile extra-oh.chi u
language and general scope. hui You ara-
ed for Information aud II Is given.
VERY truly yours
w B. LAMAR.
"Attornoy-G neral.
As will be seen, the Attorney General
a. very positive that the hsht "4N nl, '.
pulled on I'm Florida, but the Atiornf
Generals positive cdlct against the hsa.
Is met by as positive statement from
the club that the contest VIII occlp, aai
occur in Florida at that.
THE CLUBS REPLY
Here IL what the club says IN reply %
the Attorney General:
Attorney General Lamar sp'aklug f'r
himself and the Governor hatinE n.
clared I'm a letter in the lntcr-oceaH
Chicago that the Corbett-Mltchel Cln,r
viii not take place In Florida. D. ls rr
that we inform the public that NET ilfi
the Attorney General nor the Govern
has any judicial power. and t1 aii MT
the State officers, acting under the oln '-
ton of the Executive. have refused
allow any Judicial determination by th'
csifis of the law which it is clnimci te
contest will violate. and 70 THAI cnl Did
caused the prosecution originated fIr
purpose OF testing the law to be iisn.
cd: and further. that the Executive '
the State. possessing the constitution u
prerogntive Of asking the opinion of iN'
highest judicial tribunal OF the state a
To the construction of the s'a'pte. ha|
declined 10 do So The public b. hrrrt
assured that the contest viii take place
as advertised. that no plans have h''1
formed or steps taken, and none "Ni h'
taken either by the Governor OF he ~
torrev- General to stop the contest. aul
4. "A conn
dence that IT will take place under ~
contract as signed.
(Signcdl HARRY MAavN'
"Presilent. FOR the Duyal Athletic clnn
IN regard TO the above statement MAJ
ager Bowden. OF the club. said t1 t
Southern Associated Press corresp9nIeit
, "Ey those opposing the contest 'n
statement Of the club WI probably h
characterized as an open defiance pi m"
, and authority. and ! confidently eAp''
10 read several columns OF round foi-'l's
niyen W by the state papers. hut u
iy no means defiance or lsN "nn " ,
ihoflty. We have made our best rH'I'
. 10 ascertain jus; what the EW D. "'
? hive signihed our full intention 0.
b abiding by the ro ar. bit w" ll'r i''
, been allowed to asrort I'm Nh't mo "
Z ls. We were willing {; 80 ih' case p
any G. iFt, but iuAt Iitf"."'
,,r,rted us. Now We Yrnf' io A.'
, contest. and II who want to f.e % N' '' n
ooiv IN secure their seats ani thtf ""
,,tfbou, doubt witness a scientific Dlii
rnotcb for the champlon5hip "i "'
world -. ,,,>,,rp,
, Tho Southern Associated Pres '"f''
, snondent has adylces from Aayr"fi "'
ahout 70 O'Clock last night some hnNN'
narson attempted 70 enter the room 90
r,,,ieI hv. Corbett The chimp.on
aroused from slumber by a noisr o., 'H
window. and springing from b'd' l',n
! thar some person had broken 'i'h .'
bilnds and was attempting 10 fti"
, | ,vIndovv sash. COrbett SEIZED hm li'.
and rushed 10 the door. when D. So"
narson I'm the act Of lenplng over
fence about ten yards nom th'
rorhatt fired at the fleeing man
times. but does not think cltn'f 'i ''
shots took eject. .t
The. sound ~ the shots alaiuri
household. and soon Mrs. Corn'u
Howard. Billy Delaney. uud thr ~
were gathered about the champ'oi. 80
: was no more sleep at the tTainlhf W."
> tors that night, for Il was belle, c-,
the person who was trying 20 'h''t h.
hetrs room INTENDED 10 do nm ''"
h,ry. so as 20 prevent his oeins
10 meet Mitchell January 5th. shV'' ''
4 fight occur. r ,..
4 "a.