The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-01-09
GAUNTLET THROWN DOWN
THE CLCB WILL NAVE THE Fi0hi
inspire or THE GOyERSOR.
itlorney-Generai Lamar hsys the MIL
VIII Not Tnke Place, But the Athieuc
Cub People Say IL VIII

JACkSONviLLE. FLA, Jan. S--iH
DuvaI Athletic club this afternoon threN
Z down the gauntlet 10 Governor Mitchei
and tn. state authorities. IL announced
that II proposed to bring about the prize
Gcht between Mitchell and CorDett des
bite the opposition OF the Governor an'
DESPITE the opinion OF Attorney-teneral
Lamar that the fight would be a violation
OF the laws OF florida.
AS will be seen from the statement by
the club. words are not minced In the
least. The club people seem TO think they
/ have the law on their side. and That
! Governor Mitchell Is acting in tyranni-
cal and extra-judiciai manner, and they
say so in plain words.
Ismsr's Statement.
The statement OF the club. which viii
/ be found below. was called forth by the
/ following letter from Attofney-General
Lamar. OF Florida. 10 the Chicago IN
/ ter-Occan. and published in that paper
! this morning:
Tallahassee. Fla, Jan. >. 1891.
Your favor of the md instant 10 hand.
Therein you request that / give YOU some
reliable information upon the probability
Of the COrbctt-Altchell prize fight TAX
Ing place IN Florida. You intimate that
you desire this for a guidance Of the
sports" now looking toward this state
Governor Mitchell has declared emphati-
cally that he would use all the power 40
his command to prcvcnt the Corbett-
Mitchell fight As you know him, and
the "old Hickory qualities Of the Cover
nor. this declaration itself settles IL that
there VIII be no fight unless the prize
fighters can. at the last moment, eVade
tie authorities.
The law in this State is ample to pre-
vent the fight and punish the fighters.
should they succeed I'm having the mill.
The Governor is charged by the Constitu-
ton with seeing that the laws are faith
fully executed. and in carrying out such
command he can use the civil ana miiita-
Is authority Of tho State.
II II becomes necessary he viii use
the latter. as well as the former. But
at present / think he deems the civil au-
thorities ample 10 cope with prize hsht-
ing You can safely say to the readers
~ tho Inter-Ocean that the Corbett-
Mitchell prize fight cannot be pulled
off, i'm Florida in the year 1891.
This letter Is n trihe extra Official IN
language and its general scope put you
asked FOR information, and II Is given.
Acknowledgement.
min 10 seon. the Attorney-General
,s vorv positivc that the fight will not be
..r,,lle1 or i'm Florida, but the Attorney
Generals positive edict against the night
is met bv as positive statement from
tho club that the contest VIII occur, and
occur in Florida at that.
TIL. Clubs Reply.
Here is what the club says In reply to
the Attorney General:
attorney General Lamar, speaking for |
himself and the Governor having declared |
in a letter in the Inter-OceaD, OF Chicago,
that the Corbett-Mitchell contest will not |
take place I'm Florida, IL is proper that |
We inform the public that neither the At
tOrney General nor the Governor possess
any judicial power. and to add that the
states officers acting under the direction
Of the Executive. have refused TO allow
any judicial determination 10y the courts
OF the law which il is claimed the con-
test will violate and TO that end have
caused the prosecution originated for the
purpose of testing the law TO be dis
missed. And further. that the Executive
OF the State. posse ssing the constitutional
prcrcgative Of asking the opinion Of the
highest judicial tribunal Of the State as
to the construction Of the statute, has
declined TO do so. The public Is hereby
assured that the contest will take place
as advertised; that no plans have been
formed or steps taken. and none will be
by either the Governor or the Attorney
General. to stop the contest. and tickets
can be bought with the confidence that it
will take place under the contract as
signed
(SigneD "TIARRY MASON,
President OF the Duval Athletic Club"
Not Defiance of Law.
In regard TO the above statement. Man
'gcr Bowden, Of the club. said TO the
southern Associated Press correspondent
BY those opposing the contest this state
nent OF the club will probably be charac-
erized as an open defiance of law and
authority, and / confidently expect 10
eal several columns of round roasting |
yen us by the State papers. But il is
" no means a defiance Of law and au-
hority. We have made our best efforts
o ascertain just what the law is, and
ave signihed our full intention of abid-
ne by the result. but we have not been
lowcd to ascertain what the law Is.
We were vii Ing TO test the case in any |
curt but that privilege was not granted |
IS. Now We propose 10 have the contest, |
nj all who want 70 see it have only TO
ecurc their seats. and they will. without
oubt. witness a scientific boxing match
or the championship of the world"