Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-01-22
MITCHELL GOES LAME.
The English Pugilist Is Not Anx-
ious to Fight.
THE BIG MATCH MAY NOT COME OFF

A sprained Ankle aud a Dislike to Sleep
ing In the Woods In a Palace Car Given
as Reasons For Backing Out-He Has
Much at Stake.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla, Jan. GA report
has come up from the Mitchell training
quarters to the effect that the English
champion had sprained and wrenched his
leg during his exercise. The club sent
commissioner to Anastasia island to notify
Mitchell that special car would be in
readiness for him on Wednesday morning.
According to the commissioner when he
returned, Mitchell was in very unpleas-
ant state of mind when he learned what
was required of him. 1t is said that he de-
clared he would not fight under the aus
pieces of such club and that he had put up
with too many of their bluffs already.
The commissioner was then told of the
injury which the English champion had
sustained. How serious that may be is not
learned. AL Smith, however, came out
with a proposition in which he offered to
bet s., 200 against 81, 200 that, sprained an
kle or not, Mitchell would get into the ring
with Corbett on Thursday.
The Duval club has issued an edict in re-
Spouse to the assertions which Mitchell is
said to have made, in which the English
man is served with formal warning that
the club would claim his forfeit of S., 900 if
he did not appear at the point indicated in
the original summons Wednesday at a.
m. In addition to this it is authoritatively
stated that the referee will award the S., 900
side bet to Corbett in that event.
Looks Like Breakdown.
Another account says that there is hard
ly chance now that the Corbett-Mitchell
fight will take place. If Mitchell has not
backed down, he has come close to it. To-
day he gave out the following letter:
CHARLES MTTCHELL-1n answer to Your tele
gram of even date will say that we had pro-
vided at our expense a sure plan by which you
could have reached the battle-ground in safety
from arrest or interference and which you
jected. You will please report to this club, 631a
Bay street, the morning of Jan. 25, at 6
HARRY MASON,
President Duval Athletic Club.
Mitchell declared to the reporters that he
would pay no attention 10 the letter. Pm
not going to go there and be followed by a
mob. That will give the whole bleeding
thing away. Why, that clubw be watch
ed all night. Those Duval people are a
lot of chumps. They wanted me to go on
a car to Georgia the day before the contest
and fight there after sleeping in the woods
all night. l told them I'd see them blowed
first, and this is what they give me in re-
turn. What do you think of themf"
This is not Mitchell real reason. He
sprained his ankle couple of days ago,
and it is now in bandages. He wrenched a
tendon while running up and down the
steps of the lighthouse.
The injury was not serious, but it was
evident to the Englishman that he would
get lame in the ring if the battle was Of
any length, and he took advantage of this
loophole. The fact of this injury to his
tendon has been kept very quiet. When
the news of Mitchell's action reached the
Duval Athletic club, they were astonished.
A man close to the club declared that if
Mitchell backed down completely it would
prove costly for him, as Referee Kelly
would decide against him the $1,000 bet
Mitchell has with Brady that he will be at
the ringside and the 5000 side bet now in
the hands of Dave Blanchard of Boston.