The Portland daily press., 1894-01-23
PRIZE FIGHT In COURT.
DuVaI Club Wants an Injunction
Restraining the Sheriff.
MITCHELL OBJECTS TO DODGING
THE FLORIDA MILITIA.

The Probabilities of the Battle Occurring
as Summed Up by an Expert-Mitchell
Is Supposed To Be Bluffing, but He
Will Be Ready to Face Corbett. Whose
Chances of Winning Compared With
MitchelPs Are About Ten to Seven
Jacksonville, Fla, January 22.-The
Duval Athletic Club has asked for an in
junction restraining Sheriff Broward
from interfering with the Corbett Mitch
ell fight. The bill was filed in the state
circuit court
Referee Kelly has carried the day in
regard to the conversion of the 500, 900
check into 0,0O0 in purse money. Both
men have delegated authority in the
matter to Kelly, and he has decided to
demand the cash. The club, by unani-
nous vote, has agreed to remove the re-
strictions on the check, and allow the
referee to cash it tomorrow. Including
newspaper men, not more Than 400 stran-
gers are in town who have come to see
the contest.
New York, January 22 The Evening
Telegram's sporting writer sums up the
situation at Jacksonville as follows:
will Mitchell and Corbett be per-
mitted TO fight, and, if permitted, will
they fight? Reports from Jacksonville
in the morning newspapers agree that
Mitchell IS trying to evade Corbett. With
In refusing to be led around by the nose
by the Duval Athletic club managers l
wholly disagree. Mitchell will fight.
" If the con test does not take place the
failure should be laid at the door of the
Duval club. To my mind. however,
nothing short OF earnest military inter
ference will stop the fight. Both men
are anxious to settle their quarrel. The
Englishman is shrewd in negotiations.
He wants every concession he can get,
and he will use any means to gain his
point. The charge preferred against him
by Mr.. Bowden, that he has been reveal
ing the secret plans of the club concern
ing the hattie ground, is no doubt true.
It appears that the club intended to have
the fight take place in Florida, near the
Georgia line In case of military interfer-
ence in Florida, the party could slip over
the line and evade the soldiers. Ike
Thompson, who is looking after
Mitchell's interests, does not care to
brave the Georgia law. Corbett, he
thinks, could extricate himself easily,
but Mitchell would probably be dealt
with severely.
!" 1t will be recalled that for several
days previous to the Sullivan < ilrain
fight at Rich burg, Miss, in 1889, it was
almost universally claimed that, with
the governors of four states opposed to
the fl sht, the men would not be allowed
to enter the ring. The result is history,
and history in the Mitchell-Co affair
10 merely raOqa atinp itself
"The betting on the contest is light
AL Smith thinks the odds will be three
to one on Corbett. Corbett ought to
win. but my opinion is that these odds
do not exist between any two reasonably
matched heavyweights in the world.
would advise the short end if they exceed
two to one.
"Mitchell's courage is known; Cor
belts isn't. When Mitchell met Sullivan
at Chantilly, the latter was in his prime;
when Corbett met him at New Orleans,
he was old and stale. Mitchell was bad
ly punished by Sullivan. Corbett came
out without scratch In that battle
Corbett had everything to gain and
nothing to lose. Now he has everything
to lose and nothing to gain. This will
make a difference in his style of fighting
that is likely to prove disastrous.
Summed up, the situation is: The
men will fight unless the arrangements
are muddled by the club officials Cor
bett should win, but the betting figures
should not be more than ten to seven in
his favor"