Evening journal., 1894-01-25


Appearing In Fine Condition Ref
cree Kelley Had the Purse Money
In Cash Before the Fight Started.
Thousands OF Men stood in the Rain
and Saw what They Could Dempsey
aud Hall Inspected the Ring Before
the Fight Began, aud Ordered Impor-
tant Changes Made inside.
JACKSONVILLE. Fla. Jan. %. The pros.
poets that Corbett and Mitchell will fight
here today are of the best. Judge Call OF
the circuit court has declared himself upon
the question of law and has said that there
Is no legal reason why the fight should not
be held in the arena at Jack The
members of the city council have declared
In effect that the city OF Jacksonville, OIL.
cially speaking, will do no more than see
that the DuvM Athletic club has permit
for the fight and that the gloves do not
weigh less than five ounces each
Governor Mitchell has gone upon record
through Attorney General Lamar, who
now says that, the matter having been set
tied by the courts, he will not declare mar
tial law Ia Jacksonville. The militia which
has been brought here TO suppress the fight
will very probably attend H. special rate
of $40 each having been mnde for them.
They are very grateful to the governor.
In spite Of the statement that the First
battalion was ordered out, it did not put
IN an appearance, even the Jacksonville
company not being called TO do duty fur
ther than to assemble at the armory for a
few minutes, and then the men returned
TO their respective places of business. It
is understood that some of the outside
companies of the battalion were under
arms, but the order Co move was not given.
Barriers Burned Away.
The city council of Jacksonville resolved
10 meet in special session this morning to
consider the situation in all Of It's various
/ aspects, but as this action was decided
upon before it was learned that the gov
ernor had determined not TO declare mar
tal law 10 is highly probable that no action
Of great Importance will be taken. The
members of the council are determined,
however, to uphold the dignity Of the
| city" against any unwarranted official in
fringement.
Mitchell is In his room at the Hotel Ev-
erett and Corbett is at the st. James. All
obstacles TO the fight have been removed,
there seems at the present moment 10 be-
absolutely nothing which can prevent It's
coming off,
The excitement in the city has been In
tense over the question of whether or not
the temporary injunction would be mad,
permanent, whether Governor Mitchell
| would declare martial law aud whether hg
would send more troops. All these ques.
tions are now at rest, and the interest in
the fight is greater at this moment than il
has ever been. The late trains last night
brought in hundredisof sporting men, who
are thronging the streets and packing the
hotels to overilowing.
The betting Is more strongly In favor OF
| Corbett than at any time yet Both men
are said to be in the very pink Of condition,
and both have declared that they will
make the effort of their lives. The bitter
feeling between them has been intensified
of late, and the struggle without doubt
will be a desperate one.
Attorney General Lamar gave ont a
statement announcing that he would abide
by the decision Of the circuit court and
that contemplated action by the state
would only be taken after the contest, pro
vded that the ruling of the court Oh the
final answer Of the sheriff should CORE
spond with that of yesterday
Adiutant General Houston received or.
ders late last night from Governor Mitch
ell instructinR him 20 order the troops OF
the Second battalion to their homes They
will be dismissed today, but will probably
remain and witness the fight
Mitchell Is Modest.
| Following the announcement of JudR,
Calls decision the crowd at the Duva
Athletic club was so great that il took hal
a dozen men TO keep pathway open foi
the pedestrians. The demand for ticket.
was such that nothing but system pre-
vented wild confusion and a rush. Finally
a scheme was arranged by which the mel
went in one at time, finding an egress a
another door, and the stream of ticket buy
ers was continuous for hours. The club
men did not forget to advertise their vic
tory.
Half an hour after the decision a ban,
wagon filed with a brass band and havinl
on it signs painted upon streamers an
nouncing the Corbett- Mitchell fight role,
into Bay street from a side alley and wa
greeted by volleys of cheers as the ban,
played lively airs
Mitchell is very modest about the out
come Of the fight and would only say: "
think have a mighty good chance-mucl
better than 2 20 / chance, as the bettinl
is. / see Corbett says he can lick me. !
would be wiser for him TO keep such re
marks to himself until after the fight
There is no sense in a mans making foo
talk like that. He never has licked me
and he don't know that he can. He onl
thinks he can. Well, 1 don't think SO, an
that's all there is to it,"
He has not yet determined how he vii
arrange his friends in the ring, but Jir
Hall, Steve O'Donnell, Jack Fogarty an
Harry Darrin will probably be with him.
Later.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla, Jan. 25.-Thi
was the greatest day in Jacksonville
; history and not an inhabitant from tn
now-overawed small boy to the gray
haired patriarch win ever forget tn
scenes that have transpired in thi
sunny city since the dawn of day.
Notwithstanding the uncertainty at
tending the fight, and the threatene
interference on the part Of state an
muuic pal authorities, men from all part
Y OF the United States and many parts {
| fbo ~uorl1 f1frorrraT fnf, "a cftu - IA I