The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-18
CLARKE TO STOP THE FIGHT
THE STORY THAT HE WOULD Al
LOW 1T PROVES UNTRUE.

Pull on the Fight at Hot springs.
Juarez the Most Promising Site
Now Open to the SIuggers-A Ru-
NOR That Warrant Has Been
Issued for COrbett-FitEsimmon
Unwilling to Have Any Limit ON
the Number of Rounds.
Hot Springs. Ark, oct. l7.-Gov. Clarke
took his departure for Little Rock this
morning. The governor talked freely TO
a correspondent relative TO the present
aspect of affairs here regarding the Cor
bett-Fitzsimmons contest. He was ask
ed whether or not the press dispatches Of
this morning correctly reported his posi-
ton. He replied that he was not respon-
sible for the reports and that he had
found nothing during his visit to the
Springs 10 cause him to change his mind
about the contemplated prize fight.
rs it a fact, governor, that you have
promised the citizens committee that
you would let the local authorities cope
with the matter and that under no cir
cumstances would you call out the mill
itia of the state to suppress the fight If
the Florida Athletic Club insisted on go
ing on with it?"
There is no foundation for such ru-
mors." replied the governor. THE dis
patches that have appeared in the press
of this morning attributing these prom
ises TO me are incorrect. l made no such
assertions either privately or publicly
and 1 regret very much that they have
been allowed 10 appear in print
Have your views in regard to the con-
test been modified in any way?"
They have not 1 came over to Hot
Springs to see If there was not common
ground that we could find to stand upon,
but after thoroughly investigating the
matter 1 could find none whatever. 1 en-
tertain exactly the same views that did
prior to my visit and cannot see now 1
can permit anything savoring OF prize
fight TO be pulled OFF I'm Arkansas terrific
ry, 1 would like to help the citizens OF Hot
Springs in anything that would be bene-
fit to them, but there is nothing about a
prize fight that would accrue to the bene-
ut Of any community.
Did you promise the citizens commit
tee that in any event you would not call
upon the state militia to invade Garland
county for the purpose OF suppresslng the
fight?'
like It. The fact is that the military OF
the state are now holding themselves IN
readiness to respond TO a call from me az
any time. / am engaged in marshaling
my forces for any contingency that may
arise"
at is generally understood and SO re-
ported upon. the streets and in the hotel
iobbies that the citizens committee con-
vinced you that there was vast diner
ence between a prize fight and the contest
that is now proposed to be brought on
under the revised articles of agreement,
entered into by the Florida Athletic club
and the hackers of Corbett. Is such the
'That is not the fact. The committee
tried to so impress me- but failed to do
so. They showed me the revised articles
Of agreement, which We're all right. They
also gave me the tive-ounce gloves 10
look at At first glance no one who is
not posted on these matters would think
for a moment that the men could pos
sibly hurt each other with them,
but / happen to know that they
were five-ounce gloves that Corbett ana
Sullivan fought with and that majority
of the prize-fights of the present day are
fought with Mr.. Arlin, or some one else
in the committee room, admitted that
these were the gloves that Corbett and
tltzslInnohs were 70 llgnt 70 = hnlsn WIN WIN
on oct. 81, II they were not prevented
from doing so. Under the circumstances
l could see no distinction between prize
fight to a finish and a glove contest for
twenty-five rounds. Every one knows that
this fight will not last through twenty
five rounds, that either Corbett would
whip Fitzsimmons in less than twenty
five rounds or Fitzsimmons whip Corbett.
Taking this view Of the matter / could
not see the difference. j see by the dis
patches this morning that Fitzsimmons
round contest with Corbett. He refused
to do so once before and the probabilities
are that such centest could not be pull
ed off We're l to consent. Fttzsimmons
has nothing to gain by meeting Corbett
in a contest where there is a doubt Of
gaining a decision"
The governor talked pleasantly. but
firmly and the impression he left was that
he meant every word he said and that
unless something interYenes to prevent
him from doing so he VIII declare martial
law. He paid Judge Duffie a high com
pliment, saying: HE stood like an old
Roman in the committee room and
would not consent that the proposed con-
test should go on, refusing to yield or
to withdraw a wOru or syllable from the
demand made upon the governor to save
Garland county from the disgrace that
is proposed to be put upon It by having
a prize fight within its borders"
The governor stated that his office was
crowded from morning until night with
visitors from all sections of the state,
who were pleading with him to stop the
intended fight. Letters. resolutions and
petitions were stacking up high, COM
ing to him by every mail, and all were
of one tenor-oppositiOn to the fight. The
great majority of his constituents, he
declared, were bitterly opposed to allow
ing Corbett and Fitzsimmons or anybody
else to bring off a glove contest or prize
fight anywhere in the state
A line of action seems to have been
agreed upon in the Fitzsimmons
matter. This afternoon Prosecuting At
torney league had a warrant issued for
charge Of conspiracy to commit a breach
of the peace, by entering into an agree
ment to do bodily harm to one Robert
FitzsimmOns.
The warrant was placed in the hands
Of Sheriff Houpt about 2:30 o'clock and
that official went to Spring Lake, Cor
belts headquarters, to serve the papers
and bring Corbett before Justice of the
Peace w. A. Kirk. The sheriff succeeded
in reaching Spring Lake and in serving
the warrant, but as he arrived there at
a late hour it was decided that COrbett
should give bond for his appearance in
court tomorrow morning. 1t is UNDER
stood that Justice Kirk win place Cor
bett under bond to keep the peace, the
sum TO be $4,000. This bond Corbett will
decline to give, when he will be incar-
cerated in the Garland county Jail His
attorneys will then apply to Chancery
Judge Leland Leatherman for a writ Of
habeas corpus. In the event the writ is
granted. Corbett will be liberated and
The officials who are opposing the bring
ing off of the contest will be at their
ropes end so far as the law is concerned.
< writ of habeas corpus cannot be sus-
pended IN this state except by the gener-
al assembly while in regular session and
in Is the concensus Of legal opinion that
neither the governor nor the county state
or judicial officers can interfere further
with the proposed glove contest.
Some doubt is being experienced as to
the intention of Fitzsimmons even If there
turns out to be no legal bar against the
proposed meeting The friends Of Corbett
a ra not afaail sanRufDe that Fffzsfunnoone