Birmingham state herald., 1895-10-17
IT LOOKS LIKE A GO.
Governor Clark May Let Corbett and Fitz Hammer Each Other With Soft Gloves.

Hot Springs, Ark, Oct. 16.-A confer ence regarding the proposed fight took place at the Arlington hotel this after noon, Governor Clark, Judge A. M. Duff fee. Sheriff Houpt, States Attorney Teague, the citizens committee and their legal representatives participating. Newspaper men were excluded.
 A member Of the conference stated af- ter adjournment at 5:30 that the govern ment had agreed to leave the whole mat ter to the local authorities; that the lat ter have given him positive assurances that there will be no prize fight, but glove contest as indicated in the revised articles of the agreement as sent out yes terday. He stated that the governor gave him positive assurance that if there was no law to prevent glove contests, and If only glove contest was contem- plated, he would not invade the city with an armed force to prevent 1t.
 Another member of the conference committee stated that he could only re- port progress of a favorable nature at the time of adjournment. The governor views had undergone somewhat of change, caused by a more thorough un- derstanding of the intentions of the prin- cipals, and that brutal exhibition of the manly art was contemplated to be brought off here.
 The programme is now to make test case by causing the arrest of Maher and O'Donnell, who are both in near proxim ity to the city, some time tomorrow. They will be placed under bonds to keep the peace, which they will refuse to give, and they will go to jail, when a writ of ha- beas corpus will be issued and taken be- fore Chancellor Leatherman for trial.
 Col John J. Sumpter, church member, and one of the most active opponents of the mill, said this evening that he, in company with Judge Hudgins, had ex- amined the statutes of the state and found that there is no law against prize fighting, and that he would oppose any attempt that might be made to place the county under martial law for the purpose of suppressing something that was not a violation of any law. In other words he did not propose to violate law him self or see 1t done if he could prevent it. He was assured by the governor that there would be no militia sent to Garland county, but the governor would insist that there should be nothing more than glove contest
 The conference as called today at the request of the citizens committee, whose chief desire is to convince the governor that no infraction of the law is contem- plated by the revised articles of agree ment, ard that contest with five ounce gloves for limited number of rounds could not be construed as a prize fight or result in bodily injury to either con testant The citizens committee was represented by w. H. Martin, c. N. Rix, R. L. williams, L. Thay, J. D. Kimball, J. B. Varndere, w. J. Little, L. D. Cooper, W. F. Waters, w. l.. Babcock, J. w. Johns and c. G. Corners Sheriff Houpt, Prosecuting Attorney Teague and Judge Duffie represented the judicial and exec utive bra nch of the county government. Judge Duffie, at the request of Governor Clark adjourned the circuit court until tomorrow so as to be present at the conA ference The state was represented by Governor Clark and General Taylor. The conference began at 2:30 o'clock and last ed three hours. The members continued in earnest discussion during all this time.
 Prior to the holding of the conference Governor Clark was given a hearty re- ception by the citizens. He greeted them cordially and expressed a desire to do right to assist them out of their financial embarra ssments, but could not allow the law to be violated that they might pros per to the detriment of the rest of the state.
 At 5 o'clock Judge Duffie and Governor Clark emerged from the conference room alone and walked to the Milwaukee hotel, where they made inquiry for Judge B. B. Hudgins of the Fourteenth Judicial cir cuit who Is here for his health. Judge Hudgins has made several speeches against allowing the proposed contest coming off here or at any other point in the state. At a mass meeting held last Monday at the Methodist church he said that it would disgrace Arkansas forever if the officials allowed it.
 Today itsis stated that Judge Hudgins has given his opinion that there was no law to prevent it.