Birmingham age-herald., 1895-08-12
HERE'S CORBETT'S SIDE OF IT
HE WAS MERELY "STRINGlNG" lANKY BOB
Pulling His Nose Was Bit of Pleasantly. Gentleman linn Says Emphatcally
 He Wasn't Drunk.

Philadelphia, Aug. 11.-All the sports that the general abolition of prize fight ing and horse racing have left in Phila- delphia collected at Greens hotel today and eagerly sought for details of the little scrap last night between Corbett and Fitzsimmons
 Fitzsimmons left Philadelphia early this morning for New York, but the big Californian spent the day here and left for Scranton, Pa, this evening. When Corbett was seen today and asked for his version of last nights row, his &C., count of the affair would make it seem that he intended merely to be playful and that Fitzsimmons resented this play fitness when it took the form of being called cur and having his nose pulled An account of the affair can best be given in Corbett's own words:
 'The whole trouble started about two weeks ago in New York, when I refused to ride bicycle race with Fitzsimmons for the ice fund" began the champion
 When l am going to fight with a man want to be aggressive. l want to be on the outs with him. See? I had publicly stated that I intended to pull Fitzsim- mons nose the next time I met him. but l want to say that didn't know he was in Greens hotel when I went in there last night The first I knew he was there was when I turned around and saw him standing at the register. Then I said to him: You big monkey, what do you want at that register? You know you can't write
 "Then I said to him: You've been talking about me again, haven't you?
 "He said: No, have not, but what if I had?'
 Then I said to him: You said sneaked out of riding bicycle race with you in New York, and now you are going I To- To- out of fight.
 "All this time was sort of in fun, and just stringing him, but Fitzsimmons be- gan to get mad. Then I reached out and pulled his nose for a kind of a joke. Then he made motion as if to lead for me. I did not think he would, but it's always best to be on the safe side, so I closed in on him and we clinched. Then my friends grabbed me and my brother Joe grabbed Fitzsimmons. Fitzsimmons got gaffy when he found Joe could hold him.. but the kid was tickled to death whefshe found he could hold the big fel- low and told him he thought he could lick him himself, and punched him in the mouth I could not get at him, so leaned over and spat in his face and said to him: You are cur the world over and I wouldn't have that scar on your face for s1000.' He wiped off the spit, say ing as he did so, That's nice thing for a man to do; you're a gentleman, you are'"
 Here Corbett said to the reporter: Now, that was a nice thing for him to say, wasn't it? If he'd been a man he would have punched me. You would have punched any man that spat in your face, wouldn't you?'
 Then, continuing, Corbett said: "Fitz- simmons broke away and picked up bottle and threw it at Joe, but missed him and hit Brady. Joe picked up de- canter. but they would not let him throw it. and then we were separated. fltz- simmons went out and I stayed around the hotel. I want it distinctly under stood that 1 was not drunk last night"