The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-10-19
NAY FIGHT IN ARKANSAS
If Prosecuting Attorney league In
terprets the Law Alright.
BIG BOTHER IN LITTLE ROCK
COrbctt Is Arrested and Arraigned for
Intent to Break the Laws.
ParOied In Custody Of Q
Deputy Sheriff.

Hot Springs, Oct. 1S.-Champion Cor
bett arrived in this city this morning
from his training quarters at Spring
Lake and was met at the depot
by Sheriff Houpt and Manager Brady,
Joe Vendig and other friends and the
officials of the Florida Athletic club.
COrbett, Brady and the sheriff drove to
the office of the justice of the peace, w.
A. Kirk, where everything appeared to
be In readiness for the judicial proceed
ings that had evidently been agreed
upon. The sheriff presented his pris-
Oner to the court.
At this juncture, Mr. Martin, attorney
for Corbett, entered the court room and
presented petition addressed to Hon.
Leland Leatherman, Judge of the
chancery court OF Garland county, and
praying that the judge award Corbett
writ OF habeas corpus ito the end that
the cause of his detention may be in
quired into ard for other relief"
The warrant upon which Corbett was
arrested and brought before the justice
of the peace states that there are good
and sufficient grounds for believing
that u. J. Corbett Is about to engage and
has threatened to engage in glove con-
test and prize fight with one Robert
Fitzsimmons In Garland county, Ar
kansas, and the said glove contest and
prize fight will be of a character en-
dangering human life. 1t was sworn
out by Justice Kirk upon statements
of Prosecuting Attorney league. The
petition Of Corbett was granted and ne
was arraigned before Chancery Judge
Leatherman.
Details OF the Trial.
After the arraignment adjournment
L.. nn -. q
the court reconvened and Attorney
Martin read the official documents to
the court and announced that he was
ready for trial. The first evidence in
troduced was the enactments of the
legislatures of 1891 and 1893. and from
the house records it was plainly made
to appear by the attorney for Corbett
that the enactment Of the laws Of 1891
was illegal, because they passed by a
viva voce vote instead Of roll call, as
the constitution of the state provides
shall be done in all cases.
The first witness was Joseph Vendig,
by whose testimony il was proved that
the defendant had made an agreement
to engage in a glove contest in this
city Oct. 81 with Robert Fitzsimmons
for a purse Of SAL 900 under the auspices
of the Florida Athletic club. Before
pleted. Attorney Martin requested the
chancellor to allow Corbett to depart
for Little Rock, where he has an en-.
gagement to show tonight. The chan.
cellor granted the request, but required
the sheriff to send deputy with him
to see that he returned tomorrow. The
court then adjourned until tomorrow
at 1.30 p. m.
Interview with Prosecuting Attorney.
"a United Press reporter interviewed
Prosecuting Attorney league this
morning as to the law which gives the
governor the power to send the militia
for the purpose of suppressing riots or
mobs. Attorney league stated in ef-
feet that the governor has no right to
send militia into any county of the
state without having first been called
upon to do so by some Of the civil au-
thorities from the county in which the
militia Is to be sent, and that they were
not to be called upon until the civil
authorities found that they were not
able to suppress the riot or mob. which,
ever 1t might be. under the circum.
stances
I'm case the present proceedings that
have been instituted go through. as
the friends and hackers of Corbett
think they will, what will then be the
attitude of the governor"
He VIII be tied up as tight as Dicks
hat band" replied the prosecuting at.
torney.
Then il Judge Dufiie should call upon
the governor to send the militia to
stop proceedings. would the governor
be compelled to do so?"
"Yes. l think he would. He would
be bound to respect the call of the cir
cult Judge in that case. But in event
that he should do so. the militia would
be under the orders of the local peace
officers. The sheriff would have SUI
preme control over them after they had
entered the county"
Gould DO with Them rs lie Wished.
''If the sheriff has control of the
troops after they have come into the
county, what would be the result"
wei, he could make whatever dis
position of them he saw proper The
laws provide that the militia shall be
under the control of the local peace
officers. and the sheriff being the head
he could plant them down at the race
track IL The felt so disposed. and keep
them there until their services were
necessary to suppress any mob or riot"
What effect, If any, will writ OF
habeas corpus have. supposing that the
chancery judge should grant one?"
ut will act as check upon the Of
ficGals. If the chancery court decided
that there is no law on the statute books
of Arkansas prohibiting a prize fight
or glove contest. and the writ of habeas
corpus is issued I cannot see how the
authorities can further interfere with
the programme"
''If there Is no anti-prize fight law
how can Corbett and Fitzsimmons vio-
late a law by meeting here, as con-
templated In their articles of agree
ment with the Florida Athletic club?''
"If we have no law they cannot vio-
late one. hence the governor would be
4.