Omaha daily bee., 1895-10-02
DOWN TO BUSINESS AT ONCE
Texas Legislature Did Not Waste Any
Time in Preliminaries.
MESSAGE OF THE GOVERNOR RECEIVED
Two bills Introduced In Either House
and Referred to judiciary Com
mittecs-DniIns Attorneys Max
ing Fight Against Them.

the proclamation Of Governor Culberson con-
vening the legislature in this city October 1
to take action on the prize fight question,
which has been agitated by the proposed Cor
bett-Fitzsimmons mil at Dallas, October 81,
a quorum Of both houses responded to the
call today at high noon and were in working
shape within thirty minutes, and at 1890
promptly received message from Governor
Culberson. The governor confined himself
solely to the prize fight question and re-
viewed at length the situation which has
made the call necessary. He said that he
regretted to call the members together, but
as the question was wrangled over in the
courts he deemed 1t advisable to stop further
discussion by having the Legislature enact
law that would be clear and specific on this
subject and he desired it to go into imme-
diate effect
His message concludes as follows after
careful review Of the condition of the laws
In other states:
SO, in this instance, If no law exists, the
state does not give any assurance or come
under any obligation that its legislation
upon the subject shall remain unchanged.
But these principles need not here be in
voked. BY proclamation all persons have
been given notice that the Corbett-Fitzsim-
mons exhibition would not be permitted, and
whatever has been done by its projectors
was with full responsibility for the conse-
quenccs. The public interests require that
this exhibition especially should be sup
pressed. Dscountenanced by Mexico and
territories, outlawed and driven from every
state, it is proposed to assemble horde Of
ruiiians ard gamblers and offer to this state
this commanding insult 10 public decency.
Against 1t the instincts and pride of the
people revolt, and your prompt and resolute
action will spare them this ignominy and
the state, inhabited by a manly and gen
erous and enlightened people. the whole
some and assuring truth, now obscured by
anger and misconception,, for which 1t will
hereafter thank you, that no part its
material prosperity, no part of its social and
part Of na it's Hqss spendd desPtnyy n9 is
bound up in any endeavor to hold
in it's limits one of the most disgraceful
dishonor Texas.
lmpe.ied by sense of duty to use every
have been called in special session. and the
responsibility for the consequences is now
divided with you. That you will meet 1t as
becomes the representatives of the whole
people anxious and ready to protect the
fair name Of the state, is not doubted.
TWO BILLS WERE READY
As soon as the message was read, in COM
plianee with its command two bills were in
troduced in both houses. The respective
bills in the two houses are identical The
one introduced in the senate by Senator
Lewis of Baxter, and the one in the house
by Representative Ward of Travis are gen
orally conceded to be the measures of the ad-
ministration, The bill introduced in the
house provides that participants in prize
hghting or any pugilioic encounter shall
b. deemed guilty of felony aud shall be pun
ished by Imprisonment of not less than one
nor more than two years. 1t has the emer-
gency clause. The second BILL introduced
In the senate by Senator Simpson, provides
penalty OF not less than five and not more
than ten years, and further provides that
any one who, in any manner aids or abets
fight will be considered a participant and
subject to the above named punishm ant
me emergency clause is also in this bill
These bills were referred to the judiciary
committee In either house and they are to
take action thereon this afternoon. The
Dallas attorneys appeared before tham how
ever, to ask for further time, claiming that
they could show that the proposed law. was
unconstitutional and cashlng as well as
confscatory In compliance with their re-
quest both committees adjourned until morn
Ing at . o'clock, and nothing further was done
by either house in the matter.
AS the matter now stands 1t is a political
row between the friends of Governor Culber-
son and his personal opponents, of which
he has quite a number In the legislature
FIGURES ON THE PROBABLE VOTE.
There are ninetyfour members of
the house present and twenty-four
sci ators. In the house it is nee
esSGry to get nnetysiX votes to make the
law 90 into immediate effect and twenty-one
votes are necessary in the senate In the
house. at the present writing, there are hf-
teen ont and out men against putting any
four who are doubtful. This puts the two
thirds vote out Of the question in the house
with its present roster. In the senate there
are three AGAINST the emergency clause ana
two doubtful, which places the bill in serious
danger there also. If vote was taken now
with only the present number present there
is little doubt that the emergency clause
would be defeated. The administration forces
do not propose to come to vote on the mat
ter, however, until more of their men ar
rive and their absentees are expected by to-
morrow afternoon at the latest The Dallas
people also want delay to gather additional
forces, so everybody is pleased to delay the
game at present. Tonight a strong effort is
being made to pull the twenty-five populists
in the house over to the fight side
LAREDO, Tex, Oct 1t appears that the
Florida Athletic club has doubts of its abil-
ity to pull off the great fight in Dallas, and
this morning secured by telegraph an option
on the amphitheater and arena used for bull
fighting in New Laredo. Mex This would
seem to indicate that the fight will be pulled
off there. The option Is for one month but
further particulars could not be obtained
WILL STOP 1T IF HE CAN.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 1.-Secretary Smith
was asked today If he would take any steps
to prevent the CoTbett- Fltzsimmons fight tax
ing place In Indian territory and replied
that il an attempt was made to have the
fight take place upon any reservation which
was directly under the control OF the Interior
department. and not set apart as separate
government Re most certainly would prevent
II. lie knew of nothing. he said, that would
give the department authority to prevent the
fight on lands controlled by the five civilized
tribes, If the Indians consented. He added
that II would call attention to the condition
of affairs In Indian territory, and perhaps
bring a pressure to bear which will bring
about a change in the affairs there. II the
indians Of the five civilized tribes, or any
nation of them, should call upon the depart
ment 10 prevent the tight, saying that the
Indians as a nation objected to IT., then the
department would prevent It, lie said that
he did not know as there was any disposition
to have the fight In the Indian country. but
he had seen something to that effect In The
papers,
NEW YORK, Oct. THE Corbctt party
started for Texas at 10 o'clock this morning
Corbett was accompanied by his manager.
William A. Brady. Steve ODuHnell, John
Donaldson, Joe Corbett, Jim McVey. Billy
Delaney and Jim DAILY. Corbett will stop
at Washington and Atlanta enroute. He in
tends TO reach San Antonio. Tex. BY October
p, II Is not known whether Jonu L. Sullivan
will act as referee.
WASHINGTON. Oct. flames j. Corbatt
and party arrived in thIs city at $40 to-
day and the champion went at once TO Ma
tional park where he and his brother Joe ap-
peared in a game Of ball. Cogbatt did not
take any chances Of being hit while at the
bat. He injured one Of his fingers slightly
in catching a thrown hall. The marty left
at 1880 over the Southern railroad for At
lanta, where CoTbett appears in a sDarring
match tomorrow night From thzra bo poas