The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-11-05
GOVERNOR COFFIN TALKS
VIII DO MS DUTY IF AN ATTEMPT
s MADE TO NAVE THE FIGHT HERE

IS MADE TO HAVE THE FIGHT HERE
Waterbury Sporting Men Say That They
Z Have Communicated With the Big
Fighters and Their Managers and That
There is No Law to Prevent Glove Con-
test in Counecticut-stamford Mentioned
as "A Good Place for Corbett and Fitzsim-
mons to Meet.
N Waterbury, Nov. 4.-To-day a gentle
man named Coffin. who is governor of
Connecticut, and two Waterbury men
named tom" Hayes and Bob" Nc
srath, are talking. The Waterbury
mem say that they are trying to get the
big Corbett-F itzsimmons fight to take
place in Connecticut, and the governor
says he will do his whole duty. Up to
Fpress hour the militia had not been call
ed out, and no blood had been spilled.
Tom Hayes and Robert McGrath, the
two we'll known sporting Waterburians,
say they are making an effort to have
the great Corbett-Fitzsimmons fight
Npulled off in Connecticut. Both men as
sert their confidence that the fight could
lIbe pulled off in this state without sue
cessful opposition. They feel SO conf
dent of this that they announce that
they will jointly offer a purse of 100000
to bring the big fellows to the Nutmeg
state.
Mr.. McGrath was seem by a reporter
iof the Waterbury American this morn
ling, and said that the offer had been
formally made to both Mr.. Julian and
MIR. Brady, the managers of the two
5lpugilistic celebrities, and that the offer
sincluded substantial forfeit to be plac-
ed in the hands of responsible party
lin case protection were not offered
them. Mr.. McGrath laughs at the idea
3that the fight could not take place in
this state.
why" he said, "it would be a great
Ideal easier to pull it off here than in the
\ wild and woolly regions that the men
are now trying to meet in. In the first
iplace, if the fight was held in this state,
many sports from New York would at
sstend that would never go south or west.
Then again, we could make up our party
in New York, take special trains from
that city and have the whole thing over
Before any kind of movement could be
made to stop it,"
1t is no joke or hoax, the Waterbury
men say, and they claim that they are
i both, business men, well able to carry
Tout the terms of the contract. There are
D those who believe them and hope now to
see the long anticipated fight come off
N On the state.
If the fight is secured 1t is announced
II that the tickets will be limited and sold
IN at $100 each. The plans for the event
Y will be kept decidedly quiet, and only
II tried and true men given the "tip. 2
& Since the scheme has become publicly
x known the promoters say they have
\ been besieged with offers from we'll
y known sporting men for a share in the
& speculation, but as yet they have not
4 decided what they will do, as they think
it would be premature to talk much I'M
3 til reply is received from the managers
4 of the fighters.
Thomas Hayes, when seen was firm in
! the belief that the contest could be pull
y ed off i'm Connecticut. There is no
h law in this state" he said, against
glove contests for limited number of
rounds. If we could secure a favorable
consideration of our offer from the man.
ayers of these men we will show these
J western men how such an affair should
be conducted.
A 1t is said that Messrs. Hayes and Nc
4 Grash have a definite plan of action
n, that will not be revealed at present
\ The sports of the city are talking of
! nothing else to-day, and the places con-
! Quoted by the promoters of the plan
are crowded with men discussing the
possibility of a fight here.
1 1t is said that it is estimated that
Stamford shall be the fighting ground.
Governor Coffin was interviewed by a
reporter this morning over the tele-
phone. He said that he had seen some
thing about the matter in the morn
ing papers, and if the matter should as
sumo a serious form he would consult
the attorney general and do his whole
duty in the matter. He said that the
law would be enforced and section 1907
of the general statutes provides that
the participants in a prize fight shall
be guilty of a felony and imprisoned fol
five years. He said he hoped the mat
ter was only newspaper rumor. If II
proved to be anything else he would
after securing legal counsel, give out
Lo& \, eoJ 70 a.