The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-02-20
FITZ ISSUES A LETTER.
SAYS the pOSTPUNEMEN WhS DUE
TO MS GOODNESS OF HEiRf,"
But That He VIII Insist on % Fight With
Maher Friday Quinn Says Maher
IL Almost Well.

Ell PASo. TEXAs. Feb. l9.-Bat Mas
terson. who stands as close TO secretlVe
Dan Stuart as any outsider now in the
city, said at o'clock this morning that
barring Fitzsimmons being chewed up by
/ his lion, which beast has been getting
| decidedly unruly Of late. or Manner arm
Or leg. the big fight would be on or over
within iorty-eight hours OF the time he.
spoke.
This has been a day Of watching ana
waiting. with the result that every one
knows at sunset as much az AT SUNRISE
/ and little II anything more. There was
somewhat Of more buOyant tone in the
sporting market than yesterday and as
the afternoon wore on everybody was on
the qui yive for tips concerning the loca-
lion Of the battle, or any new movement
on the part OF the Mexican authorities.
WHERE THEY WILL FIGHT
All sorts OF stories were afoat concern
/ ing the point where the ring viii be
pitched or is 10 Toe pitched. A good au-
! thority located st across the Arizona
boundary, an equally reliable one SAID
coniidentially that il would be- mat
ter Of an all-night ride. a third insisted
( that he would Dee able 10 reach the spot
on wheel. Stuart and his colleagues
preserved the same sphinx-ike silence,
ana would not degn % notice even the
| teiesfapned ro0rback from Galveston fhaf
( the MIL would foe brought of in "a barge
/ In the Cuff of Eexico In response 10
/ "a request for an authoritative statement
/ concerning Naner's condition. this cam
I did reply was received from Maher
hacker ana manager at Las Cruces this
eveninE.
''To the Southern Associated Press.
"Maher VIII be in fair condition. His
ewes are almost well. His condition wih
not be as good as | would like IL 20 Doc.
/ but. nevertheless, | expect 90 sac him
win. or l would not lct him fight.
(signeO JOHN J. QUINN
Fiizsimmons crossed the Rio Grande
/ this morning, and entertained the usual
crowd Of slghtseors watching him maxi
| horse-shoes- After a walk through the
business streets be returned 10 his train
! ing quarters al Juarez, whore this after
noon he entertained a company OF yisi-
/ tors, among whom were Adlutant-Gen-
eral Mabry. United States Marshal Hail.
I Of New Mexico. Captain Hughes and
Lieutenant Scharpe. OF the Texas Ran
gers. Colonel J. j. Dickey. wifo. and a
party NJ ladies'. OF omaha. together with
/ a number OF military officers and people
| from III PasO and Juarez. Fitzsimmons
+ is apparently perfect, physically, and ea-
ger for The fight. He stopped training
/ to-day and viii rest until Friday. lie
/ asked That the following statement be
4 given publicity.
FITZslAlNONs' STATEMENT.
To the American People: out Of good
ness of ting heart. ana believing. as al
| legged. that Peter Maher was out of con-
/ dition on last Friday. l agreed 10 give
him three days grace. rather than set
! myself before the American people in
the attitude OF taking advantage % 1t
man who was reported 10 be partly blind
| Not seeing him myself, / know nothing
! 10 the contrary. NOW, thai the date has
| been set for Friday and the assurance
| been given that Aiaher win be in perfect
condition on that day, I intend going 10
the rng-slde ana will bee ready TO tight
for a kingdom. II his hackers say.
! "Wen, Fitz. here is a blind man. and N
you insist on fighting. 20 ahead ] shall
say to the referee. Please call time
IN doing this. j shall feel justified. be-
cause l have agreed 10 two postpone
ments. and the last one was accomoa-
MED by a forfeit Of $1,000. IN asking the
referee 60 call time. J will also Doe guided
by the earnest belief that the Maher
crowd don't want TO fight under any
circumstances. and honestly believe that
Makers hackers and friends have warned
him not 10 fight, and in so doing they
! have led him 20 believe that if he es-
Ireland and pose as the only champion
OF the world.
am naturalized citizen Of the United
States, and / believe that I am entitled
10 the good will and support of the
American people. / have been iu hard
and honest training for seven months
and have spent thousands of dollars I'M
preparing 10 meet alleged champions. AN
OF whom have, at the last moment. found
| some lOophOle 10 crawl out OF a fight. /
am now satisfied that none Of them pos
scss the courage 10 meet me. and J.,
therefore. have decided upon this course
tSgneD ROBERT FlTZSfNMONS.
Aliddleweight Champion OF the World.
SPORTS COMING BACK.
Dispatches received to-day say that
delegations from Fort Worth. Dallas.
san Antonio, and Galveston are doubling
back again. and quarters at one OF the
hotels were ordered for "a party from HOT
Springs. headed hy phi Dwyer. of New
| York. las Vegas. Santa fee Ainuquef-
que and other points WITHIN twelve hours
ride WEI also Doe represented here to-
morrow. Notice was issued from hcad-
quarters tonight directing ticket-nollefs
and all who contemplate WITNESSING tue
contest TO report Tor Information az
O'Clock Thursday afternoon. Not
single bet on me result has been heard
of for several days. The money went
away with the train loads oi sports tnat
left between Monday and Friday. and TIE
tOgnspeople are not enough interested
10 bet.
Among the majority of local and visit
iug sports the consensus Oi opinion seems
10 Doe that the light viii not last more
than three rounds. and thai me CORNISH
man Will have Mahcr at his mercy AFTER
ID. first round.
Jack Eyerhart worked with Fi-zs.m-
mons to-day and VIII be 10 bis corner
on Friday.
PRINCIPALS NOTIFIED.
The principals Of each fighter was mo-
tincd Tonight 10y Dan Stuart of the pia-e
and hour at which his man is 10 be DO
readiness. This was done in Order 10
conform 20 the articles OF agreement.
Buck Connolly received thc information
upon his arrival Oh the night train from
Las Cruces and Immediately wired Maher,
Quinn. and the rest of the party an me
-.-.I.LL--- nm.--Inr- Ii nnI.n down on ID.