Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-12-10
THE sHARkEY CONSPIRACY.
Testimony of His Trainers Regarding
the Alleged Fraud.

testimony OF HIS Ira1nerS Regarding
the Alleged Fraud.
Australian Billy Smith, one of Shark
eys trainers, was the first witness in the
legal contest between Sharkey and Fitz-
simmons for the $4,000 purse in San Fran
cisco yesterday. He detailed his work in
connection with preparing sharkey for the
ring, and said when the question of select
ing a referee was mooted in Sharkey's
training quarters he was asked to suggest
a referee. He suggested, Hiram Cook, and
said Lynch then asked him If he knew Cook
well enough "to talk business with him.
Afterward. witness said, Lynch character
lied Cook as mo good" because he would
not favor his own brother in a fight. On
the evening of the fight Sharkey told wit
ness that carp had been fixed as referee
and that carp was all right" Witness
described the uproar over the preliminaries
to the fight, and said when Fitzsimmons
objected to the bandages on Sharkey's
hand, carp went over to Sharkey's corner
and said:
Take Off those cloths; 1t will be all right
anyway"
Witness said when sharkey received the
round. Lynch said to Sharkey:
Lie low; hold your hands on your groin
and pretend to faint with pain"
Sharkey was then carried to a room. He
did not appear to be hurt. Witness said
Allen, another trainer, removed Sharkey's
bandages and did the work which caused
the swelling. Sharkey was then driven to
his hotel in hack Allen was with him
Sharkey was all right.
George Allen, another of Sharkey's train
ers, corroborated the story of the previous
witness. adding that several physicians
were refused admittance when Sharkey
was undergoing the operation with which
Allen produced the evidence of q foul
Lynch said no doctor should come into the
room and interfere with his plans. Wit
ness said Sharkey told him the National
Athletic Club was composed of Groom
Gibbs Lynch and Sharkey, and that Shar-
Key was to receive 20 per cent Of the pro-
ceeds OF the fight after the purse was de-
Quoted.
Sharkey said his three partners in the Ma
tlonal Club were broke, and Sharkey had
mad to advance $500 for preliminary ex-
penses, which had left the sailor pugilist
stranded financially. Witness said few
days before the fight Sharkey told him. he
thought carp would be the right kind of
referee for him, and added 1t would he
worth 1900 to carp II he were the right
Kind of a referee.
Manager Lynch's Statement.
Dan. J. Lynch, Sharkey's manager and
backer. made the following statement last
night to the Associated Press:
Mr. Sharkey desires all his friends. and
especially those in the east, to suspend
Judgment on the story told today in court
oy australian Billy Smith until Sharkey
can be heard on the stand. The fact of the
matter Is that Smith perjured himself, and
we WI! prosecute him for perjury when the
present triai Is over. His statement Is a
tissue OF 1alsehood from beginning to end.
and 1t Is very clear to me that he has been
oought by the Fitzsimmons crowd to give
Geestimony damaging to Sharkey's case.
s Snitn demanded LOCO after the fight for
refused to give more than 800 This is the
anlmus OF his testimony in court today;