Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1896-12-04
ECHOES OF THE MILL.
Referee Earp, Ritzsimmons and sharkey
 Make Their PaIaver.

MAke Ihefr Ralapef.
 SAN FRANCISCO, De. 3.-Referee Earp, whose decision of the Sharkey- Fitzsimmons fight caused an indig- nant demonstration from the crowd at the ringside last night, stated this morning that when he decided the contest in favor of Sharkey he did so because he thought that Fitz- simmons deliberately fouled him, and under the rules the sailor was entitled to the decision. He would have been willing to allow half fouls-that is, fouls that might be considered partly accidental-to pass by with only reprimand, but in such a case as this he could only do his duty. Hesaid:
 'sThere is one thing 1 regret. I should have given Sharkey the fight earlier in the contest. In the fourth round, I think it was, Fitzsimmons landed a left-handed blow and re- turned with his elbow, cutting Sharkey's eyebrow open. The sailor should have had the fight then. The foul blow of the eighth round was seen plainly by me. Fitzsimmons smashed with his right on Sharkey's shoulder and then with an upper cut with the left he struck the sailor below the belt. Sharkey was leaning over and the blow knocked him down. It was clearly a foul, and before the sailor moved 1 mentioned that the fight was over. The first blow had been weak, and I believe that the second was intended for an upper-eut, but it struck foul. No man until now has ever questioned my honor.
 1T have been in many places and in peculiar situations, but no one ever said until last night that was guilty of a dishonerable act. Ard 1 still repeat that I deci1e in all fair ness and with a judgment that was as true as my eyesight. I saw the l foul blow"
 Fitzsimmons said after the fight.
 "Earp knows, and so does Shar- key, that I did not hit the sailor where they say I did. My left landed straight in his stomach, where had a right to hit him, and no other place. His lying down and grooming was all pat of the game There was no need for me to foul him, because l had him whipped anyway, and could have finished him before the end of the round. 1t doesn't make any difference, though. As l telegraphed Dan Stuart last night, I am willing to meet both Sharkey and Gorbett in the same ring any night Stuart wants to pull the fight off l will say one thing for Corbett, and that is 1 don't blame him for say ing that he was robbed of the Jackson fight in this town. No pu- gilist can get square deal from the thieves who handle fighting in this city, and it is safe bet that the last big fight San Francisco will eyer see was pulled off last night
 "Sailor" Sharkey had this to say of the affair:
 ''I am certain that Fitzsimmons fouled me deliberately, to save him. self from defeat. It was getting too plain to him that was gaining in strength, while he was going down hill, SO to speak. and rather than be knocked out he thought he would lose on a foul. Had he dot delivered that nasty blow whcih crippled me, would certainly have finished him in that round-the eighth, believe it was
 'I am sorry that the question of supremacy was hot settled on it's merits, rather than in this way I can beat Fitzsimmons and I would far rather have knocked him out than win the purse on q foul. I don't think he will be anxious to meet me again, however, but if he does-well, l am open to all engage ments. 1 am in the boxing business aS a profession.
 | CORBETT TO SHARKEY