The evening times., 1896-02-19
.A0I LIKELY 70 EIGHT
Prospects Of the Fitzsimmsns.
maher Battle Ire Slim.
RANK DECISION FOB BOB
Hard to See How That Committee of
Five" Failed to Award Him the For
felt Money-So Fault of Fitz the
Fight Has Fallen ThrOugh-Kilrain
Likes Lanky Bob's Chances.

| The news from the seat of the unfOugh,
| Tight near Ell Paso is not reassuring to
those who are hoping that Messrs. Fitz
simmons and Maher will get together,
| punch each other to their mutual salts
| faction and then lapse into silence-until
the next big matcn1s made. In fact, the
| mill seems to be just as far off now as
| it was the day it was arranged, and SO far
| as the general public is concerned it has
| stckened of the whole business. The dis
patches yesterday stated only a corporal's s
guard OF Northern sporting gentry is left at
I'll Paso, and that the indications were that
the Few remaining would probably geI out
before Friday.
Those Of the local sports who were con.
tetnplating taking the trip and did not do
SO are now copgratulating themselves or
their good luck, 1t is pretty long trip
10 Texas 10 see a carnival OF ring battles,
but when one goes there and gets "wind''
battle for his money patience ceases to be
virtue.
Preparations had been made by a select
contingent of sporting men to make up a
train from this city, but the undecided
aspect or things scared them off and the
scheme fell through. There is not one
man out OF ten who believes now that Fitz
and Maher will ever get together. lisa
case OF ones afraid and the other
dassent."
George Siier, 'Toia' O'Rourke, Louis
Houseinan, W. w Naughton. and Hugh
Fitzgerald rendered a decision at Ell Paso
Monday that will tend TO make Solomon
turn uneasily} in his sarcophagus," says
Charlie Mattison ITO the above quintet
was intrusted the task of deciding whether
Fitzsimmons was entitled to the 81 COO
forfeit as result of Maher's failure 10
enter the ring at the time called for By the
articles of agreement. The facts were that
Maher. feigning blindness, announced that
he could not fight, while Fitzsiinmons was
ready to enter the ring at moments
notice.
''Ifevert there was plain ca Sc of forfeiture
that was, but the committee could not see 1t
in that light. They decided gainst the Aus
tralian on the ground that he, by failing to
enter the ring himself, had not complied with
the articles of agreement. and therefore, he
was not entitled To the $1,000.
The stupendouS joke of the whole affair
liesinthe fact that there was no ring for Fitz-
simmons to enter. No one but Stuart knew
where his alleged ring was located, and 10
matter how badly 'Fitz' wanted To get into
the ring and thus comply with the technical
requirements of the articles, be was unable
to do so, because Stuart would not tell him
where the ring was.
Compared to the bunco game just played
on FtZsmnlOnS, the scheme OF Heads |
win, tails you lose is an honorable. equi-
ia bic, al nd extremely ybeDevolcnt institution
One of the strongest points in Corbett's
favor in his controversy with FitzsimmOns
over the Hot Springs affair was that he was
ready on the day set and that his money
was up. When man and money are ready
on the one side, the onus for the failure to
bring off the fixed event necessarily rests
with the other side. Fitz's failure to be at
the ringside i'm Arkansas and Maher's fail
ure at Ell Paso are not parallel, however
FitZ was prevented by circumstances over
which he had no control, while little pru
dence on the part of Maher and his handlers
would have enabled him to show up all
right.
In reply to query as to whom he cX.
pected to win the fight Jake Kiirain said:
''Fitzsinimons, by all means. He is by
far the cievercr boxer. knows more tricks
of the trade. and is just as strong and as
hard hitter as Maher. ! lave ioXcd with
him several times here at my place and
found that he is lust as good an infightcr
as lie is at standing off. All this talk
about his going back is nonsense. Now,
as to Maher: He was whipped once. or.
rather, quit before Fitzsinnnons: and why
can't the latter make him do the same thing
over again"