The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-02-07
An Attempt to Hasten the Meeting
Between Maher and Fitz-
simmons.
CANNOT FIGHT IN MEXICO.
Dan Stuart in Quandary as to Where
to Hold the Fistio Events
Announced.

Ell PASO, TEX, Feb. 6.-The action of
Congress in passing Delegate Catron's
bill preventing prize-hghting in the
Territories has somewhat dampened the
ardor of those connected with the enter
prise, yet it is probable the star feature of
the carnival will be pulled off tomorrow
morning before President Cleveland
affixes his signature to the measure.
That the passage of the bill by the
House had struck CONSERVATION to the
managers of the carnival was apparent
this morning when contractors for the
platform were rushing round hunting
carpenters to complete their part of the
work 1t was soon learned that it had
been decided to pull off the Maher-
Fitzsimmons fight tomorrow morning
before the President signs the bill if it
should pass the Senate. Julian and
Stuart held a protracted consultation, at
which Fitzsimmons was an attentive
listener.
Maher was telephoned at Las Cruces and
everything seemed to be agreed upon, but
when word came that the Senate had
taken the expected action and passed the
bill promptly it seemed to dampen their
ardor.
It appeared to the outsiders that Maher
had become frightened lest the President
should sign the bill and that it would be-
come law so early tomorrow as to make
the fighters subject to the penalty. The
Irish fighter has not yet come in.
Everything is activity tonight, and
while Stuart is giving out that the pro-
gramme will be carried out as advertised,
it is plain that he is not sure of his ground
and that he believes the bill passed by
Congress cuts off the only sure locality
where the fight could be pulled off and the
participants escape with light fines. 1t is
reported that favorable kilograms were re-
ceived from Mexico this afternoon, but
those opposing the fight are confident of
their ground that the battle will never
take place on Mexican soil.
1t is reported tonight that Fitzsimmons
has been notified that he could not train
longer in Mexico. The report comes from
reliable sources, and it is thought the
Australian will have TO hunt new quarters
if further training is necessary. There
seems TO be an inside ring on prize.fght
news, whereby only those in it who will
send out news entirely favorable to the
prize-fght management are given infor-
nation.
There is quite feeling among great
number of Ell Paso people that the action
of Stuart in publishing to the world that
he had secured battle-ground where
there would be no interference partakes
largely of the nature of "bunko" game.
Ell Pasoans have made big preparations to
care for the crowd, and if the fight falls
through it will hurt many of the best clti-
zens.
The sports are loud in their denuncia-
tion of the Ministers Union and are try
ing to incite the people against the minis
tiers, claiming that if the fight is not pulled
off here and Ell Paso loses the money
thereby, only the ministers are to blame.
They seem to lose sight of the fact that
Dan Stuart's word that the fight could be
pulled off in sight of FL Paso, backed by
the word of the Ell Paso sporting people,
was the only foundation they had on
which to build their expectations. A
prominent sporting man was heard to-
night to say that he believed the whole
thing was off. Word received from Las
Cruces tonight would indicate that Maher
is perfectly quiet.