The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-02-16
HOW THE MATCH WAS MADE
Incidents of the Meeting Between
FitzSimmOns and COrbett.
JIM CALLED FITZ A LIAR
Both Men Were Testy in Their Talk,
Corbett Charging the New Lea-
lander With Evasion of Fight
at Hot Springs-A small Bottle
Settled the Matter.

| Everybody, that is, nearly everybody,
is talking about the big pugiistic con-
| test billed for Carson City on Next st.
Patrick's day. An event favorably legis-
! lated for by a State assembly, and sane
toned by governor, is OF no small inn
| portance, even were it a dog fight. And
that, in this particular instance, two of
| the best exponents of tie manly art" are
| 10 meet aud pummel each other until one
| is in Il state OF innocuous desuetude, rem
| ders it an affair calculated to generate the
| keenest interest.
Corlett and Fitzsimmons are in the neigh
! horhoo1 OF their approaching troubles, and
strange TO say, neither has as yeteyidenced
a disposition to run away. Really, they
are acting as if they intended To fight. In
| face OF their past bIuffing, il would seem
| a violent supposition that they would face
| one another in the ring, but IN the nature
| OF giving the devil his dies, it looks now
as if they would climb over the ropes and
get together.
Probably, after all. Jim and Fitz mean
| business. Perhaps they are tired OF wars
on paper and ayalanches Of typewriter
inuentlos. and have finally keyed them
selves up TO the pitch where they have
hearts for any fate.
As stow ho will win-as IIamletsaid, That
is the question. IL looks like an even
chance for your money, and an occasion
where to shut your eyes and pick the
victor would be philosophy.
FitZsimmons is agile, foxy and a hard
hitter. So is COrbett. The Pompadour
can fight with both hands; So can the Kan
CARGO. FitZSimmons has licked every
man he has met: Corbett has like string
of triumphs to his credit. Corbett is the
heavier, but Fitz has the longer reach.
Both have sand, as Fitz evidenced when
Peter Maher nearly had him whipped in
one round, and Corbett proved in his long
battle with Peter Jackson, when he stood
punishment like game chicken
At this time a recalling OF the met
ing between Fitzsimmons and Corbett when
they arranged the details of the coming
battle will be Interesting They were
in New York at She same time and as Dan
Stuart 5 offer was before them they could
do aught but make an effort to settle the
long standing dispute This was before
COrbett met sharkey and While Corbett
was in training to meet the sailor.
office of a sporting paper, hut as Fitz had
grudge against that particular publica-
ton he refused to go there and SO the
mountain, in the person OF Corbett. went
To Mahomet. ''Lanky Bob was stop
ping az the Bartholdi and he told Corbetts
friends that il Corbett wanted to do Usi-
ness with him he would have tocall around
during office hours The result was THAT
early in the afternoon Corbett and "A party
of friends appeared at the Burtholdi, where
FitZsimmons, his manager, Martin Julian,
and Ernest Roeber. the champion Graeco-
Roman wrestler, were in waiting. All
ba nds assembled to Fitzsinimons' room
on the fifth floor. Dan Stuart, Tom
o Rourke Dave Holland, Sam Austin,
and Corbett's brother Harry, were AMONG
the sporting men present
As soon as Coibett entered FitZSimmons
room he pulled a chair over to d small table
inthecenter ofthe room, andopenei the ora
tory. 81 read your challenge in the papers,
Corbett said. Now, don you think you lid
q cowardly thing to challenge me when you
knew l was matched with sharkey?"
Not bit oft" responded Fitzsimmons
Il am the champion, not Sharkey." Julian
then spoke up, but CoTbett cut him short
with the warning: Now you keep your
mouth out OF this or there will be trouble
Fitzsmmons and can arrange this match
without your assistance did YOU
not state Julian persisted, that ypa
would meet Fitzsimmons fifteen minutes
after you had fought Sharkey?" Corbett
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. and ulian responded
that the Sharkey match did not seem to
cut much of a figure.
Corbett next complained that it wOull
compel him to tie up 100000 in the two
matches, and Fitzsmmons told him To-
make his mind easy on that score and put
up any amount he might have TO spare.
I'm put up 81 900 to bind the contract.
then said Corbett.
Later when he learned that FitZSimmons
intended to put $4,000 up, Corbett said
he would do like wise
II want it stipulated in the articles Of
agreement that l will not fight for the
Police Gazette belt" said Fitzsimmons.
"And - replied Corbett. want it
stated in the articles that | will fight
for that belt"
Fitzsimmons claimed that the belt was
his by default. but had never been turned
over TO him. To this Corbctt replied that