The San Francisco call., 1897-09-19
Fighters MUST
GO TN TO WIN
A Draw Not a Contest
Under Judge BeIcher's
Decision.
BetterS Can Recover Their
Money if the Contract Is
Not Completed.
Sporting Men Contend That 1t Does
Not Affect Wagers Made on
the Rounds.

The decision handed down by Judge
Belcher on the Corbett-W w erner case con-
cerning the right of betters to recover
moneys wagered on fights which result in
draws, is agitating the sporting fraternity,
as far as round betting is concerned. The
general opinion is, and the rule has BEEN
that where a glove contest results in a
draw, the better shall recover the money
placed on the result minus the percentage
taken by the pool sellers for handling the
money. Now they ask the question, will
the decision also cover bets made on the
numb ber of rounds? Where two parties
have signed to meet for limited mum Der
o. rounds the biggest batting usually done,
is whether or not the fight will be won by
either party inside of the number OF
rounds signed for, and not on the general
result of the contest.
The majority OF betting meu questioned
uphold Judge Belcher's decision concern
ing the contests which may result III
draws, but are of tie opinion that the i'm
portant matter governing round wagers
has been overlooked. which may result in
misundersta ndings anc generally work a
hardship on tn 9 sporting public who may
win on the mum Der OF rounds and yet
lose the bet under the decision of the
court if the fight finally should be called
a draw bv the referee.
]. Boyd, acting Tor Mr.. Corbett. who is
at the present time in Sacramento, said: 4:
"As a general rule a case of this kind is
thrown out of court; but as long as de-
c!sion has been rendered on SIR Corbeti's
demurrer to the Werner complaint, | am
as anxious to see the result OF the trial,
hich Will 60 on when the answer is
amended, as any one else. We have al
WAYS returned all money, excepting our
percentage. to hetters where :he fight re-
suits in draw, but IN this case the money
was returned to Werner through an
authorized agent, who placed the money
for Werner at the time of the Sharkey-
Maher fight. This W II all come ont al
the trial, and L IN OF the opinion that the
re eraI decision OF the Judge Will not con-
cur with the decision of the demurrer to
The omplaint. A list of rules is placed in
rlain sight of betters, and We are gov
erned exclusively by the decision OF the
referee. Where party makes a wager
on the general result of contest,
which results in draw, he is most
assuredly entitled TO the amount Of his
wager. but where party places money on
a certain number of rounds and the fight
passes that number the party loses his
wager 1t would be IN just for him to be
allowed to draw down ms money, if the
contest was draw. merely because it has
been decided that a draw fight Is no con-
test. The record is kept as such, and we
must abide by that and pay pools accord
iLg to the decision of the referee
Charlie Mitchell said: ''AlI parties who
wager on the general result of glove con-
test are entitled 10 their money in draw
fights, but as | do not thoroughly under
stand the Corbett-Werner case l cannot
pass an opinion upon it, nor upon the de-
cision OF the court. Technical points fire.
quently crop up over the payment of wag-
ers placed on any sporting event, but The
old rules will govern. | believe all bets
will be paid as heretofore, on the decision
OF the referee, who is certainly in the best
position to judge of the superiority of the
men in the ring"