The San Francisco call., 1897-03-13
THE LAST
OBSTACLE
REMOVED
Martin Julian Agrees to
the Rules Announced
by Siler.
WARM DEBATE ENDS IN
HARMONY.
Differences Over the Disputed
Clinch.Hitting Clause
Settled.
STUART HEARS OF a BANDIT
CONSPIRACY.
Informed of an A legged Plan 10 Raid
the Box.Oifice on the Day
of the Fight
Differences Over the Disputed
Clinch-Hitting Clause
Settled.
STUART HEARS OF A BANDIT
CONSPIRACY.
Informed of an A legged Plan 10 Raid
the Box-Office on the Day
of the Fight.

CARSON, New, March 12.-The SQUAD
ble.ov the rules which are to govern the
great Corbett- Fitzsimmons battle was
settled this afternoon after long and
acrimonious debate. in which the chief
participants were Martin Julian, who is
FitZsimmons' manager; William a.
Brady, Corbett's mentor; Referee George
Siler and Promoter Dan Stuart. Julian
and Fitzsimmons acknowledge, finally,
that Siler has the right to interpret the
Marquis of Queensberry rules, and both
promise that they will raise no objections
or do anything tending to delay the big
fight. For that reason Dan Stuart is
breathing once more.
During the past few days Stuart, while
essaying his wonted offhand and easy
going way, has been greatly worried. The
objection raised at the eleventh hour by
FitZsimmons to Siler's e ucidation of the
real Marquis of Qaeensberry rules meant
far more than appeared on the surface. 1t
really threatened the consummation of
the entire boxing carnival project and
nobody knew this better than Dan Stuart
himself. The big Texan is not the kind OF
man who let's the world know what is dis
turbing his vltals and the fact that failure
and the loss of about $75 600 already in
vested by him in this venture stared him
in the face did not prevent him from wear
ing to-day his customary pleasant smile
and assuming his everyday affability.
The truth of the matter is that no man
has ever undergone much greater mortal
torment than has this big good-natured
man from the ranges of Texas. There was
every prospect that after all OF his con-
niving, his outlay of money, anu the
chances he was taking in the public patron
izing the venture, the whole project would
fall through, and all on account of one
little clau in the rules, as interpreted by
George Siler, than whom no more honest
man ever refereed glove contest, accord
ing to the reputation the sporting world
gives him.
This one clause have frequently made
mention of IN my correspondence TO The
CALL. In fact THE CALL was one Of the
first papers in the United States to an
nounce to the world that Fitzsmmons
was 'kicking over the traces" and ask
ing that Siler bar the rule permitting hit
ting in the ciiDches and in the break
awSys. When Siler made public the rules
that are to govern this fight of the GEN.
tury, Fitzsimmons plainly announced
that he would not fight if the clinch clause
was allowed to stand.
Siler could not very well afford to back
down from his position, and then Dan
Stuart came forward as peacemaker. The
q. uppermost desire in Dams mind was to
prevent a quarrel that promised to spoil
the fight To come right down to it he
cared nothing about the rules-knew moth
ing about them and did not want to know
anything about them-and was not partc-
ular how they we're adjusted so long as
this was accom- plished amicably. There
fore it was that Dan suggested a little
conference between Siler and the repre-
sentatives of the principals.
The talk took place this afternoon. 1t
was intended that the meeting should be
held in Stuart's office, but inasmuch as all
of the parties concerned agreed that the
press representatives should be allowed to
be present-and they are thicker than
bees in Carson just now--the party ad-
iourned to Odd Fellows Hall.
Martin Julian was the last of the con-
ferees to arrive, but was the first to open
the proceedings when once they had sat
Gown for business.
"There are one or two clauses in these
rules, gentlemen" said the Cornisnmans
genial little manager in opening his
speech, that do not strike US as being
quite the right thing Now, rule l says
that this is to be a fair and square stand
up fight and in a twenty -four-foot ring.
Right on top of this comes rule 2, which
declares that there shalt be no wrestling
Mora bat rt1Io
that all matters not provided ior in these
rules shall be governed by the London
prize-ring rules. For the life of me l can
not make out from study of Mr.. Siler's
rules Just what kind OF fight we are
going to have. And right here / want to
ask you, Billy"-And here Julian turned to
Brady-"what were the rules that gov
erned Corbett's fight with Suilivanf's
II haven't got copy of them in my
pocket" replied Brady, putting vigorously
at his cigar and gazing at the ceiling.
"But didn't those rules provide that
there should be no hitting in the clinches
+. or IN the breakaways? Give me the
straight business, Billy"
..Yes, guess you are right about that"
replied Brady. still studying the overhead
frescoing.
But then. you must remem Der one
thing. Martin, my boy--that fight was
stopped in the seventh round by the
referee because Sullivan violated that
very provision. Corbett could have had
the decision then and there, but he would
not have it. After that round both OF
them fought according to the old-time
and Marquis of Queensberry rules, hit
ting in the clinches and breakaways. Sui
Iivan should really have lost the fight in
the seventh round.
well, never mind about all that,
said Julian, with an impatient wave OF
his hand i'let me tell you something.
You want square, stand-up fight Cor