The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-03-18
SAID HE DID NOT PROPOSE TO
AGREE TO RULES TILL HE
ENTERED THE RING.
dan STUART BROUGHT HIM 70 TINE
And the Question of Rules viii BE Set.
tied at Conference Today-Rcf-
Gree Sier Not in the Best
Of Humor.

made known by Silcr yesterday. Dan
Stuart. however. took matters in hand
and in short time had managed 10
patch up a peace and avcrtcd the threat
,lned storm.
The main obstacle in the way Of pull
ing off the fight without n squabble was
Fitzsimmons, who said he did not pro-
pose TO agree upon anything until he and
Corbctt were in the ring. Stuart ut once
ordered carriage and drove ont TO the
Fhzsimmons ranch and had talk with
the lanky fighter.
'"Thc only thing for you to 10. Fitzsim-
mons" said Stuart. sis 10 come to some
agreement on this thing, and the sooner
YOU do so the better il will be- for all
concerned. What we want and all that
Silcr wants ris for you and Corbctt TO
agree on something that will suit you
both and something that will be fair to
you both. Now, ! suggest that one Of
your men and one Of Corbctts men meet
me at my Office tomorrow and we can
talk matters over and sec If some agree
mcnt can not be reached"
THAT suits me-" replied FitZsmmOns
"A want nothing but what is fair to both
of ny, and / will have Il man present
when the agreement is made. That is
all ] can ask"
He wanted to know how Corbctt
viewed the proposal, and when told il
was agreeable to the champion he again
said:
81 don't know, Dan. as | will be- ready
30 enter the ring on the day agreed on"
Stuart is pale from his recent illness.
but he turned about three shades palcr
when he heard FitZsimmOns declare him
self in this way
'Why can't yOui What on earth is
The matter with you?' Stuart asked
"Well. you scc," said Bob. II have
hurt one of my hands, and ! don't think
! can possibly get into shape TO tight by
March H."
Stuart's face fell several degrees aud
Bob, seeing his distress, danced around
the room like II school boy.
One must have fun out in this coun-
'1ry." said Bob. 81 was only foong.
Dan. and my hands and all the rest of
me are in the best sort of condition. nd
nobody will find that out better than one
gorbett when ! see him on the 18th of
March"
Stuart left the FitzsimmOns camp with
the positive assurance that Fitzsimmons
would be represented ut the conference
in his Office tomorrow. and he set the
hour for O'Clock. The consent of the
Corbett people was obtained without
any trouble
Fitzsimmons took it rather easy today.
the principal part of his work being n
ten-milc run on the road in the moring
In the afternoon he SPARED ten rounds
with Hickey and Stcl2ncr. and wrcstlcd
n little with Rocbcr and wound up by
punching the bag.
"a am not making any objection to the
rules ms n whole" said Fitzsmmons: "all
] want is to prevent the other fellow
from getting an advantage of me. All
| want is an even show. | can lick Cor
bett, and | will do it if they don't impose
ON me, and | don't intend they shall.
That Is all there Is about IT,"
James j. Corbctt had intended sending
Il letter to George Siler. referee of the
fight regarding the htter's construction
Of the Marquis of Quccnsbcry rules. hut
the plan for conference changed mat
tcrS.
81 am not going to say anything ut this
time" said COrhctt: "thc conference will
settle matters. | see Mr.. Fitzsimmons
is kicking on the rules, just rs | said
he would. am not going to say any
thing until | find out Just what he oh
iects to in particular. He may object to
things ! consider very essential and
again his objections may he trivial, so
do not want to say anything yet. All
u care about is to prevent FitzsimmOnS
getting any undue advantage. There is
no use of telling Siler that | agree to u
thing or object to that thing until know
what FitZsimmons is making kick
about If he makes no complaint about
Siler's construction of the rules will
not. but it would be bad policy for me
ut the present time TO agree 10 anything
or object to anything until ! know what
the sore spot is with Fitzsmmons. 1T
he is of the same opinion ms | am on
things there will he very little trouble
hut he is n chronic kicker and he never
was anything else, in my opinion; as long
ms he has a chance To object to anything
he is going to do II.
II think it is Il good thing, however.
continued Corbctt, that Silcr gave out
his letter when he did. 1t is better for
MS to talk for week in advance of the
fight than talk for week after we
get into the ring"
Referee Silcr was not in the best of
humor today over the objections to his
construction of the Marquis of Queens
berry rules that had come from the FltZ-
simmons camp.
when | was in Chicago FitzSimmons
told me that he had no objection to the
construction of the rules | have made.
4 can not see now Hc can oultCl 10 tntul
az present" said Silcr. However, | did
not rule for the sake of finding out what
Corbett Fitzsimmons, or anybody else
would like. | ruled as | thought was
right. and | will stick to my ruling. At
the same time | wish it distinctly under.
stood that | am not trying To dictate to
the men. All | want is an agreement of
some sort by the men, and rs long as the
men are satisfied | guess every one else
will be-
Siler was crowded all day by people
who came to tell him indirectly how lit
de he knew about the rules and how
much they knew. One gentleman sug-
cested ruling that would forbid all hug
cling or clinching.
.'Now." said this gentleman. Il want
10 know if you are going to decide the
tight against Il man if he hugs or
cinchcsT
1.-THE rules prescribe said Siler. that
there shall be no hugging or clinching,
hut they say nothing about these actions
being ground for disqualifying man: II
a man does one of these things and is
told 10 stop he must do so. II man was
so persistent in his hugging ms TO prevent
all fighting, and after being warned, kept
ND his hugging so that no fighting could
take place. / think that man should be
disqualified. but where two men are fight
ing. and an occasional hug or clinch takes
place, / think it the duty of the referee
~ 500 that il is not carried to an unrea-