The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1898-01-06
|M:.'CO |BtTT'S CHALLENGE
EIlifu.i2E.II-t-.k3sAsE II
STRONG DOCUMENT ISSUED TO FITZ-
SIMMONS, ASKING ANOTHER
CHANCE.
He OFFERS SPECIAL INDUCEMENTS
VIII Present Fitz with $4,000 as Ar.
rangements PrOceed-Fitz Says
Corbett Must Best Mayer BE-
fore He In Recognized.

Cincinnati, Dec. go. J. Corbett to-
day gave to the Times-Star for publica-
ton his challenge to Fitzsimmons, as
follows:
Robert Fitzsimmons, Champion of the
World-YOur published declaration, Mr..
f'itzsimmons, that you intend re-entering
the ring pleases me more than / can at
present express to you, for l know that
the public esteems me to be the only can
didate for the hOnors you won. | am
sorry, however, to note that in wording
this declaration you gave the impression
that since we last met you have become
unwisely forgetful For instance, you
say that before | can claim II match with
you i must prove myself to be worthy
of it, You certainly intended this as II
joke, for no one in the world knows my
ability better than yourself. You can
not so soon have forgotten your remark
to me at Carson just after the battle:
Jim you said, in your simple earnest
me bloody good licking
You, the winner, uttered these words
with face and body SO battered as to
leave no doubt of your sincerity, while
|, the loser, listened with never bruise
or scratch from head to foot which could
contradict. Is this consistent with your
now requiring me to go prove myself to
be u worthy opponent! You will find
the confidence of the public in my ability
to entertain you, still mistaken. You
will find that the public will insist upon
your recognizing my claim that you must
meet me again. But surely YOU have
been misrcprcsentcd. / refuse to credit
you with the bad memory, broken judg-
ment, poor taste and entire untruthful-
ness which the printed remarks alleged
to have been made by you would imply,
| prefer TO think that those who have
entered the ring with me were men,
honest. brave ami incapable of. the vul-
gar, lying cowardly language in which
was couched. However well | know that
great journals try to he and usually are
accurate to the letter. in reporting ut
tcranccs made upon important subjects,
| prefer to believe that in this grave
error has been committed and for pur-
pose not worthy of one who wishes to be
considered above contempt.
What the public expects from me is
to maintain the manly dignity of the ring
and not he Il brawlcr nor a shifty evader
Of the honest principles which govern
honest men when adjusting their respect
i've merits. This is all l have to say,
but this is what | propose to do: The
day we sign articles l will give YOU $1,000
Ill recognition of your courtesy. The mo-
ment you enter the ring ready to offer
me battle, ! will give you n second $1,000
in token of my pleasure. Upon the COM
pletion of the tenth round, if you are
indicated. will give you third $1,000
as u souvenir of my surprise.
Upon defeating you, no matter in what
round, ! will give you $1,000 more us II
reminder that | am not an ungcnerous
foe On the other hand. should YOU again
defeat me, promise if still able to move
to place my hat upon my head and then,
removing it in your honor, to proclaim
YOU in frank and unmista kablc terms to
I've my superior and state that ! then and
there quit forever all possible claim to
the championship of the world.
let further remarks on this subject
he mndc by one thousand clean. honestly
earned American dollars. given me by
the ,Hhlic that believe in me. | have
this day forwarded this to Will J. Davis
of Chicago, intcstimony that | mean
every word have herein spokcn.
JAMES j. CORBETT,
champion of America.
"Cincinnati, o., Dec. &C.