The San Francisco call., 1898-11-29
CORBETT SAYS
 McVEY SOUGHT
 ID SAVE HIM Statement Made by His Second. FEARED FOR EXCAVATION ENTERED THE RING TO PRE- VENT A KNOCKOUT. Californian and Sailor Almost Come to Blows While the Lenox
 Club Inquiry Is in
 Progress.
FEARED FOR EXCAVATION
ENTERED THE RING TO PRE-
 VENT A KNOCKOUT.
Special Dispatch to The Call.


 tional or prearranged wrongdoing when he entered the ring during the ninth round of the Sharkey Corbett contest last Tuesday night, and conse- quently forfeited the contest to Shar- key.
 This statement on Corbett's part was made at the close of the inquiry which was instituted by the directors of the Lenox Athletic Club to fix the respon- sibility for McVey's actions. The in quiry, or investigation, took place in the presence of a large number of sporting men, the principals. with their hand lers, and the club officials being pres ent The only absentee was McVey, whose invasion of the ring caused all the trouble. It was said that McVey had left the city, but his whereabouts could not be ascertained.
 State Senator Timothy D. Sullivan, representing the Lenox Athletic Club, acted as chief inquisitor and invited any and all of those present to ask whatever questions they pleased Of the witnesses.
 w. B. Gray, Kid" McCoy's manager, was the first witness He said that six or seven days before the fight, while in company with Mccoy, he met two representatives of a local newspaper in the Astor House. He told them that friend of his, whose name he was not at liberty to disclose, had informed him that the bout was to end in the ninth round, and that Sharkey would be de clared the winner. Senator Sullivan asked Gray to produce his informer and promised to give $500 to any charitable organization or institution If Gray would bring his man and have him re- peat the assertion. Gray left the build l -I-..-- If 1 friend to reiterate the statement.
 Honest" John Kelly, the referee, 1 said:
 Up to the ninth round I thought it was an even thing. and l firmly believe | that there was no faking on the part l of the principals, who were fighting to | the best of their ability. As to Nc l Veys actions, I believed then, and am | still of the opinion, that McNey was 1 had by some person or persons. The l reason that l declared all bets off was to protect the public, as it was clear to me that McVey's interfering was a prearranged plan. l cannot say who had McVey. I don't believe | that he got into the ring to save, Cor 1 bett from defeat. Before the master l of ceremonies. Charles J. Harvey, an- nounced all bets off, John COnSidine 1 called on me to declare all bets off, but | told him that I had instructed liar 1 vey to anounce that fact three or four minutes before that time"
 Announcer Charles J. Harvey stated 1 that Kelly told him to announce that 1 Sharkey had won, and after a little de- | lay he requested him to add that all 1 bets were off.
 George Considine, Corbett's manager, was emphatic in his denial of any knowledge of put-up job.
 said he knew nothing of any deal or l job, and no man in the world could l get him to be a party to any crooked work He knew nothing of McVey's i intentions until Connie had jumped i into the ring. He declared dramati cally:
 {! T would kill any one If necessary to | prevent such an infringement of the rules"
 | Tom O'Rourke, Sharkey's manager thought Sharkey had undoubtedly the 1 best of the fight In fact, Sharkey l was the only one in it.
 ''All I am sorry for,'' said he, 'is that the contest ended as it did, but such a ! thing cannot occur at the club again 1 as a new rule has been made. In case any man attempts to enter the ring in | the future he will be promptly ar rested and the fight will be continued | and decided on it's merits.' OROurke denied all knowledge of l any telegrams or documentary evil l dence which would tend to show col | luSlOH, ana stated that the or money which Sharkey received was | $16,S45, while Corbett's share was s6S45 l Those sums were made up of 65 and 35 | per cent of a $20,000 purse and 50 per ? cent of the receipts exceedino s40,000. While O'Rourke was making his ] statement Corbett and Sharkey growl- ed and snarled at each other, but they ] desisted when requested by Senator ] Sullivan.
 Sharkey, on his own behalf. stated 1 that the fight was Ion the leveI'' He went into the ring to win, and was con- | vinced that he would have knocked out Corbett in another round had the i fight gone on.
 1 Corbett the last witness, said:
 T won't believe McVey was bought He has been with me for many years have supported him, and he has eaten my bread and butter. After we re- turned to my dressing room on Tuesday night McVey said to my brother Tom: | I could not see the big fellow licked, and I got into the ring That is all i there was to it. I had the best of the fight from the second round''
 Sharkey interrupted Corbett, saving: "Why, you didn't have a dead mans chance"
 Corbett replied: T never faked in my life"
 1 Neither did l." retorted Sharkey.
 Both men then assumed menacing at
 
 if there would be a brawl; but Senator l Sullivan, who stood between them, re- quested them to keep quiet, and Cor bet continued:
 You're too ignorant to understand when compliment is paid you, Shar- key. but I'm Gentleman Jim,' and all ways will be-"
 Corbett then went on to say that Me vey was impelled only by honest mo- tives in doing what he did, and that no man could. make him believe otherwise
 Senator Sullivan reviewed the evil l dence and said:
 "It seems that McVey thought Cor bett was being beaten. and jumped into l the ring to save him. No evidence to the contrary is forthcoming, and the club directors have done all that they 1 could to set the matter right in the eyes of the public. As to the bets. we have nothing further to do with them.'' | This ended the inquiry so far as the club was concerned.
 After it was over Corbett declared that Sharkey should give him another fight, and O'Rourke promised to give l the Californian a chance.