The San Francisco call., 1898-04-12
Sharkey and Jeffries to Fight Before the Na-
 tional Club.
Great Heavy Weight Contest Will Take Place Early
 in May.
FitZsinnnnOns Will Be Challenped by tho Winner for the Worlds
 Championship.

The long felt want of the sporting fra ternity of this city has finally been com piled with.
 Alter weeks of wrangling and also of meetings which amounted simply to dis cussion, Jim Jeffries, the big heavyweight pugilist of Los Angeles, per his agent Billy Delaney, has agreel to meet Tom Sharkey, the pride of the American navy in contest of twenty rounds.
 Last evening Delaney, acting for lief fries, and Tom Sharkey, acting in his own behalf, met the directors of the National Athletic Club and long discussion was had over a prospective meeting between the two giants of the ring
 Sharkey, as previously stated, refused to meet Jeffries in the Olympic Club. be- cause certain prominent members testi- fled against him in a case that deeply in- terested the sailor.
 Delaney, although favoring the Olym- pic, was not altogether disposed to give the National Club the cold shoulder, and yesterday he notified the managers of the National that he would discuss the propo- sition of a match, provided Sharkey was present at the meeting to be held last evening.
 Sharkey stated at the meeting that he was approached on Saturday last at the race track by William Kennedy, the su- perintendent of the Olympic, and asked If he would fight under the Olympic Club s auspices.
 II will give you 65 per cent of the gross receipts and a bonus if you will fight for the Olympic" said Kennedy. Now, give me your answer. Tom"
 We'll sa-- Sharkey, in telling of 1t, my answer to Kennedy was that I would not fight in his club, owing to the treatment 1 had received from some of its members, and it went at that.
 When Sharkey had finished speaking, Gibbs of the National remarked that he had had a verbal understanding with Howard Taylor of the Olympic Club, which was to the effect that neither club was to offer the pugilsts more than 60 per cent of the gross receipts. But now that the club has mapped out cuttmoat policy said Gibbs, T guess everything goes, and may the best club win
 Well, let us get down to business" tional give us: that's the question:"
 After no end of talk. Delaney, on the part of Jeffries, accepted 65 per cent of the gross receipts. and Sharkey acquiesced in the clubs proposition.
 The winner will receive 75 per cent and the loser 25 per cent of the 65 per cent
 The next and most important question discussed was the selection of a referee.
 Gentlemen, 1 guess l will take the floor for a few minutes, if I'm in order" re- marked Sharkey. What 1 want to say is this. You know that I have not re- celNeO square Qedl rom Cdl11Ornld rel erees in the past, but rather than dis appoint my friends and the sporting peo- pie of this city, I will agree, this time. to local referee, provided that the man selected is anything near being a good honest fellow"
 Several names were mentioned and re- jected by both Sharkey and Delaney, but no objections were made to Jim Chesley and Alexander Greggains. Those two prominent sportsmen will be seen to-day and if either one will agree to serve, the articles of agreement will be signed this evening. In case Greggains and Chesley refuse to act, other names will be pro- posed at this evenings meeting; but should the principals or their representa- tiveS fail to agree upon a suitable per- son, the articles read that referee must be selected not later than ten days after the fighters affix their signatures to the document.
 There will be no hitting in the clinches and the match Is set for the evening ot May G. either at Woodward's or Mechan. ics' Pavilion.
 As a guarantee of good faith the clut and the pugilists will deposit 5000 each this evening.
 The Excelsior Athletic Club will give a first-class athletic entertainment on Fri. day evening at it's club rooms, Eighth anC Folsom streets.
 The principal event will be an eight round contest between Billy Otis and Hughie Dougherty.
 The Manhattan Club will entertain its members on the 29th inst. at 1749 Mission street