The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-24
CoRBETT DENIES THE CHARGE.
HE DECLARES THERE WAS NO JOB
IN HIS FIGHT WITH sHARKEY.

Regrets That McVey Lost His Head,
But Does Not Think He Is IA Trai-
tOr-on the other Hand, Mysterious
TeIegrams Went Westward Tell
ing Corbetrs Friends to Hedge.
Public Belief Is That the whole
Thing Was Prearrnnged.
New York, Nov. 2S.-The Herald to-mor
row will print the following:
In the rage vented Yesterday by devo-
tees of sport there were few pleasant
words and those We're all for Honest"
John Kelly, who. voicng the public BELIEF
that James J. Corbett lost to Thomas
Sharkey by a prearranged foul, declared
all bets Off But Kelly could not give
back or restore the $76,S74 that was paid
into the pockets of the men who managed
the Lcnox Athletic Club Tuesday night.
hence the expressed regrets because of
McVeys untimely interference.
1t is now known that men in New York
who had been betting their money on Cor
bett sent three kilograms westward. One
went TO Seattle, Wash, another was sent
TO San Francisco and the third to Port
land, Ore. Each telegram was 90 a sup
porter of Corbett, and read: Arrange
ments changed. Hedge your money"
Thousands and thousands Of dollars were
sent to Western cities, to be placed on
Sharkey
Corbett was seen at his home last night.
He did not look as If he had been In a bat
tie with one of the heaviest men in the pu-
gilistic world, as there was not a mark
on him.
Really, I hardly know what to say
about the affair" he remarked. "No one
is so depressed as / am at the action of
McVey which lost me the fight. have
been half daffy ever since Kelly gave the
decision against me. Cold chills have been
running up and down my back at the
thought that I had the fight won, and
then lost in such a manner. Luck has
been all against me of late, but It Is
bound to change
But, Jim, many think you yourself was
one Of those in the job. and bet on Shar-
key was remarked.
'Never in my life have | been accused
OF utter ignorance" he answered. "Peo-
pie generally, l believe. have given me
some credit for possessing some lnteni-
gence. Now, with spark of intelligence
in my brain do you think ] would have
50 bungled affairs i'm such a way / think
the mere fact that the action of McYey
appeared so palpable Is evidence that /
was not at the bottom or IT, In the first
place, II l wanted to be crooked, / would
never think Of doing so unless / had fixed
the referee.
'If there was anything wrong do you
think / would have rushed over to Kelly
and told him to declare all bets Off? In
fact, the first one to yell to Kelly TO make
such decision was George Consldine. If
we had been in any skin deal and had bet
on Sharkey, do you think that we would
have wanted all bets declared Off"
do you think that McVeY Sold you
OUT
Il can't believe that he did. We have
been too close in our relations. IL there
had been any funny business on his part
/ would certainly have seen some change
in him while we were training | don't
say that he did not sell me out, but
can't bring myself to believe that he did,
for / have been most liberal with him"
1T is alleged that your protestahons
to Kelly and your efforts TO hit McVey
were forced in view Of the fact that you
have such a nervous, excitable disposition,
which if you have had really meant what
you did, would have resulted in you aim
ing blows at McVey"
Il conducted myself coolly all through
the rumpus. ! did not lose my temper /
came very near hitting McVey, but re-
strained myself as 1 realized that ii
might do no good after the harm had
been done. l can't see how McVey could
have lost his head, but something was the
matter anyway. If he had been bought to
throw me, he evidently realized that the
time had come for action for another
stiff blow would have defeated Sharkey.
"The fight ended so mysteriousy that
really / am in a trance ] would be asham-
ed TO tell some people what / do think If
some cry fake, ! can't help II. The crowd
can best judge as to that. 7 never fought
better in my life than this time against
SharSey.
kelly had no right TO declare bets off
but he did the right thing and used good
Judgment. He acted only after my entrea-
ty to save my friends their money 1t
seems queer however, that he could not
have told McVey TO keep out, as the latter
was not interfering with US and was no
where near us. When Kelly said you
lose" I thought he meant that sharkey
had lest"