The record-union., 1898-11-29
C0RBETT-s T-sHARkEY FIGHT.
INQUIRY INTO CHARGES OF A
JOB HELD.
McVey Jumped Into the Ring Be
cause He Thought Corbett
Was Being Beaten.

Was Being Beaten.
NEW YORK, Nov. 2S.-James J. Cor
bett declared to-day that he believed
Connie. McVey innocent of any inten-
tional or prearranged wrong doing
when he entered the ring during the
ninth round of the Sharkey- -Corbett
contest last Tuesday night, and conse-
quently forfeited the contest to
Sharkey.
This statement ON Corbetts part was
made at the close of the inquiry which
was instituted by the directors of the
Lenox Athletic Club to fix the respon-
sdbility 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
handlers, and the club officials being
present. The only absentee was Nc
Vey, whose invasion of the ring caused
all the trouble 1t wgs said that Nc
Vey had left the city, but his wherea-
bouts could not be ascertained.
State Senator Timothy D. Sullivan,
representing the Lenox Athletic Club,
acted as chief inquisftor, and invited
any and all of those present to ask
whatever questions they pleased Of the
witnesses.
w. B. Gray, Kid McCoy's manage
was the first witness. He said that six
or seven days before the fight while in
company with Mccoy he met two rep
resentatives of local newspapers in the
Astoria. He told them that friend ef
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 declared the
winner.
Senator Sullivan asked Gray to pro-
duce his informer and promised to give
5000 to any charitable institution if
Gray would bring his man and have
him repeat the assertion. Gray left the
building, promising to try and get his
friend to reiterate the statement
Honest" John Kelly, the referee,
said: up to the ninth round
thought it was an even thing, and /
firmly believe that there was no fax
ing on the part of the principals, who
were fighting to the best of their abil-
ity. AS to McVey's actions, believed
then and as still of the opinion that
McVey was had by some person or
persons. The reason that I declared
all bets Off was to protect the public.
as it was clear to me that zIcVey's in
terfering was a prearranged plan. /
cannot say who had Mcvey. 1
don't believe that he got into the ring
to save Corbett from defeat"
George Considine, Corbett's manager,
was emphatic in his denial of any
knowledge of a put-up job.
Charley White, Corbett's trainer, said
he knew nothing of any deal or job,
and that no man in the world could get
him to be a party to any crooked work.
He knew nothing Of McVey's intentions
until Connie had jumped into the ring
and declared dramatically 'I would kill
anyone, if necessary, to prevent such
an infringement of the rules"
Tom O'Rourke, Sharley's manager.
thought Sharkey had undoubtedly the
best of the fight. In fact Sharkey
was the only one in it, ..Aal 1 am sorry
for" he said, is that the contest ended
as it did, but such thing cannot &C.
cur at the club again, as new rule has
been made In case any man attempts
to enter the ring Of the future he will
be promptly arrested. and the fight will
be continued and decided on its merits"
O'Rourke denied all knowledge Of any
kilograms or documentary evidence
which would tend to show collusion, and
stated that the amount of money which
Sharkey received was $16,S45. while
Corbett's share was $6,S45. These
sums were made up of 70 and % per
cent. of $4,000 purse, and 80 per
cent. of the receipts exceeding S40,-
600.
While o'RourRe was making his
statement Corbett and Sharkey
growled and snarled at each other, but
they desisted when requested by Sena-
tor Sullivan.
Sharkey, on his own behalf, stated
that the fight was ION the level" He
went into the ring to win, and was con-
vineed that he would have knocked out
Corbett In another, round had the fight
gone on.
Corbett, the last witness, said: IT
won't believe McVey was bought. He
has been with me for many years I
have supported him. and he has eaten
my bread and butter. After we re-
turned to my dressing-room on Tues
day night Mcvey said to my brother
Tom, I could not see the big fellow
licked and / got into the ring. That
is all there was to it, I had the bet
ter Of the fight from the second round"
Senator Sullivan reviewed the evi-
dence, and said: ut seems that Me-
Vey thought Corbett was being beat
en-, and jumped into the ring to save
him. No evidence to the contrary is
forthcoming. and the Directors have
done all that they could do to set the
matter right in the eyes Of the public.
As to the bets, we have nothing fnrth-
er to do with them
This ended the inquiry so far as the
club was concerned
After it was over Corbett declared
that Sharley should give him another
fight. and O'Rourke promised to give
the Ca1ifnrr,iarn q channn