The Anaconda standard., 1898-03-07
Corbett Has Given Up all Hope
of Fighting Him.
THE STORY OF THE PURSE
Fitz Gave Up All Claim to 1t in Exchange
for Fifteen Per Cent. of the Veri-
scope Proceeds Interview
With Pompadour Jim.


his theatrical company to play a four
nights engagement at Maguires opera
house and made this admission to a
Standard reporter during a conversation
in the afternoon. Corbett made another
statement that will be of interest to peo-
pie who take an interest in affairs pugi-
listic. He stated unreservedly. and Of
fered TO bet any amount that he could
prove it, that Fitzsimmons did not get
the purse hung up for the winner of the
great championship fight of St. Patrick's
day. 1897.
"Fitz." said Corbett. had no idea that
he would win the fight and was so thor
oughiy convinced he could not win that
in order to be sure of making something
out of the battle, he agreed with Dan
Stuart not to ask for the purse in the
event he won, provided that Stuart
would guarantee him Is per cent. of the
proceeds of the yeriscope pictures
whether he won or lost
The ex-champion Is looking immeas-
urably better than he did up to month
prior to his fight with Fitzsimmons and
says his one great desire is to meet the
champion again, but that he has no
hope his desire will ever be realized. In
speaking on the subject, he said
There is nothing | should like SO
much as another go al Fitzsimmons, but
] have given up all hope of getting ii.
l offered him $35. 900 if | did not defeat
him in 10 rounds. but he would not ac-
cept it, and If he would not accept that
kind of an offer / cannot see that there
is any possibility of getting him to meet
me. You see, it was this way: Brady
offered to hang up purse of $4,000 If
Fitzsimmons would fight me again and
l offered to add $4,000 to it, and IL |
did not beat him in 10 rounds to give
him the entire purse, even IL | won aft
erward. Fitz declined. so / consider
that all hope of his meeting me again
is at an end. OF course | can't blame
him. He won the fight and is champion
and it is natural he should not wish TO
take any chance of losing it. but | take
his refusal of the terms offered him, as
l believe the people do. as a confession
that he does not believe he can defeat
me-"
In speaking of Fitzsimmons' demand
that he meet and defeat other prize
fighters before he would give the ex-
champion another opportunity and in
giving his reasons for refusing. Corbett
displayed an ingenuity worthy of for
mer champion of the prize ring
Il studied hard over that question be-
fore | decided to pay no attention to that
proposition" said he, "and l came TO the
conclusion that by fighting anyone else
| would only be aggrandizing Fitzsim-
mons victory over me. Suppose | should
meet Maher. Mccoy Rubin and all the
rest and defeat them. the people would
only say What great man Fitzsim-
mons must be? he is clearly the cham
pion of them all, while ] would not be
benefited in any way. On the other
hand. If he meets others and defeats
them 1t Will operate the same way in
my favor. If ! should meet and defeat
all the others | would still be second TO
Fitzsimmons. No; ! shall fight no one
but Fitzsimmons unless some one else
should fight him and win the champion
ship, for If ! fight IL viii be for that
Turning his attention again TO Fitz-
simmons and the Carson fight, Corbet.
remarked abruptly: why, Fitz never
had the faintest hope of winning that
fight. As an evidence of this | will tell
you of lis arrangement with Dan
Stuart Fitz wanted to make moaey
out of that fight whether he won or
lost, and his anxiety enabled Stuart to
dictate terms. Fitz agreed that ne
would not ask for any portion of the
purse, which. by the way. was $4,000
instead of $1,000, as is generally sup
posed. in the event he should win. II
Stuart would give him 15 per cent of
the earnings of the veriscope pictures
So you see. he was not fighting for a
purse at all. To show you the difference
in the amount of confidence we each
had. | was to get the $4,000 purse If |
won. and 25 per cent. of the yeriseope
earnings whether / won or lost. My con-
fidence enabled me TO get those terms
while FitZ was content to take the Is
per cent"
The ex-champion pays some attention
to national affairs, and getting away
from prizefightng turned his attention
to the present crisis between the United
States and Spain. True to his natural
inclination, he takes the finaneiers 5 view
aF he s-.t . l. a.
think there will be any war. THE
financial interests involved are too great
TO admit of It he said Il agree with
everyone else that the Maine was blown
up. but in this case / am not a fighting
man. and think the matter should be
settled by arbitration. The United
States should demand an immense IN
demnity. and then leave IL To arbtra-
ton by other nations. Everyone knows
we have the sympathy of every other
nation and | don't think. therefore. that
we should suffer from the award Of any
board of arbitration that could be Sc
lected
Would 7 enlist in the event of war;
Well, that would be a little out of my
province as a fighter, for 1t would be 4
naval war, and in naval affairs | am
not up. even if | am a naval cadet in
my play and invent and sell 10 the
government marine gun which plays
havoc with the enemy
The ex-champion laughed in apprecia-
ton Of mis- own humor and turned the
| conversation to his stage career. of
which he speaks enthusiastically and 10
which he says. he viii devote his life
hereafter and abandon fighting unless
| he gets a chance 10 fight for the cham
| pionship.
Corbett's wife does not accompany
| him on his present tour. His brother
Thomas travels with him 10 look after
/ his business affairs That the big
/ fighter has not lost his popularity with
/ the title of champion was evidenced
| from the time he arrived in the eity
| yesterday. Crowds af people anxious to
! get look at the man FitzsimmGns de-
/ feated swarmed around the Butte hotel
i where ha is stopping. but the actor
/ pugilst declined to satisfy their curs9s.
/ ity, and spent the day in mis- room yisit-
/ in an uncle, Thomas Griffin. Wha L
/ a Walkeryille miner