The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-06-09
THE POLICE
NOT LIKELY
TO INTERFERE
Chief Devery Has a Change
of Heart at the Last
Moment.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

IL Is w III lASAAL ~ ii IlDlSn tomorrow
night at the Corey Island Athletic Club.
and that lovers of sport will see the
great heavyweight battle The marked
change in the attitude Of Chief of Police
Devery which was foreshadowed in to-
days Call, became more apparent this
afternoon and it is now most probable
that the police will be able to watch
r ne bout at COney Island with the same
?, Iuanimity which marked their view Of
the several heavyweight finish fights
at the Lenox and Broadway Athletic
clubs quite recently
And, barring the police evidence null
tiplies that the fight viii be a fair en-
counter from all standpoints. Outside
OF the purse being divided, as il may
be in one proposition or another. Fitz-
simmons has a reputation TO hold or to
lose, and that reputation is his for
tune. The Californian, too, has for
tune to win if he beats Fitzsimmons
and. more than that, Julian and Brady
must keep faith with the public, which
has bought nearly $4,000 worth of seats
in advance, or lose prestige.
Thus all in all, il looks promising
from the standpoint of the ring patron.
From early morning more confident
tone was noticeable among sporting
men generallV The uncertainty fol-
lowing Devery's stiff announcement of
his intention to stop the fight II there
was a knOCkdOwn or a hard blow Waned
hour by hour until tonight the men
who viii throng the ringside expressed
the utmost confidence in the managers
ability 10 pull off the bout without
trouble The worst that they feared was
that the Chief Of Police would attempt
to make good his threat, not by stop
ping the contest in the first or one or
inc early rounds. but perhaps after one
Of the contestants had become groggy
and without waiting for an absolute
knockout But Chief Devery himself
discussing the matter to-day, acknoWl-
edged that a knockout was probable
and that it might occur before inter
ference was possible And. any way, 1t
is clear that if one OF the big fellows
has the other going the swing OF a INST
may finish il all before the police can
move hand or foot.
Betting showed a marked impetus to-
day. and the arrival of sporting men
from the South and West lent an air
Of great activity 10 the resorts in
Broadway. If anything. FitZsimmons
went back somewhat in the betting,
bat while some professional experts
were quick 10 say that they thought
Q TO I false price, the COrnishman
vas clearly the favOrite and VIII go
into the ring quoted at about that fig
IRE.
Referee SiIer, Jenries, FItzsimmons,
Brady and Julian Will meet at the
Coney Island Club tomorrow after
noon and 90 over the rules in detail,
IN order TO avoid all possible misunder-
standing when the men begin mixing II
up As the referees talk with the prln-
cipals on Wednesday showed, there was
no important point of difference in their
Interpretation Of the conditions agreed
uDen and il is prObable the conference
WIN be marked by smooth sailing.
There was great confidence in both
camps to-day. such confidence as one
used to hear Of in the days just before
some opponent Of the great SuLllNan
went into the ring weighted down Win
q fortune in backing and lost, like his
predecessors. Men talked in one
breath to-day Of FitZsimmons age ana
Jeffries' youth and strength. and IN the
next Of FitzsimmOns' skill as a ring
general and hitter and OF Jenrles IN
experience. These We're the prlnclpal
things they talked about in arguing
over the fighters chances.
The change in the attitude OF the
Police Department was generally cred
tied TO the interference of Hugh Nc
Iaughlin. Brooklyn's boss, in behalf Of
the Coney Island Club. 1t was gossip
that he had been appealed 10, and thaI
he. in turn had used his influence with
high Manhattan Democrats to call on
The Droposed interference, as was done
before when the COney Island Club
eouchr a license. This explanation of
The case was denied most emphaucally
bv-Chief DeverY. and in denying 1t ne
said some curious things, which tended
TO show that a change had come over
the spirit of his dream
7 have nothing more to say about
the matter" he said when asked II his
attitude was the same as it was on
Wednesday.
When asked about the report that
NTcI.aughlin's influence had caused an
alteration of his plans ne sald: VIII
cav MIR. Mclaughlin has not lnterfered
in this matter in any way.
And his friends have nOt?'
"IIfs friends have done nothing.
Then the situation is just the same
as il was on Wednesday,?
About the same.
About the same
yes"
There will be no smuggling, them?
No smuggling: certainly not"
Won will not allow a Knockout"
The chief smiled YEARLY. You can't
| always prevent a Knockout he said.
you see. a man might go out from
sheer weakness. In this hot weather a
man might be overcome and might fall
from a IlEnl DiON VI NAl4It 4L4eSHA4443 q
side step to get out Of the way The
heat might finish him.
But these men are trained to the
hour" 81
man might easily be overcome after
great exertiOn.
@Then it is just as you left it yes
terday?"
if The law will be observed"
Betting was lively in jim Corbett's
Mace tonight and there was a big
sporting push on hand. Corbett had
some interesting things to say when
asked about the fighters on the eve of
battle.
Where does FitZsimmons come in to
have the betting two to one in his
favor?'' he asked Il call that false
price. Mind you, he is an aggressive
tighter and can take punishment and
wait his chances, but this Jeffries is
very big and he's aggressive, too. 1t
wouldn't surprise me great deal If
Fitzsimmons won in round, but then,
why shouldn't the other fellow do the
same? OF course Fitzsimmons has an
advantage in his experience. he VIII
go coolly to work. The other man may
have a bit of a stage fright at first.
four