The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-08-31
FITZSIMMONS QUITS THE RING
He Goes Out with the Horton Law-Hfs
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Refuses to
Fight without Time to Train.

New York. August 27.-Robert Fftz-
simmons tonight announced his retire
ment from the pugiiistic RIG. -e
made an Intellectual attempt today TO
get on a match Tor the heavy weight
championship with James J. Jeffries
to take place before the Horton law
expires at midnight next Friday, and
tonight issued the following statement:
i am through with fighting. l will
retire from the ring and will not claim
uhe championship from Jeffries. l an
ready and on edge TO meet him next
Friday night. as his manager suggest
ed ten days ago., but as he claims he
Is in no condition TO fight on that night
/ am through with him n with the
ring. Henc@forth there Will be no
man less in the heavyweight division
for l viii go out with Uhe Horton law"
FftZsimmons, with his manager,
met William A. Brady, representing
JefrieS this afternoon. Last Satur-
day FftZsimmons deposited $500 TO
bind a match between himself and JEFF
fries for next Friday night and Brady
sent word that he would meet FitZ-
simmons TO arrange for a battle be-
tween Jeffries and the eX-heayy weight
champion. FitZsimmonS said he was
ready and willing 10 meet Jeffries On
Friday night before uhe Twentieth
Century Club under any conditions as
TO the division of the purse or gate re-
ceipts which would suit Brady. He
said he would be satisfied for the w.n-
ner 10 take all, or to split the purse in
half or TO give 90 per cent. 10 the win
ner, or 80 per cent. 10 the loser, or in
fact any terms possible SO that he
could meet the present champion be-
fore the aNnf~a rinn of the Horton lar
Brady, in reply, said that Jeffries
was in no condition as he had quit
training several days ago. He said it
would be unfair for Fitzsimmons TO
force a mSch with, a man physically
unfit for such a contest.
replied that JefrieS
had had plenty of time TO get into
condition, and said that although he
had gone through two very sever bat
ties during the last two weeks, he was
on edge now and ready TO fight TO re-
gain the championship.
Brady said il was impossible for a
fight to take place between Jeffries
and FitZsimmons on the date men
toned, but that he would put UP a
forfeit at once to bind a match be-
tween the two, the fight to take place
within three months. from September
1st, and a side bet of 800 0
Fitzsimmons would not listen to this
pIO poSllioI dllu SdLd lhol IL was oLis
made for advertising purposes.
WHAT JIM JEFFRIES SAYS.
Norfolk, Va, August 27.-An Asso-
ciated Press representative called on
James j. JeffrieS tonight at the Mon
ticello hotel n asked him about his
proposed fight with F~itZSimmOns.
Jeffries replied that he is ready to fight
FitZsimmons or any other man who
will put UP the forfeit money and
q orna RI tho fQyrnc Hn Coxvc he nnyly
weighs 220 pounds and although ap-
parently strong and well, he is not in
fighting trim. He said he could not
get ready to fight in the short time
before the eXpil alton of the Horton law
in New York. Then h said with
simmons accept my offer to fight ten
days ago? F'itZsimmons and Sharkey
both refused to put up a forfeit Of
So, 800"
He said ne was ready to fight then,
but that since that time he has en-
gagged a travelling company and made
arrangements that prevent his going
into training.
Speaking for Jeffries Mr.. Cook said:
AL. Smith in New York has a forfeit
of $4,000, deposited Is an invitation to
some disputant that Jeffries will fight.
All that the ~disputant needs to do is
to cover nat amount and he will get
a fight. Jeffries will not fight till Feb
ruary or March next. He has con-
tracts to fill and men engaged on SAL
airy, hence he cannot prepare now. He
is willing to fight at Carson City, New,
provided the Horton law is repealed
in New York. FitZsimmons might
lay had a fight any time since the
18th of May, the time of the Jeffries-
Corbett fight. if he had wanted one"
Jeffries did not hesitate to speak
disparagingly of Corbett. On the con-
trary he has a high opinion of the
fighting qualities of FitZsimmons. He
admits that F'itZSimmonS is the hardest
fighter he has ever encountered. When
shown the Associated Press
ment of Fitzsimmons that he would re-
tire from the ring after Friday night,
or on the expiration of the Horton
law Jeffries made no comment, but
seemed to treat the statement with
contempt.