The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-07-27


San Francisco, July discharges of
fake in last nights contest between
Jeffries and Fitzsimmons were heard all
day long in San Francisco, but up to
tonight nothing to substantiate the re-
port has been obtained. Mayor Schmitz
issued two statements. in one of which
he said that If the charges was not dis
proved he would refuse to permit box
ing contests in San Francisco.
Fitzsimmons did not leave his bed until
a late hour this morning. He COM
plains of his left arm hurting and a
severe pain under his chest, the result
of Jeffries terrific body blows.
Fitzsimmons declares he is ready to
turn his share of the purse, about $4,000,
over to the mayor to be given to charity
If there can be produced any evidence
of a fake.
The receipts Of last nights fight
amounted to more than $4,000 Tonight
Mayor Schmitz made the following state
ment: xss
II saw the exhibition up to the time
the blow was landed. 1t seemed to be
fair and creditable performance, but at
the time the blow was delivered by JEFF
fries, Fitzsimmons. appeared to be en-
tirely off his guard.
Perhaps so much stress would not
be placed on this fact were 1t not for the
information given to me the night be-
fore the exhibition that the contest
would end in favor of Jeffries In the
eighth round.
II am loath to- believe that the promo
tiers of this exhibition were in a con-
spiracy to defraud the public but I be-
lieve that they knew nothing at all of
pre-arranged affair."
Fitzsimmons Makes Statement.
Robert Bitzsimmons had this to say:
Had l been a faker l would have
made a. fortune. If l had been accused of
taking in my last fight, there might be
some ground, but here | was to make a
last stand, to retire from the ring for
ever. l was offered in my fight with Cor
bett SIT, 900 to throw it. was offered $780,
600 to go out to Sharkey. but | have al
ways been square. fought last night the
best fight of my life. l punched Jeffries
as 1 never punched a man before. l split
his ear. broke his nose, cut his face
upland to say that 1 was taking" And
Fitzsimmons, unable to restrain himself,
burst into tears
Trainer Delaney issued the following
statement in behalf of Jeffries:
'"rhe fight is over. Jeffries won but not
without a struggle. l am free to admit
that Fitzsimmons gave us surprise. l
never did like Fitzsmmons, but his ac-
lions last night won over. l admire
him as fighter and sympathize with him
that he should have been subjected to
the mean accusation of taking.
Taking his age and weight into consid-
Grafton. he made marvellous showing. If
he was a faker, we are willing to admit
ourselves to be in his class, for 1t is the
kind of taking that wins glory and cham
pionships. If that fight was fake, we
were party to 1t.
Never Accused Before.
at have been before the public a quarter
of a century and have never been ac-
cused of participating In dishonest ring
contest, and 1 am perfectly willing that
the people judge for themselves relative
to last nights fight. 1 like courageous
man or animal and when l see man
who fought as Fitzsimmons fought last
night, accused of throwing his friends
am compelled to do something l have
never done before-rush into print IN de-
Tense of honesty of a fight was connect
ed with To defend Fitzsimmons from
the accusations is to defend a principle in
the greatest pugilistic fight the world has
ever seen. I think the story is the
brightest feather in Fitzsimmons wing
1t has had the effect of making me a
warm supporter of a man whom l never
liked and I venture to say it will have
the same effect on thousands of others
Even the spectators did not know what
a bad fix Jeffries was in. His cheek bone
was laid open and he had bleeding,
broken nose, the blood from which ran
down his throat, preventing his breath
ing.
Things He Feared.
ssThese were not the things we feared
most. One of his eyes was cut at the eve
brow and the eye lash and we were
afraid that the flap of his eye would fall
and blind him. His eye was also blown
out for a moment. 1 think Jeffries dem
onstrated he could take as much as he
could give. People near the ring will
agree with In this
IT eagerly watched for some sign of
weakening In Fitzsimmons. 1t came in
the fifth round. l then told Jefres to
keep close to him and not let him recov-
err Jeffries followed instructions and
the punch came In the eighth.
"In conclusion / will say that 1t was
the gamest fight between the gamest men
the world has ever known, and the best
man won'
OF the letter in the hands of Mayor
Schmitz, saying that the contest would
come to an end in the eighth round De-
laney says:
1--WE had hundreds of anonymous let