Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-05-23
Full Account Of Heavyweights'
Meeting at San Francisco.
WAS NOT MUCH WRANGLlNG
Rig Fellows Agree 20 Select Referee
For Contest or Forfeit Five Hun
dred Dollars Each.

II know you are bigger ana stronger
than l am, and do not propose to let you
wrestle me around the ring, Marquis Of
Queensborry rules do not permit a man
to hit in the olinches. and 1 Will not box
that way" said Jim Corbett at the con-
ference with Champion Jefrles yesterday
afternoon, and right there was the bone
OF contention, says the San Francisco
Chronicle.
This was the one point that the big
fellows hitehed upon and 1t took a lot OF
argument to settle the question. Jeffrles
had Billy Delaney and Joe Egan to back
him up, while Corbett did all OF his own
talking with Brother Tom chipping in
occasionally on disputed points James
COnrOth acted Tor the Yosemite club' FOR
u change however the champion was
chief counsel Tor his side, and displayed q
keenness in blocking C0rbetts verbal
leads with which few credited him.
notable coterle OF fight lovers gathered In
Harry Corbetts rear room 10 hear what
was expected to be a lively tilt between
the two big fellows. They were disap-
pointed on thut score. for the meeting
was entirely amicahle and purely business
from the start,
During the contest In regard 10 the pur-
port Of the rules the men seemed about
TO reach a deadlock, but when each eN-
planned just what he wanted the trouble
eyapOrated, as their Ideas conceded Cor
bett said that clinchng was one Of the
scientific things IN the game Delaney
interp0sed that hugpng was strictly
against the rules, ana JettrleS came along
with the statement that II one man was
holding and the other had his hands free
the latter could fight the holder away
from him,
Suppose you should rush In ana catch
me around the neck and my arms should
be disengaged Then ] would be allowed
TO hit you without restraint said Jeh-
rios.
Corbett came back with the quick re-
tort Don't be 50 sure that / am the
one who will be holding"
Joff appreciated the point and sml-
ing, replied, 1T works both ways They
decided that such a thing would be en-
tirely In keeping with the letter and spirit
Of the rules after Illustrating their mean
ing by rising and going through the diff
ferent holds, So the worlds championship
will be waged with the strict injunction
TO the referee that with only one arm
free man cannot hit; both must break
by order and protect themselves while
stepping back,
"And / will have an understanding with
the referee TO that effect said Champion
Jim.
Don't ever believe. for a moment that
| won't have heart -tO-heart talk with
him, also" was former Champion Jim's
reply.
The main purpose Of the meeting was to
sign club articles and decide the financial
part of the big 20. A bid OF $4,000, with
| the alternative OF 70 per cent OF the gross
receipts, was accepted over q month ago,
| but COrhett protested that his mind was
| cloudy on the subject. and asked Conrotn
90 tlfI o I'D "a
| said that he was willing to take gam
| BILE, and accept the percentage plan. Cot-
| froth was willing TO raise the purse 20
| {22j0O His manner Of saying 50 made
| Corbett quickly change TO the Jehries
| idea that a percentage proposition was
| worth the chance. The fighters will share
| this 70 per cent upon a 15 and p per cent
| basis, as agreed upon In the east.
CoffrOth wanted the referee selected at
| least month IN advance. Corbett thought
| two weeks was enough. Jetf did not seem
| to care, In the prepared articles the club
| was given the right TO name the Judge, In
| case Of disagreement by the principals
| Neither OF the heayies would hear OF such
| an arrangement, and COnrOth explained
| that his reason was TO insure the early se-
| lection OF man. and II was finally de-
| cldod that Jeff and C0rbett should forfeit
| 500 apiece for failure to get together and
| name the referee on or before July -,
| the battle being set for Aug. II, IL was
| generally accepted as fact that the
| position OF honor should fall TO some Call
| fornian, JEFF denying that he had ever
| said be wanted an eastern referee, as was
\ telegraphed from Chicago.
| Both had selected Thomas II. Williams,
| Jr., as stakeholder for the big event and
| he was entirely acceptable TO Conr0th,
| but It was explained that Williams was
1 absent from the city and furthermore,
| had not been consulted In the matter
i - her for fIu FfNII ua
| temporary stakeholder, with the stipula-
| ton that he should retain the money II
| Williams declined the Office Appearance
| money OF 1880 each from the fighters,
| and the same amount from the club, was
| deemed sufficient 20 cover losses In event
| Of a forfeiture, and the $3.50 must be
| placed In Gleason's hands within the next
| two days.
| The Yosemite club agrees to furnish a
! A-foot ring for the contest as Marquis
| OF Queensberry rules call for. II may
| not be generally known that all Of the
| fights held here In the last Few years
| have been IN arenas considerably under
| that size Sometimes they have meas
| ured Is feet from rope TO rope and some
| times ~, but never have they reached the
| required limit. Soft bandages VIII be per
| mitted, but they must be donne1 after the
| contestants enter the ring and be within
| the meaning Of the term TO the satistao-
| tlon Of the referee.
The woighty portions OF the articles
| having been gone through with, the I'M
settled question as 70 who should pay the
referee was treated In o ocular way.
| Cofiroth was rilling 20 take the burden II
| the fighters would let him name the man.
| OF course, they would do nothing Of the
| sort and Jeff's suggestion that the salary
| Of the third party In the ring be deducted
| from the gross receipts was made unanl-
nous. Some minor business matters had
| their attention for few moments and the
men dispersed, evidently wei satisfied
| with the way things had gone.
nnut rnE Nh. 40 CTANn