Year: 1874

S"yeS Statement Refuted by ED
wards "A Foul Claimed to Avoid Fight


ing Fhe Former BADLY whipped


sd"/ards willing to Fight colyer
As ain-The stakes To Be Handed Over
on Wednesday.


Billy" Edwards, the champion prize fighter OF
ne eight weights,n arrived yesterday afternoon
in New York from Pitlsburg. He looked the
| very picture OF health, and shows no signs what
ever OF having been engaged in any such desperate
| encounter prize fight In fact any one not
| personally acquainted with him, on meeting
him on the street other place OF public
! resort would sooner imagine him to be o
| mercantile clerk than professional "pug."
The only mark he exhibits on any part or his body
denote his late contest is the smallest possible
scratch on the left eyebrow, which, by the way,
looks more ike The remnants OF a mosquito bite
than the result OF Il blow from the horny fist OF an
antagonist IN the ring.


He was met shortly after his arrival In New
York by q representative OF the HERA Id,
He said he never felt better In his life,
and referred to his face to show how little he
had been punished in his last weeks match. He,
however. expressed himself in no measured terms
in regard to Coyer's attempt to place him In q
false light before the public oy his statement, or
purported statement, as published in Western
paper.





foul which was raised by Coilyer's second, Barney
Aaron, as he came to the scratch on the twelfth
round was nothing more than mere subterluge
in order to bring the fight to an end by reason of
COlyer being unable to fight any more. Coyer,
Edwards Claims, was SO exhausted, and in such
weak condition. as to be unable to come to time
In TACT, was so badly cut up as to be unwilling,
and, besides, unable to face him any longer. When
the cry OF foul was made, on the ground that





or that he had snotnered his hand With
sSe reeree m States IN. as rules
hum to open his hands, which he did All that was
found were two or three blades of grass which had
thrown or iell on the ground. He admits, how
ever, having rubbed the inside OF his hand with
says was done only to give him greater power
to keep mis- fists cenched and with no desire 10 in
lure % his antagonist. In fact not enough was used
course frequently adopted by prize lighters and
has never been objected TO. "ln any event" said
EDWARDS, ''the referee having ordered me to wash
with the ngnt shows that there were no
grounds for Colyers seconds to maintain their
claim or TO withdraw their man. Tho TACT Is, Coll
yer was so badly whipped as to preclude him from
coming up when time was called. He kept saving
to his trends. Claim foul, claim foul; won't
fght; thus plainly showing that he did not want
able TO creep out OF 1t on quibbe. If he had, as
he alleges, me beaten on the tenth round, and
that my hands were gone, why did he not protest





to finish this man; ! have already whipped him,
but want to put it beyond doubtr Alter
the referee ordered the fight to proceed l stood
In the ring fully ten minutes, but Collyer would
not meet me, put Kept In his corner, still crying
out to his friends, Claim toul' shouted out
TO him that was willing 10 continue nghting and
further that l would alter this had been decided
by the referee, meet him again and fight him Tor
$1,000 or $4,000 If he not satisfied and am still
Wiling 10 DO So l do NOT know" SAID EDWARDS
las TO the charges he made against Barney Aaron,
but must say be certainly did not appear to want
to force the hghtlng Tor 1t was not until !
mad given him several rattling good punches
and thumps that he seemed to care
s sab benp @ robbed maze aa of MN the do pb ssd E
wards. ''it is my opinion that Coyer, finding him.
sell SO badly beaten, dld not want to fight the
battle out and be entirely whipped on the merits,
but simply raised his objection as the only means
left MIN TO creep out by. He thought he might ln-
pose the referee and the public by such tactics;
but l oeiieve that the people OF America, read
the NEW YoEK HERALD, winch was perfectly
us and give me the victory as Justly and
honorabiy earned. Colyer wanted an excuse to
s the one he WHEN he Saws
hands had given way he says what is not true.
The reference he makes to a supposed rule OF the
/ prize ring is all nonsense. And even supposing /
/ had anything IN my hands, 1t becomes the duty OF
! the referee, before ne can decide and give IN a
! FOUL TO notify the offending party the alleged
the same manner he will be declared the loser. In
! the present case, however, as has already been
! stated, my hands were washed and dried and the
| fight ordered to proceed" In conclusion Ed
| wards sad, in answer to the queries put to him,
Coyer appeared to me to be pretty badly used up
and badly cut up in every way, Tor all
the blood I had upon me was from him. He
wanted TO have the matter concluded and did not
want any more fight, and simply resorts to the
cry of Ioup 10 bambooZle the public and give mis-
! friends chance. The referee, however, was an
honest man aud saw through their game. stood
In the ring ten minutes after the referee called
lime and ordered the fight to 90 on, waiting for
COIlyer, but he would not lace men