THE PRINCE OF WALES AND THE PRIZE-RING. OFFICIAL DENIAL FROM SANDRINGHAM. True Account of the Interview With Sulltvan.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 246, 14 March 1888, Page 7

THE PRINCE OF WALES AND THE PRIZE-RING. OFFICIAL DENIAL FROM SANDRINGHAM. True Account of the Interview With Sulltvan.

A TEMic.KAM was despatched to Sandringluun, where fcho Prince of Wales is ab present staying, inquiring if there was any truth whatever in the f-Ute-mont recently published that hib Ruyal Highness was a member of the committee engaged in organising' a public banquet to tho pupjilibts Smith and Kilrain. in recognition ot the pluck exhibited by them in their recent encounter. In reply the following telegram wa.s lceeivcd iiom Sir Fiancis Ivnollys, the Prince's private secretary :— " Sandriuoham, January 4.— Thcio i« not tho slightest tiuth in the leport, nor did the Pnnco ever know that such a proposal existed. — Knotxys." The Press Association says :-— Wo may state in confirmation of the denial that hasbeen forthcoming from Snndiinghnm, that tho utmost indignation is expressed by the members not only of tho Smith- Kill am Banquet Committee, but also of the Pelican Club, ab a statement that has been published that his Koyal Higlmeps was acting on the committee. These who are organising the banquet have never even thought of approaching the Prince on tho subject. Tho whole story is flatly contradicted as a pure fabrication, and surprise is expressed that it should havo found credence in any quai tor. The committee, we are informed on icliable authority, is composed as follows :— Tiic Marquis of Quecnsbnry, Viscount MandeVlllO, LOTd de Clifford, L<Old Churston, Sir William Gordon dimming, B-\rt., the Hon. Daniel Finch, Sir John Astley, Colonel Brown, Captain Drummond,^ Mr Hugh Drummond, and Messrs A. E. Wells, C. W. Blake, G. W. Atkinson, W. E. Hauling, Richard Fox, Shirley Brookes and S. Coleman The banquet will take place, it is understood, at the Pelican Club, at some date yet to be fixed ; and it &till remains, to be decided what form tho presentation to Smith aid Kilrain shall assume. We have been lequcsted by Mr Wells, propiietor of tho Pelican Club, to contradict a lumour that the Prince of Wales is a member of that club. This statement, like its predecessor, is entirely devoid of foundation. A representative of the Press Association has had an interview with Mr Wells, and with Captain Drummond, of the Scots Guards, and with Mr J. Fleming, Smith's manager, with reference to tho leporta iecently published in certain Ameiicau journals, and partially reproduced in England, as to what occurred at the London Fencing School, in Clevedon Row, St. James's, on December 9th, when the Prince of Wales met Sullivan. All three gentlemen declared the conversation represented to havo taken place between the Prince and the American pugilist to be, if not a tissue of falsehoods, at all events gross exaggeration of what actually occurred. They denied that Sullivan indulged in a fiee-and-easy stylo of speech when addressing the Prince. It was a fact that his Royal Highness had a short chat, not only with Sullivan, but also with Smith, but it was untiue that Sullivan offered •' to show tho Prince round Boston," should he ever visit that city ; that the Prince asked Sullivan to use Smith gently should they ever meet in the ring ; and that the American replied that, if Smith stood before him, he would do Ins best to knock his head off : and a score or more of remarks of a similar nature. It was positively asserted that what did occur was this :— At the beginning of December the Prince of Wales expressed a desire to sec some boxing, and Sir William Gordon Cumming, Bart., and Captain Drummond, of the Scots Guards, accordingly proceeded to make ai rangemen ts for a private exhibition at the London Fencing School. They saw Mr J. Fleming, who has control of the sparring shenvs which occasionally take place at the Pelican Club, and asked him to arrange the details, and to secure the attendance of Sullivan. A few nights prior to the 9th of December, Mr H. S. Phillips, Sullivan's manager, Avas introduced by Mr Fleming to Sir William Gordon Cumming at the Pelican Club ; and the result of this meeting was that Sullivan was invited to breakfast with the officers of the Scots Guards, at their messroom, and to afterwards meet the Prince. This invitation was accepted, and after breakfasting with the Guardsmen, Sullivan proceeded to the Fencing School, where Smith was likewise present. Amongst the professionals who have been engaged to take part in the performance before his Royal Highness wore Fred Johnson, T. Easton, C. Williams, "Nunc" Wallis, S. Blacklock, Reuben Baxter, " Bat " Mulling, W. J. King (middle- weight amateur champion), Alfred Greenfield, and J. Ashton, as well as two wrestlers named Wannop and Brown. It was understood from the first that the exhibition was to be a strictly private one. and thoee who organised the show all declare that, had the Prince known the slightest publicity was to be given to his visit, he would never have entered the building. Amongst those to whom tho courtesy of an invitation bad been extended to attend the show was Mr Phillips, who seems to have been accompanied by an uninvited guest, in the person of a representative of one of tho New York daily papers. Attontion was drawn to his presence, but he was permitted to remain, it being assumed that he would nob publish to the world what occurred at a private gathering. Sullivan and Smith were in turn introduced to the Prince of Wales, who chatted pleasantly with both of them. No conversation, however, such as that attributed to them took place, and it is stated that Sullivan was most respectful in his demeanour. His Royal Highness also shook hands on two occasions with the English champion ; and after the somewhat severe bout which the latter had with Greenfield, expressed to Smith his surprise that he had not been more marked about the face. He at the same time complimented him upon the excellent form he had displayed. The programme concluded with an encounter between Sullivan and Ashton, during the progress -of which the Prince .commented on the American champion's hitting power. After this. His i Royal Highness, accompanied by Sir 'F. Knollys, left the school, and the company I separated, . '

Overtures. have been' made to> Adelina Patti/the famous priraa. donna,' to' visit Australia for a stated time* Theundividual making the proposition i8 willing to de> posit a large amount of money; and will engage to pay the singer a fabulous sum. His name is not given. Patti, who has offered fpr sale her castle in Wales, may go from ' 'Brixzilf ' on ' completing ' her Soiith AVnei-idan to'ur.'tdtCahforiiia^ahia Mexico^ Stfe: "will be aibsent from Bnglah'd twojeW&r He.r>llm:ent| supposed, ati n/st 'to|be;cander ! in the" atWach,- hasenti^ely v disdppeared. ' '