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St. Louis, July 11. - Kilrain and
party ar-
rived here this morning. Kilrain looks
badly, but he is as far from the grave as he
was before the fight in so far as the injuries
received in the battle are concerned. His
face is badly bruised, both eyes are black-
ened, his lips are cut, but not severely, and
his jaw gives evidence of some of the taps
thereon from the brawny fist of Sullivan.
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Kilrain walks without assistance but
he is
far from frisky. He is also badly frightened
and fears Governor Lowry more than he did
John L. He still looks to Mitchell and the
others for his orders like a child.
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Mitchell opened with the statement
that
the fight was lost because Jake wasn't in
shape. "I knew he was sick and I asked him
if he did not feel badly, and he deceived me
by saying 'no,' now didn't you Jake?"
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"But I felt well enough to do
him."
growled the fallen idol.
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"The whole story in a nutshell,"
continued
Mitchell, "can be quickly told. Jake had
no time to get fit for the sun knocked him
out. The battle was fair and square and we
have no complaints to make."
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"But didn't Sullivan assist the sun
in
knocking out Kilrain?"
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"Some," said Mitchell, "yes, Sullivan
did
get in some damaging punches in the third,
and I believe the seventh rounds."
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"But its a bloody shame to talk
about
dosing," continued Mitchell, "and about my
leaving Jake because he was defeated. Jake
will tell you he wasn't drugged, and as for
leaving him, why, I was looking out that we
weren't nabbed by the 'bobbies' in Missis-
sippi, and I stood on the front platform to
prevent the uncoupling of the train."
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"Bat Masterson of Denver, who is
charged
with twenty-two lives, stood by me and
promised to shoot the first man who touched
a coupling pin, and by the courtesy of the
Associated Press we finally got into New
Orleans on their special train. It was forced
courtesy, I know, but we couldn't help it.
We had to get out of Mississippi, and quick,
too."
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"The people would prefer your
statement
as to the fight, Jake," suggested an Associ-
ated Press reporter.
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"Well, he whipped me," replied
Jake,
"and he did it fairly. I wasn't in condition.
The truth is I had but two weeks training.
The heat assisted but I was not drugged. I
don't blame anybody and acknowledge my
defeat. I was over confident, perhaps, but
still think I could whip Sullivan, and I shall
try for another go at him."
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This statement was made in a
dispirited
way, however, and it was clearly evident
that kilrain is not over anxious for another
battle.
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"I feel badly enough over losing
the
fight," said Kilrain, "but I am not suffering
very much physically. It meant a fortune
to me if I won it, as I need not have fought
again, but now I must."
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Mitchell says he will challenge
Sullivan
for another battle and pony Moore said he
stands ready to back his son-in-law for any
amount. The party go direct to Baltimore
via Cincinnati.
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