FAMOUS BOXING REFEREE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21733, 26 August 1932, Page 10

FAMOUS BOXING REFEREE

ILLNESS AND POVERTY. Mr Eugene Corri, who has acted as in .more boxing championship fights than any other man, _ and , who numbers royalty among his friends, was summoned at Southend, Essex, on July ? in respect of a judgment obtained in connection with a butcher’s bill for £lO. Mr Corri, who has been struck down by illness, is living in a small flat on a few. shillings a week. He is unable to do very much to supplement his small income. And yet in his pocket (says the Daily Express) he carries a cablegram frotn Mr Hugh M‘lntosh, Australia’s foremost boxing promoter. It is an invitation to go to the Commonwealth and act as referee to a world’s championship fight. It also offers Mr' Corri a six months’ touring engagement. This message was received by Mr Corrie only a few months ago, and he is distressed'that he was unable to accept the offer because of illness. Now further distress has been added to the heavy burden he is bearing in' his seventyfourth year. A bailiff gave evidence that he had seen Mr Corri, who was too ill to attend, but who had stated that his income was £2 4s a week. His Vent was 30s, leaving a balance of 14s a week for him to live on. An order was made for Mr Corri to pay 4s a month. “ It is terrible, too terrible,” Mr Corri •aid afterwards, “I, who once bad everything I wartted—a large and beautiful house, servants and horses, and was very wealthy—now seem' to get nothing hut illness and had luck. If only I could get well I would try to work,'and everything would he all right again.” Mr Corri and his interviewer were sitting in the front room of the little flat overlooking the sea. The walls were decorated with pictures of famous boxers and relics of the old referee’s great ring days. He picked up one of his most treasured possessions—a framed invitation from Tex Rickard to go to America for the great Dempsey-Carpentier fight. He went. That was only 11 years ago. “ I am hoping things will get better.” Mr Corri said, and then whispered: “I did wish that this latest trouble might he'kept from my friends.”