Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-11-04
BURKE, THE BRUIsER.
He AStOnishes a San Francisco Re.
porter Who Interviews Him.

'sHave the honor of grasping the
hand that didn't whip Sullivan"
| "You have, sir, replied the party adj
dressed, as he proudly drew hotel
blanket about his athletic looking should
ers, and emerged his face from the gloom
of pile of pillows.
Eyes, sir,'' continued the recumbent
gladiator; II am Jack Burke, and that's
the hand that did not whip Sullivan :"
and the reporter, who had searched him
out through the Ellis street wing of the
Baldwin Hotel, where they always put
prize fighters and wrestlers, as far away
| as possible from the prima donnas and
star actresses who beautify the Market
street front, could see the athletes
eyes flash at the mention of that great
event.
"You did not whip the champion, but
you would have done so, of course, if YOU
had not been sick ?"
81 was not sick; was never better in
my life," replied Burke, in surprised
tone-and the reporter, who has in
terviewed all the fighters of the past
twenty years, was SO taken aback that he
almost lost his presence of mind.
"Not sick? Oh, no, of course not; but
the referee was against you and would not
let you win I"
'No such thing. The referee was q
good enough man."
A FIsTIC PHENOMENON.
CHOW look here" said the reporter.
"this won't do. You can make record
out here on any such bluff as this.
Don't you know that it's against the
etiquette of the ring for man to fail to
whip the other fellow unless he is sick or
the referee is fraud"
81 can't help it. 1 was not sick and
l did not whip Sullivan-and now,
young fellow, talk about something
else'
"You were born in London and
raised there. That fact is of record.
Have you any objection to telling me
what university you graduated at"
81 never went to any university
porter, gently, but firmly. ri like you,
and / do not want tosee you ruin yourself
in that way. All the modern pugilists
dlO SIduQdlGS vi uulttTSlGltS. SlldTlGS
Mitchell, for instance, a graduate of Cam
bridge. Sullivan, graduate of the Bos-
ton High School, whose athletic tenden-
cies ruined his career as man of learn
ing. Muldoon was a graduate of Yale
and even the six-day pedestrians could
talk Latin and Greek"
81 don't care" said Burke, doggedlY;
81 amt no graduate"
"Did your parents intend you originally |
for the law or medicine?"
Neither"
'Then you were destined for the church,
of course ?"
CHOW, look here, young fellow, stop
this joshing. I was brought up about
Lambeth, and worked in the potteries |
till got enough credit as boxer to do
better in that line.
''But, Mr.. Burke, if you go on telling
the truth in this blunt way about your
self, how do you expect rich men as
Charles A. Dana, Senator Conkling, or
Ben Butler to invite you to their homes
and intrust you with the education of their
sons?"
eff you think that Pm fool enough to
want any bigbugs to slap me on the back
in bar-rooms and patronize me to the ex-
tent of my capacity for wine, you are
away off. My business is the ring, and
I make the best l can of it. Idon't toady
to any man. No one could patronize
memo, not even the Prince of Wales
couldn't"
ssI suppose that, like most boxers,
you are much sought after by the fair
sex"
ssNo. sir; and don't hope to be. You
forget, perhaps, that I am married
man."
The reporter readily perceived that Mr..
Burke was in such a state of benighted
ignorance as to the proper stuff to ladle
out to interviewers that it was hopeless to
expect anything spicy from him, but he
gave him one more chance to redeem
himself, by asking him about contem-
poraneous "pugs."
Mr.. Burke responded that Sullivan
could whip any of them, and that Nc
Caffrey's talk was all bluff and nonsense.
Mitchell was clever man; but had no I
power to punish. Mike Cleary, the man
he comes out here to meet, had a wicked
right hand; but was slow with his left
and depended more on "knock out"
than on science. Jack Dempsey. was
clever, and his own best point was
science. In thirty battles he had never
been whipped He had come a long way
to box Cleary, and was in good condition,
but would do good deal of work before
the match. He had no remarks to make |
for or against the climate of California,
and as he was stranger he supposed his |
o,,;,,;or ahout the naOnIn would not 90 for |