The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-12
LIE ON THE FACE OF IT
F'itzsimmons Denies Writing the
Letter to Shilly.
IT MAY BE A FORGERY
The Ex-Champion Will Pay $500 for
Conclusive Proof-Doesn't Know
the Man - There'll Be No
Bene At Given.

New York June 1.-Bob Fitzsm-
mons, ex-champion heavyweight pug
Hist, in company with his wife and his
manager Martin Julian, attended a
ball game at the West End Field club,
Jersey City, this afternoon. Fitzsim-
mons was one of the two umpires, and
after the game he and Julian found
time to deny the assertions made by
Leonard Shilly. who is credited with
being an attachee of the sheriff's Of
flee in Cincinnati. Shily claims to be
a personal friend of Fitzsimmons, but
Bob says he does not know such man
and Julian is equally positive that he
never met such a person. The letter in
itself purports that Fitzsimnions feared
defeat and advised his friends not to
risk any money on their belief that
he would retain the championship.
Il never wrote such a letter." said
Fitzsimmons. Il do not know Shilly
Who is he, anyhow? You say he is
connected with the sheriff's office at
Cincinnati. Well, if he is, I know
nothing about the sheriff or him.
never wrote such a letter. I'm not A
letter writer. This letter in question
went into training, some weeks ago. |
only wrote one letter and that was to
DR.. Kelly, dentist of Peoria, Ill, but
l made no mention of my chances of
victory or defeat in it.
TN tell you what I'll do" contin-
ued Fitzsimmons. "In order to show
the public that | never wrote such a
letter to Leonard Shilly or any other
person, I'll give $1,000 to the person
who produces such a document and,
Furthermore, if any one believes that
he has such a letter, l will pay his
expenses from wherever he resides to
this city and make him a present of
$3.50, providing that such a communi-
| cation can be produced. OF course, the
/ letter may be a forgery, if such let
| ter exists, but | want to be satisfied
I, as to its existence and | also want the
| public to be satisfied as to its existence,
! and also want the public to he salts
! fled that | never wrote it: nor had it
| written for me-.
| II am at loss to understand why
| any person could make such n state
| ment because / see no reason why any
one should try to harm me in this un-
derhand manner"
Martin Julian. Fitzsimmons' mana
ger. was very emphatic in his denun-
citation of the report. and said:
| "FitZsimmons and | are close friends
| and | know that he never wrote such
| a letter. 1t is lie on the face 'of it,
| Fitzsimmons is not making any idle
! boast when he says that he will give
| S2,500 for the production of the letter il
| it can be proved to be authentic This
We can easily afford to do. seeing that
| 1-p Ictf
be a forgery. Now let these people
| come to time, and if there Is a negro
| in the woodpile we will soon dig 3Sm
| out. If the letter can be Placed in evil
dence we will gladly pay $4,000 to the
person presenting it,
| Mrs. FitZsimmons, who was present
| said that she was positive that her
| husband had never written such q let
| ter
| Bob was more than confident of sue
cess, and all those who saw the fight
| must certainly agree with me in saying
that he did his utmost to retain the
! championship. He had no doubts as to
| his ability to defeat Jeffries and, al
| though he was beaten, I am not quite
satisfied that he cannot reverse the Or
der of things
Several rumorS are in circulato that
| Jeffries has offered to spar with Fitz-
| simmons a a benefit for the latter but
Manager Julian said tonight that JEFF
| fries and his manager, instead of Civ
| ing a benefit. the proceeds of which
| would go to Fitzsimmons, had made a
| proviso that they should receive so per
| cent of the receipts. When this prOpo-
sition was made to Fitzsimmons he and
| his manager declined to have anything
| to do with it. and stated that when
| Fftzsimmons gave a benefit for Jack
| Dempsey, after he had defeateA him
| Dempsey received all the coin. Neither
| Fitzsimmons nor Julian will accept
| half favors from the new champion or
| his manager, and if they wish to give
| the ex-champion a benefit he must
| have all.