Waterbury Democrat., 1902-02-12
FIGHTS IND FIGHTERS.
Erne Says He Was to Get the
 Double Cross.

The Match Was Fixed to be Draw
 But Cans Had Trained Faithfully
 and Was Prepared to Nin-The
 Tournament to be Held in London
 Frank Hallett is Whipped in Wal
 lingford.
 The failure of Frank Erne of Bunalo +, moot Toe Cans of Baltimore at the Pann Art club of Philadelphia on Mon- dav night was widely discussed py rino followers yesterday, lncluuins many who made the trip to the ouaAel .,L citv in vain. Erne was in New iorA all dav and in answer to all quesllons he said that he learned of job 10 oo him and that he simply refused to pe yictimized. Men who say they knoM the inside of this latest puglI!slic fasco were talking freely at Varlous sporting resorts last night. They salu that Erne was advised of a schelne to double cross'' him and that ne leIt Philadelphia as soon as he was con- yinced that all was not right.
 As 2 matter of fact. when Erne ana Cans made this match for six rounds, they saw that there would be big gate money in it, and they accordingly agreed to split the money in equal parts. As Erne had not had sufficient time in which to prepare himself TOT the mill Cans, it is said, agreed 10 post S1.O00 as guarantee that ne would not attempt to knock the Buffa- To boxer out. Tn other words, Erne and Cans had a private agreement to box six fast rounds which, as there could be no referees decision, would satisfy the crowd Both men are won derfully clever. and for that reason they believed that they could put up a bout that would not excite suspicion. With Erne confident that no harm would come to him. Herford. the man. ager of Cans. prepared to make kill ing Cans, who has been in strict training for several months, is in su- perb condition just now, so that Her. ford saw a chance to win the light weight championship for his man by catching Erne unawares. Accordingly the .sgood thing" was whispered along Broadway on Monday afternoon. those who knew what was coming off offer ing $50 to $37 50 that Cans would win.
 As there was no referees decision to be looked for, those who wanted to back Cans were accused of Knowing something'' Erne and his friends got wind of a deal, and when q certain sporting man told Erne that Herford was trying to bet 5000 on Cans, the Buffalo boxer became suspicious. Erne was hog fat and in no shape at all for a hard fight. When he got to Phila- delphia on Monday noon he asked Cans to put up bis 1000 forfeit. In behalf of the latter Herford refused to post more than S100. which was con- elusive proof in Erne's estimation that if he got into the ring he would be double crossed" So Erne packed up his little grip and went back to New York, still the technical lightweight champion.
 Some persons tried to excuse Erne by saying that he was ill and that he could not afford to take chances. Oth- CTS endeayored to show that Erne's backdown was an attempt to put Mar tin Julian out of the boxing game ir Philadelphia. that the real story was that stated above, which only goes tC show how easily some pugilists want to get the money. Following so close ly upon the heels of the Maher-Sharkey fake. this fiasco between Cans and Erne drives another spike into tht coffin of the boxing game in the Quaker city. Erne has been knocked out by both Terry McGovern at specia weights and by Rube Ferns under sim liar conditions. so that it is not at al strange that he concluded to dodge when he was convinced that Cans wa. prepared to put it over on him for { full count.