The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-12-05
DEALS IN FRUIT;
FIGHTS NO MORE
FRANK ERNE PREFERS LEGITI-
NATE BUSINESS TO THE RING.
Former Lightweight Champion Sells to
the Four Hundred From Broad
way Store and Proposes Soon to Go
| Into Business Himself

i ; i = 81. = :.
+ Behind the counter in a New York
fruiter'ss store, from S. a. m. to p. m.
every week day.. there is a. neatly
dressed young clerk whose identity
and former occupation could not be
guessed by one in ten thousand men
OF the world. That clerk is Frank
Erne,. ,one-time champion lightweight
prize fighter of the world, conqueror
of more than seventy-five of the crack
men or his weight, and who has been
known as the gentleman fighter.
I am learning the fruiter's BUSH
waiting on a. we'll known Fifth avenue
woman. When [ know just how to
care for fine fruit, know the market,
and believe myself capable of con-
Quoting q store, shall make start
in my native town, Buffalo. When Z
open in that city expect to have one
OF the finest fruit stores In the coun-
try"
Erne forgot his interview to attend
to the wants Of another member of
1.-The -four hundred and from the
smiles the. former fighter received
from his fair customer it appeared
THAT his clerkship had given satisfac-
ltion.
Yes, have sold fruit to the VAN
derbiIts, Goulds, Morgans, Rookie
fellers and other, rich folks'' COM
mented Erne, ''and you can write it
down that 1 would rather sell fruit
than hight at any stage of the game.
nave taken my knocks as a prize
Tighter and, incidentally, / have given
Esome:z But in future I will confine
Imyselfs to the growing and selling OF
Ifruit.''
II Judging from the manner in which
4 Erne handled his customers, took their
orders and bowed his thanks, it could
be assumed that he had won his spurs
in the clerking game. His ease of
Emanner, freedom of speech and famil-
E1artty with the growth of the partic-
ular fruit he was selling was given in
s the greatest confidence. In fact, he is
just as good fruit salesman as he
was ring general-neyer at a loss for
a word to close the sale Of basket of
fruit. He does it as naturally as he
fought.
During his career as a fighter Erne
has won from such well: known men
as George Dixon, kid, Lavigne, teDaY,
Hawkins, Joe Cans and many others
He has been knocked out, but only by
top-notchers, namely, Terry Mccoy
ern, Joe Cans (second tightly and
"Rube" Ferns. -
The fighter-clerk was born in Swift.
zerland, but at an early age his pa.
rents moved to this country, LOCATING
IN Buffalo. 1t was in the early nine.
Ties When Erne was discovered at the
old Buffalo Athletic club where he
was employed as pin-setter in the
bowling alley. He was just a plain
good-natured German boy, and wher
he fought his first ring fight hi.
town's-fellows dubbed him "the Buff
falo boy" At different times Ernt
has been the manager of boxins
classes and physical culture schools
but he has promised to discard tn,
gloves forever and. stick to the fr,1i
, business.
There are only four well know,
lightweight champions alive besid,
|; Erne. They are Joe Cans the pres
ent champion; Tommy Henry, Jacl
McAuliffe, who is now engaged il
playing the ponies, and kid" Lavigne
who is run down in health, and wa
: reported not long ago in a sanatoriun
in California.
Erne is now q years old, and from
q reliable source it was learned tha
his bank account is better than SO
600. This, he says, will be investe,
when his fruit store in Buffalo i
iopened.