The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-20
DIDN'T LIKE IT.
Large Crowd at Sullivan Show
Is Disappointed.
Wanted to See Real Boxing
Match Promised.
OFFICERS STOPPED IT.
Refused to Permit Anything
Like a Knock Out.
How Eldridge, the Sand Man,
Makes His Pictures.


About $500 people paid their money
to attend the John L. Sullivan show
at the Auditorium last night. at least
some of them expecting to see Jim
Mccormick attempt to knock out
Jack Johnson in four rounds, and
the only thing that happened was a
noise like a bluff.
Your county attorney says your
gov'ner is an old grandma and won't
stand for the exhibition explained
the manager to the crowd.
Bring EN- out" yelled somebody
in the crowd.
"If there's anybody in the house
that can guarantee we won't all get
into Jail if we pull off the go, John L
Sullivan will give 800 toward the
pipe organ fund and $50 toward the
Eagles relief fund" said the man
ager.
Nobody seemed inclined to under
take the guaranty proposition. In or
der to satisfy the murmurs in the
crowd, Manager Hall asked Herman
Crow to step upon the stage. Grow
entered from the wings, followed by
Johnson. the Topeka fighter, who
slouched along with a characteristic
pug swing.
johnson is here and ready to
fight" said Crow. 1--WE regret we
can't put this on tonight. but both
boys seem willing to go. and / think l
can say that we will arrange to get
them together before long, if Mr.. Nc
Cormick happens to come back this
way"
''In order to show you that we're
here with the goods said the man
ager, 81 wish to introduce Mr.. Jim
Mccormick, who is now ready to do
business"
Enter Jim Mccormick in dark
blue tights, naked arms and shoulders
He is built on the FitzsimmOns wedge
shape plan, but his upper works are
not as massive.
II now Introduce continued Hall.
"the champion of champions, who
knocked out 1873 men in seven
months"
John L. 7oated upon the scene from
the starboard portierre. John L. car
ries his age better than he does the
rest of his cargo. He walks like a
man who is wound up. His gown was
decOlette, and when he folded his
arms across his manly bosom it looked
as though he was hiding behind a pair
of hams. Says John;
Some people think that because
I'm a prize fighter. i am an iIiterate
gent, and a plug ugly. I wish to state
that L consider de business OF prize
fghtin' as legitimate as that of the
banker and broker, and there isn't as
many prize fighters in the pen as there
is bankers and brokers. Symptoms
of applause.) I always try to obey de
law: I'm not hunting no chance to
break into Jail; there's too many poor
fellows i'm there already trying to
break out. 1t cost me $4,000 to keep
out of Jail after the Kilrain fight, and
locked N n
geOn three stories underground after
my bout with Mitchell in Chantilly.
put up $4,000 and when I was re-
leased on bond I did a duck and dey
kept my money. Now we isn't anxious
to break into Jail. but 1 viii give 500
to dis pipe organ fund, and $50 to
the Eagles relief fund if somebody
will fix it SO we can pun or dis IOur-
round go"
The machinery that moves John L. 8
champion of champions tripped off the
stage like a friction toy.
Manager Hall then made another eff
fort to sOOthe the grumbling crowd.
1T has just been suggested" he
said, "by prominent citizen of your
town that we can pull off this bout
provided we don't offer any purse Mr.
Johnson says he viii go on without any
purse. Now I think that by tomorrow
night we can arrange things so that
this four-round exhibition can take
place"
We're here tonight" shouted some
body in the crowd
Bring out your men tonight yelled
somebody else, and there was a rising
torrent of shouts and Kisses.
Mccormick and Sullivan hastily en-
tered and commenced their boxing
exhibition" which is the trump card of
the show. Tt is very very fierce. At
regular intervals, Mccormick an
proaches Sullivan and submits to being
struck Whenever Mccormick leads.
he lands, and then stops to apologize
and give John time to recover. When
ever Mccormick hits Sullivan. he turns
to the acknowledgements spea king
and says TITS a shame to do it"
There is too much talk about "Hon-
est john in the Sullivan show. on
about four different occasions. the
manager comes to the footlights and
assures the audience that John L. Sui
livan has always been on the square.
always been on the level" John /.
himself then announces the same fact
in his own behalf. It's a wonder they
don't put a placard on Sullivan's back
saying. This is Honest John Sullivan .
In politics when man gets the name