Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-01-26
WRESTLING
ROACH HITS HARD
Popular Local Wrestler Hits the Croakers Hard and Has a Few
 Hundred to Wager

The following letter sent to the sporting editor of the Democrat this morning will make some of the bluff fers take to the woods but perhaps 1t is hard to Kill off few of them and they will still join the ranks of the croakers. The letter ought to convince any fair minded sport, for it is Writ ten right from the shoulder and with the long green to. back up the state ments made therein:
 Waterbury, January 26. 1906.
 Sporting TiitoF, Waterbury Evening
 Democrat.
 Dear Sir:-Your article in last even- ings paper came as a surprise to me and I learned of it with much regret in my training quarters last evening. The article I refer to is the one which speaks of the coming handicap match between myself and John F. Kelly, in which it was intimated that some people in this city have made the break that the match was a queer one and was fixed between Mir Kelly and myself. In order to give those people chance to earn little money who have been making such breaks, I wish to make the following offer: l will bet the whole, or any part of S10O that have not entered into any agree ment with Mir Kelly or any of his friends to fix the match in any way whatsoever. other than it must be on the level and a fight from start to finish. I have never made crooked ,h sv. x..ractlinor ..op and II defy any person or persons to prove otherwise. Furthermore, would not enter into any agreement with Mir Kelly to fake the public of this city for all the money that could be rais- cd. In defense of Mir Kelly I will also state tb't he or any of his friends have not been to see me relative to making a queer match. l believe that he and they are just as honest as I am so far as the match between us is concerned. Mir Kelly and myself are not good friends. and have not beer for some time. When l challenged him some months ago to meet me in an even up match. he felt that I was rubbing it in just a little because he was not in the best of shape at the time. Now. flushed with his victory over Muldoon. he jumped at me like fish does at bait and tried to make mo appear pretty small potatoes by offering to meet me in handicap match. he agreeing to throw me two falls in one hour. So confident am l that Kelly cannot do the trick that if some of the wise ones. who surround this so-called lightweight champion. want any part of my money. I will bct them all to q standstill that Kelly cannot do what he has agreed to, to throw me two falls in one hour. want the public to understand right now that the match between Kelly and myself will he for blood and will do my best to make Kelly look the sick est champion that ever bore the title. He nor any of his friends can't scare inc for cent. Money talks and l have the money to back myself ard it isn't stage money. either. Here then Is a chance for those who are alwrrs sore at any sporting event In which they are not connected. SlOD. or any part of it to bet that neither Kelly nor myself have entered into any which he agreeS to throw mo two falls in one hour: si0O. or any part Jf It. that Kelly cannot throw me the two falls in one hour. will bc there with the goods and Kelly had Letter ir in the best trim he ever was in his life for ] will beat him just as sure as I will sign my name to this letter or [ will lose every dollar that l have saved up in my fife.
 Respectfully yours.
 JACK ROACH