The Washington times., 1906-12-02
Sure-Thing Cutting Into
Mining Stock Game in
Fight Town.
BURNS NEAREST TO TITLE
Best of Poor Lot Trying to Fill Jefries'
ShOes-ThOmas Welter
Champion.
By THOMAS S. RICE.


by grafters and sharpers.
The scheme referred 10 was the hold
ing OF the Cans and Nelson bout for
the championship of the world at Gold
field, New. last Labor Day, The scien-
tiic liberal. and elaborate boosting OF
the town of Goldheld and its mining
wealth by Incidental references in the
fight news was real stroke OF genius.
Goldheld was raised from an obscure
village TO one OF the best known To-
calities "a the entire West
Grafters Getting Busy.
This preliminary advertising was fol-
lowed by the direct advertising OF those
in Goldheld who had something to sell,
mostly mining stock. 1t was inevitable
that swindlers of one sort and another
should seize upon the opportunity to use
the magic name Of GOldheld and its
surrounding stores of gold TO extract
easy money from the pockets Of the gull
libles by selling stock In mines which
did not exist. or were not worth the
air with which they were filled One Of
these hurry-up fnanciers is now being
sought by the Postoffice Department,
and the number of his victims is said to
be large.
Some of the other men connected
with GOldheId financial institutions and
mines would also bear watching. One
of them, who was frequently mentioned
IN the Cans Nelson dispatches, was
openly accused by a New York paper
OF being a welsher and a man who had
TO quit another city in the West be-
cause Of mis- share In "A crooked prize
fight, which was so bad that a mob
Of handy boys would Tain nave DIS
cusse1 the matter with him and point
out the errors OF his ways with their
fists and guns. This man. who was
charged with throwing the public in
a sporting event, is now figuring in ad-
vertisements as one OF a grouo invit-
ing the public to intrust its coin to
them for investment in GoldheId secur-
tiles
Thac there is much wealth to be had
in GOldheld has been demonstrated,
but before YOU go after it you had bet
ter have Al: intimate knowledge Of the
antecedents and standing of those with
whom you are dealing.
Little Sympathy for OBrien.
Jack OBrien, according to the re-
ports. received the surprise OF his life.
and also a licking, from Tommy Burns,
in los Angeles on Thanksgiving eve,
but you can never tell how badly
O'Brien is beaten until you know all
the facts in the case. II It IS true that
he was seriously punished by Burns
and really was outfOught although il
was declared a draw, there VIII be few
tears shed over the fate OF the Phila-
delDhian. He has done as much as
any man in the country to give the box
ing game a black eye by his Underhand
tactics and refusal 10 do his best when
he thought there was the slightest
chance for a return match.
The number Of times he has been ac-
cused Of framing up a fight far ex-
ceeds the number on which Joe Cans
was accused OF the same thing. yet the
fans seem to forget all that and stand
for O'BrIen without question, while they
are ever ready TO accuse the lightweight
champion of all possible croOkedness
whenever he is mentioned for match.
O'Briens bouts in Philadelphia with
Tommy Ryan, Kid Mccoy. Marvin Hart.
sam Berger, and other heavies have
been the subjects Of violent outbursts of
accusations against him there and else
where, but they still accept him and
discuss him as a championship possibil-
ity. without making allowances for his
actions in the past
Burns Best Of Poor Lot.
Tommy Burns was christened Noah
Brusso, and the dope books say he was
born in Hamilton. Ontario. on June Il.
1881. He got a draw with Jack O'Brlen
last Wednesday. but really outfought
him. SO that Tommy now has the best
claim To the heavyweight title as long
as Jehries chooses to remain passive in
the matter. Burns won from Marvin
Hart. who knocked out Jack Root, and
got u decision over Jack Johnson. al
though il Is generally believed that
Johnson received a raw deal. Hart,
when Burns beat him. was considered
the most likely successor 10 Jetfries.
Since then O'BTien has gained the right
10 pur I'm claim by knocking out Bob
FitzsimmOns. AL kaufman, and other
opponents whom he wished TO whip In
figuring on Burns il should not be for
gotten That he has fought ten and a
tWenLy-rOund draw with Hugo Kelly,
VINO got Tie decision over o BTien Ia ten
rounds in indianapolis.
On the whole, Burns is probably the
nearest runucr-up 10 Jeffries for the
title, but al that none of the critics Will
credit MN with being really classy
man or a worthy wearer of the heavy
weight crown Aside from his supposed
lack OF class Burns viii probably haV7
hard road 20 travel because of his re-
ported sWclled head, Those who came
into contact with him after he won
from Hart say he was about the chest
,est young person that ever hit the pine
10 dream out stories OF his own proWess.
He was the limit, say tie Westerners,
and tho effects Of mis- chndishIv fguor-
ant actions VIII be felt a long time.
Joe WdlcoJt is pretty near all in and
hardly figures any longer IN discussing
the walterWcight championshfr He
Quit In the twelfth round of his 20 with
Billy Melody on Thursday last claim
ing he had hurt is arm, but the re-
ports are that he was beaten ANYHOW.
no matter what happened 10 his wing.
Melody has been hailed as welter champ
because he put it on Waleott but Joe
Thomas. of San Francisco, has the real
. edge. because he beat Melody. Thomas
is a younGster who is improving ali lie
time. even II be did fail TO knock out
al Neil in ten rounds on Friday. He
and Melody should get together now
and fight IL out AS a sure enough scrap
il would probably be a corker.