The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-10-07
BATTLING NELSON
A BAD, BAD BOY
James Edward Britt Claims the
Dane Won From Him on
a Foul.
CALIFORNIA; PET BOY
CONSENTS TO INTERVIEW
Native Son Labels His Late Foe
as Coward Of the First
Water.

ring sport are but DOW learning what
. bad, had boy Battling Nelson really
is. Since Nelson lost his recent 6ght
at Gold6eld, New. with Cans, ON an al
legged foul, the rough tactics of the bat
tling one have formed the basis of cou-
siderable comment on the part of his
associates in the pugilistic world.
James Edward Britt in an interview
with Harry Smith in the San Francisco
Chronicle, tells what he says be has
with the Dane. The interview fol-
lows:
Set Jimmy (beg paron, James Ed
vard) Britt down ir corner By him
self, maroon him as it We're, on an i'm
agipary island, and one would be able
10 get fair idea Of what happened to
him in his youth, whether he doubled
up his fists as a six-weeks' old or indi-
Gated any symptoms OF adorning the
pugilistio armament. But when you in
terview Jimmy, you interview double.
In brief, and TO be absolutely frank,
you talk to Brother Willus. who stands
BY as sort OF guardian angel aud
press agent all rolled into one; just to
see that Jimmy gets square deal.
There is one great fault with broth
er. He is looking to the future, and
while he tells you that Jimmy is about
TO quit the boxing game, he would
much rather tell YOU how James, the
real lightweight champion. is stirring
up the dust around the quiet roads of
San Anselmo, than at what date in his
career this promising son of San Fran
cisco cut his first teeth,
Jimmy has one pet ayersion-Bat
Ting Nelson. Next to tho Battler,
Jimmy processes the greatest fouduess
for Billy Nolan, the Danes manager,
and so it comes about that he is willing
to talk on the subject op
How / lost to Nelson and why and
what would have happened If L had
fought that fight another way
Britt says that never before has he
revealed the real inwardness of it all
Why does he tell about it now
l queried him on that subject and he
say it's because be has given up all
hope Of ever getting the Dane to face
him in the ring. and as murder will out,
he might AS well relieve his mind along
certain lines.
Hunting for James Edward.
1t had been rumored in certain cir
cles that Britt was ready 10 90 into the
details OF that famous Colma battle.
that he accuses Nelson of fouliug him
and all the rest. So we went cunning,
It was long aud tiresome trip TO find
mis- royal highness. San Ansclmo was
given as his abode, and San Anselmo
it was.
Did YOU ever stop three hours in San
Anselmo waiting for a man VINO never
showedg Nol Well, ask Fisher how
he liked it, and if YOU don believe
him ask the policeman on the corner.
San Anselmo may be delightful as a
summer home, but as a lounging place
for a couple OF strangers. never,
Once the astute Mr.. Britt and his
pevcr.to be forgotten brother were 10.
Gated il was easy TO start the talk.
Jimmy is something Of a conversation
alist iu his own right, and Willus
once took z prize at q country show for
that sort OF thing, so there was mighty
little questioning. but a steady flow OF
dates and data that would make your
head swim,
"And YOU think you lost that fight
because YOU lost your head?'' | re
marked. as q feeler.
~ know it, replied WiIlus,
II am certain of it," echoed the
boxer himself.
"You want the straight OF it, don 2.
vou9 Well, here goes After | fought
Nelson the first time I figured that at
harder pace / would be able to knock
him out in twenty rounds. Tn the first
fight | went in to get the decision and
didn 9 take any chances.
"But before that second fight came
along there was bitter feeling between
Nelson aud myself.
"Gou remember interposed Wilms.
whose claim to fame is that he is his
brothers. brother, ''that the BOYS had
signed articles TO tight and then did
not put up the forfeits because il was
o holiday. After that Nelson beat Cor
bett, but had Il couple OF ribs broken,
and sneaked out Of the 6"bt with my
brother
] nodded feebly. 1t certainly was
not up to me TO make any interpola-
tions, when two such minds were con.
ductlng the, proceedings.
Yes. Nelson sprung that silly story,
that ] wanted him TO lay down TO me, -
said Jimmy, who took his cue and pro.
ceeded.
"That intensified The bitterness.
Everybody remembers the trouble with
Nolan, how my brother Won the toss
aud chose Jefyies, after we bad hag-
gled over the referee for week -
And naturally Cartoonist Fisher
suggested, ''you didn 1t love Nelson
much at that time,
AZ was wild with rage, replied
Britt. "I Just wanted fight and
would have been willing to take an
ak.
What . pleasant affair such con.
test would have heen
f.1 IN not making any whine. he
continued, 'Fbut J. was so bent on lick
iug Nelson and haumeriug him TO
pulp that | threw aside everything that
experience had taught me and slugged
with him at his own game. Right up
to the end of the fight, / was certain
Of beating him, even though 7 knew /
was not going at it the right way,
"No, the distance didn't bother me
q bit Had T elected TO step in and
out, could have cut him TO ribbons.
For proof of this, refer you TO what
/ wrote two weeks prior to The Cans
Nelson fight. | said that Cans would
profit by my experience and do what
7 should have done.
Jimmy sighed. 1t was So perfectly
simple. as be lived over again that
krGt. He says, too, that the jeers Of
the crowd, that hooted him aud .jeered
him and dared him 80 get in and fight.
assisted him III throwing caution to the
winds.
That looked like the end of the story.
but Willie veered the ralk into other
channels.