Bisbee daily review., 1906-05-17
.RAlSON MAKES
 STRONG CLAIM
CLAIMS THAT MATT DILLON APPROACHED HIM WITH A PROPOSITION TO THROW WRESTLING MATCH WITH
 BOWMAN SAYS TONY DOWNS WAS ONE OF s.4v PRINCIPALS IN THE OFFER.

Well said Downs, I will give you another $100 if l can get about s400 more placed on this thing. es, s1shis was not satisfactory to me, and I offered to exchange notes with him, he to give me his personal note for $500, and I to give him mine for the same amount in return. We did not come to any agreement then, and while l was thinking the proposition over, I saw Attorney Shelley, who told me that Downs note was perfectly good, but that if I wanted to be sure of being safe on it. 1t would be well to take it and sell it as a safeguard against any further dispute. So 1 went down to Shelley's office, and there found MT. Strickland, who got out a blank note and scratched out some of its wording, and told me that would be a good form of note to use.
 Monday I went into the Orient. l had a check for si5 and this note for Downs to sign if the deal went through. pulled out the note-there was a crowd around, and I had to be careful-but I wanted Downs to see that I had the note all right. We then made bet of $25, and Downs re- marked, what is this? This is note; this is no good as a bet 'Oh, h-l,' I said. I didn't intend to give you that. Here a check for S15 and s10 in cash, and we made the bet. Of course, if the deal went through, this was all stall, but we couldn't let everybody onto the thing. He gave me back the note and said. go in and see Dillon: he knows all about this thing and he'll fix you up.'
 T started in to see Dillon, but got cold feet and went on up to my room without talking to Dillon.
 That day Rasmussen here was in the restaurant. and Dillon gave him a note telling him where to meet him. and not to say anything to anybody but him (Dillon) unless Dillon told him to. Dillon told him he would make 1t worth his (Rasmussen's) while if he would do that and keep his mouth shut.
 Rasmussen came up to the room and I went down in the alley back of the Maze and there met Dillon. The three of us went again to Dillon's room. where Dillon handed me an order on Manager Manahan, of the theater, or dering Manahan to pay over my share of the gate receipts. 1 wouldn't sign the thing, because if I was to lose couldn't see where I had any gate re ceipts coming. Anyway, I had decid- ed to try to get their money for throw ing the match and then give them the double cross, and so get all the money there was in the thing.
 Then Dillon went out and got Downs. Downs assured me that we four were the only ones that were wise" to the proposition. He insist ed on my signing the order to protect him from a double cross. I wouldn't do it, and there the thing fell through
 Matt Dillon, when told of Raison's statement at the Saddlerock last even ing, denounced Raison as liar in no uncertain terms, and disclaimed any knowledge of the deal.
 Tony Downs was even more explicit in his condemnation of Raison, and in woIds that made the atmosphere blue, denied Raison's statement as a lie from beginning to end, a trumped up charge of "sore-headed piker," and the veriest siush.
 Why, I never had a word in my life that I know of with this Raison party" said Downs last night. T wouldn't have known him if I had seen him before he entered the ring last night. had never seen him but once. All can say to all this is that I bet on Walter because l felt he was sure winner, and that Raison nor any other man of his weight around here could throw him.
 'Why, when this thing was started yesterday, I went to everyone who had bet 9 dollar with me and offered to call the bets off. did take down my money in some cases. Another thing I didn't make bet after l o'clock yes terday when heard this thing. Oh. it's the worst l ever heard; there's nothing to it"
 And there you have it. Pick the winner.