The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1907-05-10
PLAN A FAKE FIGHT
o'BRIEN GOT BURNS PROMISE TO
QUIT.
Victor Saw This Was Only WAY To Get
Slick Philadelphia Man In Ring
And Double Crossed
Him.

Los Angeles, May 9.-In statement
today Tommy" Burns. the winner Of
last nights fight, declares that he
promised to lay down and let oBrien
win the fight.
He said there was no chance other
wise to get OBrien intos the ring. He
said he resolved as soon as the gong
sounded the first round to break his
promise and determined to go in and
win.
The digust of the sporting world
over the affair is great. Referee
Charles Eyton says:
Burns statement today is the first
intimation l had about any agreement
between the men. I am not surprised,
however, at the revelation, as there
was plenty of suspicious circumstances.
] called off all bets last night after
a conference with Manager McCarrey.
I am glad possibly that the exposure
had made. for 1t will help to shut
some of those out of the boxing game
who are in it for dishonest purposes
Burns said:
Jack O'Brien was caught in one of
his own traps. I could not get him to
agree to enter the arena until after
had promised to lay down and let him
win the fight l pretended to be will
ing " tHlS because L wanted TO SNOW
the country that 1 was O'Brien's mas
ter. In the first round OBrien was
taken off his feet and was scared to
death. He knew / had planned too
cunningly for them all, and that he
was due for a beating.
"As for the bets being called off, I
was instrumental in having that done
for the protection of the public
wanted to make this explanation after
wards and l did not want to see the
public tricked in losing any of the
money. The calling off of bets cost
me $4,000, for / stood to win that
amount myself"
Manager Mccarrey. of the Pacific
Athletic Club. today confirmed Burns
statement in every detail
Late this afternoon Manager McCar-
reg consented to make a full state
ment of the fake fight arrangement
THE statement of Tommy Burns re-
garding the method of getting Jack
O'Brien into the ring last night is true
In every particular. O'Brien came to
Los Angeles declaring that he was
ready to go on with the bout. Then
he approached Burns and after he had
gotten me in deeply on the expense,
he suggested that Burns enter into a
fake fight with him and allow him to
beat Burns in the ring and be declared
the winner.
'O'Brien said that under no other
circumstances would be enter the ring
with Burns. Tommy consented to the
fake. O'Brien was to bet on himself
and he and Burns were to divide the
proceeds.
Burns then came to me with the
story. declaring that this was the only
way by which OBrien could be gotten
into the ring and suggesting that he
pretend to carry out the agreement.
This looked to be the best thing to do,
and l agreed to the condition, taking
1 o US of the two fighters for $3.50
a piece in order to project myself. 1t
looked to me to be the only way to get
O'Brien to fight and not wanting to
disappoint the public, / went on with
the arrangements.
"O'Brien ell this time, according to
his statement, was playing all the
money at his command on himself to
win, and the odds went down to 10 to
6. O'Brien had no intimation that
Burns was going to 'double-cross' him
until the referee entered the ring.
After that. found O'Brien had made
this agreement with Burns, / changed
the conditions of the match, and the
three of us met and agreed that Burns
was to receive half of the purpose and
that O'Brien was to get 80 per cent of
the gross receipts. This was forum
ate for me, for the receipts fell down
to $4,000 so / am not very great
loser on the event"
O'Brien was finally located in a room
at the Angelus Hotel He was suffer
ing from injuries to his face and hands
received in last nights fight and de-
clined to see any callers Newspaper
men were refused interviews.
note was sent him informing him
that Burns had made public all details
in connection with the alleged pre-
arranged result of the fight and that
Manager sMcCarey had admitted that
the statements were correct. He still
declined to mako any statement, how
ever. He also refused to respond to
telephone calls in his room. Later,
Nolan was seen at McCarey's. When
Informed that the story was out. he
said he was glad of It, and hoped all
the facts would be printed. He him
self knew nothing about 1t. he said, and
he had no part in any fake arrange
ment.