The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-12-26
Big American Negro Now
Heavyweight Champion of
The World as Result of Aus
traIian Mill.
POLICE STOP FIGHT IN
FOURTEENTH ROUND
Interfered When They Saw
Canadian Was Groggy and
Referee Gives Match to COL
ored Scrapper on Points.

Sydney, n. S. W., Dec. 26.-Jack
johnson, the big negro from Calves
ton, Tex, is the worlds champion
heavyweight pugilist. He won the
title yesterday in the big arena at
Rushcutters Bay from Tommy Burns,
the French Canadian, who had held it
since James J. Jeffries relinquished it
and after a chase of Burns that had
led half way round the world.
The end came in the fourteenth
round when the police, seeing Burns
tottering and unable to defend himself
from the savage blows of his oppon-
ent, mercifully stopped the fight. Pre-
viously it had been arranged that if
the police interfered decision should
be rendered on points, and Referee
Mcintosh, without hesitation, declared
the big black man the winner, for all
throughout the fight he had shown
himself Burns master in every style
of fighting.
Burns, in an interview after he had
gone to his dressing room, said: L
did the best / could and fought hard.
johnson was too big and his reach
was too great"
Burns in Game Fight.
Johnson appeared fresh after the
fight, while Burns eyes were badly
puffed and his mouth swollen to twice
its normal size The Canadian fought
a game battle and showed indomitable
pluck, but he was no match for the
big Texas black.
Twice only, in the annals of pugil-
ism, has a colored man been permitted
to fight for the title emblematic of
worlds champion heavyweight pugli-
ist. Peter jackson tried it with John
L. Sullivan, but Sullivan would not
consent to go. After James j. JEFF
fries took the scalp of Bob Fitzsim
mons he took on Hank Griffin at Los
Angeles, but the colored man was easy
for him and never had chance to
win the honor. He was knocked out
in four rounds. Johnson had tried to
get on fight with him unavailingly.
Then Tommy Burns, or Noah Brus
80 as his name really is, took up the
mantle of Jefferies. Since then and
until today Johnson has endeavorn to
get him into the ring, declaring that
he was Burns master.
Big Crowd Sees Battle.
The fight was for purse of $35, OO0
OF which Burns received $4,000 and
Johnson $4,000. The ring was a
twenty-four-foot one, and was pitched
In the center of big arena built es-
pecially for the purpose at Rushcut-
tiers Bay. The bout was to have been
for twenty rounds.
The day dawned overcast and cool.
Thousands of persons from all parts
of the country were attracted to the
scene of the encounter and many
reached here Christmas night and
slept in the open. They came by
street cars, automobiles, carriages and
on horseback, and at 10 o'clock this
morning, one hour before the fight
was scheduled to start, every seat was
occupied The prices of seats ranged
from SIS to $3.50
The crowd was estimated at be-
tween $4,000 and 10000 persons and
1t kept perfect order throughout the
fight A brass band enlivened the holi-
day throng.
Before the contestants entered the
ring bill" Squires, who thrice has
been defeated by Burns, challenged
the winner. Burns weighed in at 16S
pounds and Johnson at 1S6. The bet
ting was Z to 4 on Burns at the start
but it veered after a few rounds to 2
to1 on Johnson.
The spectators conceded that John.
sons victory was due to his physical
advantages over Burns, his superior
knowledge of the fighting game and
his unruffled demeanor while being
tainted by the champion The stakes
were paid the men while they were in
the ring.
Cheers for Johnson.
At 1922 o'clock Johnson entered
the arena, accompanied by his seconds
Sam Fitzpatrick Mullins, Unholz.
Long and Bryant. Wild cheers greet
ed him and the big black man turned
and bowed to all four sides of the
ring. Just as Johnson took his seat
Burns appeared. He was smiling, and
the plaudits of the spectators were
even more enthusiastic than those
accorded Johnson. Burns took up his
position in the western corner of the
ring, surrounded by his seconds, Keat-
ing. O'Keefe, oDonnell. Burke and
Russell.
When the cheering had died down
somewhat Johnson crossed over and
shook Burns by the hand. The Can
adian glanced at the big mauleys OF
the Texan and noticed that both were
covered with bandages. Fearful that
they might nt be of the soft surgical
kind, he scrutinized them closely, but
finding them to his satisfaction. he
made no objection.
The announcement was made that