The Washington herald., 1908-01-08

Great Fighter Will Be Saved
from POtter's Field.
FRIENDS RAISING A FUND
Admirers of Most Remarkable Teath-
er-weight that Ever Entered the
Ring Had Half Forgotten Him
While Alive, but Remember Him
Now and Offer Assistance.

New York. Jan. To-day the body OF
George Dixon, the greatest little fighter
that ever lived, lies in melancholy state
in the hall of the Long Acre Club.
Friends that had half forgotten him
while alive remember him now. They had
his body taken from the norgue and
are busy collecting money 10 bury him
with and place some sort Of stone above
the grave. 1t is all that they can do.
When the funeral is over the world Will
go on just the same. and in a few DAYS
more Little Chocolate" will be only a
memory.
Dixon died alone and deserted by the
people who once shouted themselves
hoarse over his victories and threw their
hats into the air as they crowded about
the ring to grasp his soggy fighting
gloves.
The last scene in the career OF the
great feather-weight champion, was en-
acted yesterday afternoon at Bellevue.
where the wreck Of one Of the worlds
greatest fighters battled for life with
none Of the friends of prosperous days. %
lend encouragement or hope. Attended
only by hospital physicians, Dixon died as
gamely as he fought In the old days. He
lost TO Old John BarIeycoTn, VINO has
never been defeated.
Homeless Wreck.
Even If Dixon had been able 10 ask for
his friends IN the last hour, he might
not have been able to think Of any that
would answer the call. He had drifted
into the tide of homeless wrecks that
swirl around dark corners and deserted,
lonely places. Men who used to know
him pulled their hats over their eyes
and hurried by when they saw him.
Toward the end it must have seemed to
Little Chocolate that every one he met
was hurrying by.
And only a few years ago George Dixon
was the greatest little fighter in the
world. he made thousands Of dollars so
easily that he never took the trouble 10
count what might be in his pockets. He
had q manager. He never bothered his
head with figuring out just how much
his manager ought to have Of his earn
ings. He was satisfied with what came
10 him. His manager. any way. who
grew rich on DiXon's earnings in the
ring, had promised TO see that Little
Chocolate would never feel want, so what
difference did il make To him2
Earned 100000.
In his fighting time Dixon made not
less than s9q0.0o0 Much Of that went 70
O'Rourke What Dixon got went mora
easily than it came. He never had any
idea himself how much he spent or how
he spent it.
I was a foolish boy" Dixon said a
few weeks ago. I spent or gave away
al 1 got. But ] don't see any Of the
people helped willing to do as much for
me. The only people who stand by ma
at all now are the people never did
anything for"
AS soon as other cities received news
Of Dixon's death, the wires began TO buzz
with kindly offers. Joe Humphries. who
is in charge Of the vaudeville tour OF
Terry McGOveTn and Young Corbett, tele-
graphed that the trio would settle funeral
expenses and start a fund TO build a mon
ument over DixOn's grave.
Harry ,. Center. sporting editor Of the
Boston Post, wired that a fund had been
started in Boston for the same purpose.
At the Dry Dock a. g, a fund was con-
tributed last night, and when the returns
from fighting clubs IN different parts OF
the country are received. the amount Of
subscriptions viii be employed 10 mark
Dixon's final resting place In a BETTING
manner. committee viii be appointed
to handle the funds that are sent here.
and if possible a big marble shaft will be
raised over the former champions grave.