The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-02-27
Says Some Clauses in Burns
Offer Are Ridiculous.
is TOO INDEFINITE.
Better Inducements OnThis Side
of the Water for Bout.
Coffrotk of Frisco WillGfve Some
$40, 900 for the Battle.

i New YORK, rep. zG'-odiii Ae1Poe
rick, manager of Jack Johnson. was
/ inclined to regard obviously the two
4 cablesrams which were received from
England purporting to make match
between Jack johnson and Tommy
Burns.
The cablegrams were directed to
Robert Edgren, and were as follows:
London. Feb. 81.
Edgren, Evening World, New York:
Have received $500 Burns and club
forfeits for Johnson match See
Kelly cable. COX.
The Kelly cablegram referred to is
London, Feb. 81.
Edxren, Evening World, New York:
| viii give johnson $1,000. win or
! lose, to fight Burns in England before
June 10. johnson must deposit s2.-
600 with The Evening World before
| 40 hours to bind the match. Jeffrtes
can referee. This is positively best
terms. Burns has deposited E400 for
felt with A. G. Spalding Brothers.
London. Spaldings also have clubs
forfeit. f400. to pull match Off
WILLIAM c. J. KELLY. London.
A. G. Spalding & Bros. have no
standing in the world of sport out
side of the A. A. Z. rule books. The
Spaldlngs are dealers in sporting
goods, and have never been identified
with the fighting game. Mr.. Kelly
is interested in boxing and is James
E. Sullivan's London representative.
Mr. Sullivan is president of the
American Amateur Athletic union. 1t
Is customary in England for Sporting
Life and other sporting papers to hold
forfeits and side bets in fights.
Fitzpatrick arrived in town last
night from St. Louis. where he had
afrie ra1
johnson. When shown the cable
gram, he said:
"Of course, johnson is anxious to
fight Burns, but we'd rather have
something a little more definite than
these cablegrams. They are PROBABLY
all right, but they don't tell anything.
For instance, they do not specify the
club that will hold the fight. I never
heard of Cox or Kelly. Burns knows
very well that it would be piece of
folly. of which I would not be guilty to
accept anything so indefinite as this
challenge.
I'VE want to know what we are
doing In the first place. Burns
knows very we'll that Jimmy Coffroth
has a standing offer of a purse of
$4,000 for a fight between Burns
and johnson. and Tex Richard is
anxious to bid for the fight in case a
match is made. Johnson WOULD be
a $1,000 purse when he might make
a whole lot more right here at home.
And he wouldn't be sure of getting
even $1,000 out of the venture, for
the cablegram expressly says that the
$1,000 offer is positively the best
terms That may moan that John
son would have to pay his own ex-
penses, in which case he would clear
only about $4,000
''If Burns isn't bluffing, why doesn't
he accept the Frisco proposition?
We'd surely draw at least $40. 900 out
would amount to a whole lot. The
fight would attract much more inter-
est in this country than it would in
England"
A later report from England was
to the effect that a syndicate of Eng |
for the fight between Burns and
Johnson and that Burns has ac- |
cepted their terms. Tommy is said
to be quite elated by the offer and is |
quoted as saying that the terms are |
better than any ever suggested in |
America. He did not say what he
had been offered for his services.
England Wants Line From Jack.
London, Feb. N.-Up to noon today |
Jack Johnson, the American colored |
pugilist in reply to an Of |
fer made by a syndicate of British |
sportsmen for a match to take place |
In England between him and Tommy
Burns holder of the heavyweight |
The syndicate's repre- |
sentative, Mr.. Kelly, in his offer, gave
johnson 4S hours to come to a decision. |
This time expired at midnight last
night, but in view Of the possibility |
that Johnson could not be reached i'm |
the syndicate extended the |
TINA for fhA QcoenfanCa Offer /
This morning Mr.. Kelly oabled to |
Johnson's representative that "he must |
hear something Immediately concern |
ing Johnson"