The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-04-05
MANY FIGHTERS
HAVE SAVED Coin
Fortunes Have Been Made in
Ring, but Most of Them
Were Squandered.

WGIC OuudltuCtC Gu.
New York April 4.-Prze fighters as a
rule are poor finaneiers. Some of the top
notchers have made fortunes when in
their prime and squandered their money
like the time honored drunken sailor.
Jake Kilrain who once fought John L.
sullivan for the heavyweight champion
ship, the other day flied a voluntary pc
tition in bankruptcy in the United States
district court in this city. Although he
admitted that he had won $4,000 in
purses theatrical engagements and as
boxing instructor Kilrain's assets were
only 1910 KilTain stated that there never
was a good fighter who saved or invested
his money. But there are facts which
show that this has not always been the
case.
James J. Jeffries. the retired heavy
weight champion. is decidedly ON velvet
He owns a profitable saloon in Los An
geles. also big alfalfa farm few miles
away, while his wife has money in her
own name. 1t is said 10 have been her
personal wealth and also her objections
that made Jeff retire from the ring. She
is evidently the boss of the household
too. for after the big boilermaker re
ceived 200 recently for refereeing q
fight in Frisco he started out to paint
u,
upon the scene and lead him home by
the ear. In his own name Jeffries must
be worth close to 100000. Unlike John
/. Sullivan. he was never much of a
spender and seldom showed a desire for
a gay life. A few years ago when Sui
livan was dead broke he sent friend
to Jeff for Sl00.
John L. Wakes Up.
What does John want SEQ for?1 asked
the Californian. with a look of surprise
II suppose he needs it for living eX-
penses." was the reply.
Living expenses. eh2 Well. YOU 90
back and tell Sullivan II he wants to
go into business iii give him the hun
dred,' grOwled the husky champion. The
message was promptly carried to Sulli-
van. who was hurt at first. then amused.
He'll give me hundred if / want TO
go into business said Sullivan in dis
gust Does he thing I want to open
a peanut stand?'
Sullivan never got the century This
and few other hard knocks. by the way.
served to bring Sullivan to his senses and
for the last three years he has not touched
liquor in any form. Today he has about
10000 in cold cash to his credit. his only
sister. who lives in Boston, being the
custodian. John 1. receives $3.50 a week
as the star Of a burlesGue company. He
has shaken off all Of mis- Old companions
and puts away at least $500 every sew
enth day. His ambition is to run up his
bank roll to S200000 and then retire to
stock farm where he can raise fine
cattle and horses He realizes that he
cannot go on boxing and acting for many
years more. as his weight. 33j pounds.
and his past dissipation. are beginning to
tell on him in his old age.
Tommy Burns Is Thrifty.
BY the time Tommy Burns, who now
poses as the heavyweight champion Of
the world. comes back trOm Europe n
will probably have nearly Sl000 900 in his
strong box. Burns is not only money
getter, but careful saver. with a SPLEEN
did financial brain He surprised The
English sporting public with his close
listed methods. For that matter. the Ma
tonal Sporting club of London came with
in an ace of declaring Burns fight with
Gunner MOir off just before the men
entered the ring. because Tommy made
unusual demands as to the posting Of
the purse in the referees hands and as
to the division of the profits from the
moving pictures Of the battle. He lost
many friends by these methods. but be
got the coin Just the same. DR. 4. P.
OrdWay, an American sporting authority.
who was present during the argument
between Burns and the club officers SAYS
Tommys behavior was hOggish in tha
extreme. 1t is generally believed that II
Burns can retain his position at the head
Of his class for the next three or four
years he will be able to retire the rich
est pugilst the world has ever known
Philadelphia Jack O'Brien IS another
business fighter of the Burns type He
has always considered the commercial
end Of a match before any other details
He was gathering in the shekels in great
style before Burns gave him the double
cross and showed him up as a faker.
O'Brien outside of the ring is "A success
full real estate operator and is said to have
more than 100000 invested in Philadel-
phia property alone. He never drinks in
toxicants. lives economically. but likes
diamonds. which he regards as good in
VestmentS
Britt and Some Others.
Jimmy Britt also has the real estate bee
and owns several houses in San. Fran
cisco. He is reported TO be worth S15.-
900 and is still piling up the dollars dav
by day. Battling Nelson. the Dane. has
good bank account and some Valua BILE
real estate. said to be worth in the neigh
borhOod of $4,000 Billy Myer. who fought
Jack McAullffe for the lightweight cham
pionship, is the superintendent of the fair
grounds race track at New Orleans and
has bank roll Of 100000 MeAuliffes
assets are, his vaudeville sketch. The
King Of the Turf and his race horse
Pierrot. purchased two years ago from
James r. Keene.
Charley Mitchell Is undoubtedly the
richest pugilist in England. if not in the
world. He has about 100000 and will
probably add much to this sum when his
father-in-laW. Pony Moore dies Mitch
ell made his first big money in America.
when he boxed Mike CleaTy and also
John L. Sullivan in Madison Square Gar
den. The first match with Sullivan net
ted about 5000 for Mitchell. The second
time they were to box in the garden
Sullivan was just winding up a big spree
and appeared I'm street clothes to apollo
giZe to the great crowd for his inability
to spar. The money was equally divided
and MitchelPs share was $1,000. This was
getting money easy, and the shrewd Eng
lishman then went on the road where he
picked mp many more American dollars.
This was Mithcelrs start and he has
never been financially embarrassed since
Today Mitchell lives like a prince and
mixes with the men Of wealth in Lon
don.
Jim COrbett has been making money on
the stage ever since he stopped fighting
several years ago. He is probably worth
$4,000 at least. He has a fine home at
Bayside. Long Island, where he passes
the summer months. Corbett is a clever
business man and knows how to drive a
profitable bargain.
Bob FitzsimmOns. who fought for a
$4,000 purse with Jim Hall. but only got
part of the money, is reported to have
lost much of the money he earned in the
prize ring on his theatrical ventures. He
has a farm over in New Jersey, however
and still sports big diamonds.
JOHNSON GOING PACE.