Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-29
KHRAM WAS
ONCE RICH
is STILL SUPPORTING HIS WIFE
AND SON
owes His Living to OId-TIme Rival,
Who Took Him Out Of the
Streets-Now In Bur-
Iesque

Jake Kilrain, who went into bank
ruptcy the other day, at one time was
pretty well off. His home is in Balti-
more, where he has always done his
best to support family. which includes
son, q would-be fighter just out of his
teens Kilrain's family name is John
Joseph Killon. He was born in Green
point, l.. l., in 1858. Kilrain began
fighting in 1880. but did not attract at
tention until three years later, when
he mixed it up with George Godfrey in
Boston.
1t was in 1884 that he fought draw
with Charley Mitchell, also In the Hub,
at the same time taking part in drawn
battles with Mike Cleary, Jem Goode
and Jack Burke, the Irish lad. In 1887
Kilrain decided to issue a challenge to
John l.. Sullivan to fight for the cham-
pionship. but as there was nothing
doing. Jake, IN July of that year, sailed
for England. where he got on a match
with Jem Smith.
This memorable encounter was de-
cided on French soil, London rules, and
after the men had battered each other
for 106 rounds tho referee, George At
kinson, raised his hand in a command
ing way, stopped the fight and declared
it draw. The crowd wanted the con-
test to go on, but Atkinson was OBJ
nt Gildll ndu AdSLGu lOi tNO
hours and thirty minutes of actual ring
work and both men We're in terrible
condition. Charley Mitchell was one Of
Kilrain's seconds.
Kilrain came back to America after
that and decided to get after Sullivan
In earnest. Accordingly they were
matched on January 7, 1889, to fight
for the Worlds championship, London
rules. The following March Kilrain
\, iad ~ norIa nd nd
Smith for return match, agreeing to
take the Englishman on after the Sui
livan mill in this country.
Sullivan Won Fight
1t was on July 8, 1889, at Richburg.
Miss, that Sullivan and Kilrain fought
for a side bet of $4,000. Sullivan win
ming in seventy-five rounds. This was
one of the last big ring battles decided
under London prize ring rules. The
referee was Johnny Fitzpatrick. Sulli-
vans seconds were Mike Cleary. Billy
Muldoon and Dan Murphy, while Kill
rain was handled by Charley Mitchell
and Mike Donovan. The fight lasted
two hours and sixteen minutes.
Kilrain did not appear in the ring
again till February Z. 1890, when he
tackled Jim Corbett, then n supposed
novice. But Corbett was so fast and
scientific that he made Kilrain look
IKE an opJecI OF pity. ms opened
the eyes OF sporting men in New Or
leans, where the fight was held, and
many of them did not forget to back
Corbett when he ran up against Sulli-
van two years later 1t was not long
after Corbett had trimmed him that
Kilrain met Frank p. Slavin in Ho-
bolSen, who knocked him out after sub
jecting him to a severe punching. But
Kilrain meanwhile had defeated George
Godfrey in forty-four rounds in Cali
fornia.
Since those days Kilrain has had a
pretty tough road to travel. Sullivan.
his old rival. saw him in the street last
year and offered Kilrain "a chance to
appear as his sparring partner. Kill
rain as a result has been working ever
since and is sharing some of old John
LIS popularity while swinging around
the circuit of burlesque shows.