Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1909-12-23
UTAH GOVERNOR
CHANGES FRONT
Interesting RingSide Talk ReIa-
tive to the JeffrieS- John
son Bout in Utah.
UNITED PRESS LEASED WIRE

San Francisco, Dec. 23.-After all,
Tex Rickard may know what he is
talking about when he tells us in
mournful numbers that Salt Lake
will be the Jeffries-Johnson battle
ground. When Rickard came out
with his statement that the Mormon
metropolis would get the big battle,
the governor of Utah declared in
most emphatic terms that the fight
could not be pulled off in Salt Lake
or any other city in Utah. Now,
however, he has changed his tune.
81 do not think the fight will take
place in Salt Lake" he is quoted as
saying in a dispatch from Philadel-
phia Besides, Jeffries has been
accustomed to fighting in San Fran
cisco and I do not thing that he
would be able to fight in the high
altitude of Salt Lake"
That the business men of Salt
Lake and other Utah cities are over
whelmingly in favor of holding the
fight there is is indisputable, and
that they may have eXerted their in
fluence with the governor in favor of
Richard is not at all improbable.
Rickard Seems so sure of his ground
that it is safe to assume that he
knows something" Among his
hackers are some of the most infiu-
ential and wealthiest men in Utah,
and it is a cinch that they are not
going to leave any stone unturned TO
bring the biggest thing in pugilism
10 Salt Lake.
In the meantime Jack Gleason con-
tinues to plug for San Francisco, de-
claring for this city just as emphat-
ically as his fellow promoter is de-
claring for Salt Lake. Rickard is
expected here soon after Christmas
and then he and Olson will thresh
matter out. Gleason today denied
that one object of Richards mission
to this city is to talk with the Local
people, who promised to aid Coffroth
financially in case he landed the
match. Gleason also denied thai
Rickard holds the big end Of the
match.
ITS a straight case of half-and
half with US he said. "As to the
story that the $4,000 put by the
promoting end when the final articles
were signed belonged to Rickard II
its entirety, l will leave that to Rick
ard to answer vixen he arrives here
We are going to carry this thing ou
in a business like way, and will tall
things over like business men.
we fail to agree on the time or place
or anything else, we may let thu
toss of a coin decide for us. AS L
Salt Lake, I have never said positive
iy that the fight would not go there
If we can be shown that Salt LAX
will do better by us than San Fran
cisco 1t would be foolish for us t
pass 1t up. However, my contention
all along has been that San Francis
co is the place. for the reason tina
we know what San Francisco CA
and will do, while on the other ham
past records fail to show that Sal
Lake can do nearly as we'll"
Information was obtained toda
that throws new light on the mat
ter in which Gleason and Rickar
got the match, or rather how Glea
son got in on IT, Rickard was clos
est to the wire throughout the rae
for the plum, and both CoffrOth an
Rickard knew it, Jeffries being Glea
sons most intimate friend. and job
son also being inclined toward hin
When Gleason doubled up with Cot
roth all parties were satisfied, an
the two San Franciscans had tn
fight as good as won then and ther'
They had the fight won, they ha
the permits and they had the site