The San Francisco call., 1909-12-11
GLEASON PUZZLED
BYPARTNER'SIALK
Successful Bidder Insists Big
Bafde Is Coming 10 San
Francisco
By WILLIAM ]. SLATTERY

SACRAMENTO. Dec. l0-"San
Francisco Is the place for the fight
Tt must take place here My mind is
fullv made up. Rickard will come
around 10 my way of thinking after
he has studied the situation over a
bit We practically agreed upon San
Francisco when | left him, and the
original agreement will hold il have
anything to saw about the big match. "
Thus spoke Promoter Gleason upon
his arrival in Sacramento this even
ing. He was all worked up over the
story that the championship match
might 90 to Salt Lake He could not
sec any reason why Rickard had made
that statement unless it was for
policy
FIGHTS SHY or cOFFROTH
Furthermore Gleason intimates that
the fight VIII not be held in Coffroth's 5
arena il another, suitable site can be
selected he wants it distinctly un-
dcrstood that Coffroth IS not in the
present deal. despite the strong
stories to the contrary. Gleason pre-
fers Ocean View. in Alameda county,
a the battle ground. but he intimates
taht IN the event that the fight can
not be held there or in San Francisco
proper there is q possibility of its
going TO the Mission street arena.
Later developments win prove that
what I am giving 10 the public is
right said Gleason. Il go on record
As saving right no wthat Coffroth has
nothing to do with the show and that
7 did not double cross him in order to
make good. The contract for taking
the pictures has not been let yet. and
VIII not be for many weeks. 1 am
figuring this out now.
fight for Rickard and myself for s101,-
'Jeffries and Johnson have signed to
600 and two-thirds Of the profits OF
the moving pictures. The purse is TO
be split IS per cent TO the winner and
z5 per cent to the loser AS far as the
moving pictures go 1 am puzzled. but
j understand that the winner will get
the lions share Of this profit. too.
ABOUT THAT COMBINATION
The truth is that Coffroth and my
self entered into combination to pro-
mote the fight All went well till
Rickard came on the scene He ap-
preached me with proposition and
went TO Cocroth with il. Jim did not
like the looks of the deal and after
several consultations he told me that
he would wash his hands clean and
allow me to be a free lance. / de-
cided TO take a chance and went in
with Rickard. Cocroth could also have
been in had he seen fit, but he was
against this move from the outset.
believe that ! have made a good deal"
This, in a nutshell. is Gleason's YER
sion Of the big affair. lie emphatically
denies that two sets Of articles have
been signed or that the fighters have
had a private agreement to split the
money It's all open and above board
50 far as Gleason is concerned. accord
ing to his version Of the affair He
is doing al in his power 10 square il
with the san Francisco fans
So far as general denial facts fig
ure. Gleason's statement is as complete
2 volume as any expert could ever pine
for He's right out TO knock every
thing that is said against himself or
Rickard. AS far as Coffroth goes.
Gleason swesrs that he and the Colma
promoter parted on the best Of terms
and that but for his mothers illness
he would have gone TO Europe with
Sunshine jim"
SMOKE WANTED POSTPONEMENT
ArlE1SDA says lIdL JeHilcS was LOT
fighting within thre months, but that
II was Johnson and his manager,
George Little. who persisted in holding
out for the fourth Of July. According
TO Gleason. Johnson is the man who is
trying to stall the battle off as long as
possible.
"The men have their forfeits up,
each Of them turning over $1,000 TO
big Tim Sullivan continued Gleason.
Both Rickard and myself deposited an
equal amunt, so there is no chance for
any howl to be raised on that particu-
lar point
The money of the lighters is to go
as a side bet Jeffries insisted upon
this. and as Johnson seemed willing
enough trere was no trouble over #.
The referee question IS the only
one that has not been settled saws
Gleason. IF the fighters can not agree
upon man in the meantime they must
each name one within 50 DAYS of the
fight and then 1 and RiolSsrd viii make
our selection from this pair This is
final.
III was agreed upon to the satisfac-
tion Of all parties before ] left New
York and ii must go. ] believe that
Jemries and Johnson viii come to an
understanding quickly. ii looks to lie
between Grsney, Eddie Smith. Jack
Welsh, Charley White and John L. Sui
hvan with the three California men
having the edge on their eastern
rivals"
r.