The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-07-17
FORTUNES LOST
IN BACKING PUGs

Many a thoroughbred sporting man
has gone dead broke on pugilist," re-
marked the old-time fight promoter re-
Gently. TO back, train, dress and
keep high-flying fighter is luxury.
and costs pot of money. Few fight
ers know the value of money, and
many OF them would blow in the Bank
Of England IL they had the chance
"one Of the best known OF the form
err heavyweights probably squandered
more of other peoples money than he
ever made in the prize ring. 1t came
pretty easy for the big fellow when he
was champion, for he could go out any
evening and touch some admirer for
$500 or $1,000 without the scratch of a
pen or a word of explanation. In fact,
there was many an easy mark who
considered ii an honor to stake him
to a piece of change.
This man, in his sober moments,
was never a spendthrift. He learned
much from experience while roaming
all over the world. But in his cups he
was altogether different. remember
one night shortly after winning a
championship fight he found himself
high and dry. He had handed his win
nings to a buFlesque queen, VINO
promptly skipped away, but that didn't
worry him.. With a couple of friends
that evening the champion took a cab
and started uptown to dig some coin.
ION the way they made stops at sew
eral popular saloons, but before enter
ing each place the champion touched
one Of his companions for a ten, or
twenty so that he could order two or
three bottles of wine, half a dozen per-
fecto cigars and throw the change, at
the bartenders. -.. .- ...... ...,.
zone of his companions on this lit :
tie trip was his business manager and,
being also in financial distress kept
urging the champion to be on his way
to an uptown hotel where a swell adj
mirer had $500 to slip to him. But the
fighter didn't seem to be in a hurry to
get the coin and fingered at the bar
wherever he stopped. Finally the little
party reached the hotel and found their
friend anxiously awaiting their arrival
| ." I'm glad you've come, old boy! I've
been waiting for an hour for you!' ex-
claimed the man with money The
champion received this greeting rather
gruffly, much to the CONSERVATION OF
This companions who wanted him to get
the dough as quickly as possible.
st would like to speak to you pri-
vately,' said the swell. taking the fight
err by the arm to lead him aside
There's nothing private between
between me and my friendsl Anything
you've got to say you can say 1t be-
fore them!' was the answer a
THE man with money hesitated a
moment and then declared that he had
drawn $500 out of the bank to give 20
the big fellow. The champion threw
out his chest and exclaimed In his most
dramatic Style
No, ! don't need your money, I can
get all the cash l want
But the more the heavyweight re-
fused the more the swell insisted that
he should take it. Finally, after
wrangle the champion took $50, threw
1t on the bar and ordered wine and
cigars galore When the money was
almost gone he pushed the few re-
naming bills over to the bartender and
said Goodnight to his benefactor. The
strange proceeding amazed his two
companions, who demanded an explain
alton.
81 don't like that guy and his money
Ia no good to me- was all the answer
they got.
About a year later met the swell
admirer and had chat about the
big fellow and his eccentric ways. /
recalled the incident at the hotel and
the swell burst into a hearty laugh
Tt was rather queer why he refused
the $500 that night said he. but he
came around alone In the morning and
got 1000 from me. Very clever wasn't
it? You see. he didn't want to split
the coin with his friends. Very clever,
indeed. So you see there was method
in his madness He was a wise fell
low, all right. when not too full of the
old stuff
IF there ever was a man who went
plumb broke on the pugIlists II was
Warren Lewis He had big heart, a
of honor that would not have dis
graced a church member.
Lewis Never Broke Word.
Lewis never broke his word with
the fighters. He offered $500 purse
for battle beteween Peter Maher and
Steve O'Donnell at Coney Island on
Christmas afternoon. 1897 This was
the coolest frost In the history Of pugii-
ism. for the clubhouse was practically
empty. just before the mill started
Lewis son tried to get the old man to
call ii off and refund the money to
those who had paid admission
No. my SON replied Warren. TIL
have this fight for my own amusement;
I'll pay the. s2,500, set In my box and