The San Francisco call., 1909-04-21
FIGHT OR FORFEIT
SAYS BRITT TO
JOHNSON
Champ Can Not Run Out on
KefcheI on Strength of
JefrieS' Statement
LoJIS RZOZ
By Willus Britt
Manager of stanley Ketchel-l

Especial Dispatch TO The Call
NEW YORK, April 2O-several days
ago succeeded in cornering Jack
Johnson to fight Stanley Ketchel on
October 1.-THE forerunner of Portola
week-for Coffroth.
Johnson previously attempted to an
enex soft marks like Kaufman and Sam
Langford, who. by the way, has been
making poor showing against fellows
like Harris. Barry and Ross. 1 got him
in a corner with his money posted and
properly and duly covered it for a
fight with Ketchel. The money goes
for both men to be in the ring at Cof-
froths club October IL. If Johnson is
s5, 600. -'-
Jefries announced from the stage
tonight that he would fight Johnson
October y. Jeffries later announced
that he wanted at least ten months
from that time in which to train. He
summed up the situation, however, by
saying he would meet Johnson pro-
vided Johnson was fortunate enough
to beat Ketchel.
Johnson has been using every ef-
fort in the world to sidetrack this
match with Ketchel for Portola week
He has used every subterfuge known
to pugilistic diplomacy. but his money
Is UP ana the only way ne can crawl
tance of the stake holder in whom /
have every confidence
II Johnson does not toe the scratch
at Coffroth's arena on October IL I will
expect the stake holder to hand me
$4,000, which, in all fairness, 1 will be
ready and willing 10 cut in half with
the promoter. Coffroth. and the indefi-
mite announcement of Jeffries tonight
that he would fight Johnson some time
is no excuse for Johnson crawling out
of this match unless he is willing to
forfeit his $4,000.
KETCHEL'S MONEY GOES
Ketchel has done everything that
could be asked We have posted our
money and it goes. JeffrfeS' statement
that he will fight Johnson is no sop to
the great American public. What they
want TO see Is fight between a negro
and a white man. / expect to see one
if Johnson stands up and fights when
he meets Ketchel during Portola week.
He may try to fawn along with his the
atrical engagements as the result of
Jeffries' announcing his indefinite will
ingness to fight.
am booking Ketchel for more
various theaters throughout the coun-
try. We are not looking for soft
money.
What KetcheI wants is a fight and
Johnson has $4,000 posted to say that
we will give ketchel a fight. Five
| thousand is pretty sweet money for
anybody, but ketcheI would sooner
fight johnson than take $4,000 and
not get the fight.
JOHNSON NOTIFIED
I have wired Johnson at Pittsburg.
stating that he must. announce imme-
diately his intention OF keeping faith
with Ketchel or forfeiting his S5. 900.
would be sorry to hear that johnson
intended hunking out OF this match.
If he don't deliver the goods this
time, over his signed agreement. all
future agreements that he makes must
be considered uncertain. In the past
every promoter in the country has
found 1t a hard matter to make the
coIored contract breaker face the bar
rier. In this instance he is caught
with the goods. ] have been too long
in this business to let a fly by night
pugflfst like Johnson get away with
any contract breaking stunts.
His money is up If he fails to be
on hand at the time specified IL will
not be my fault. In the meantime, II
Johnson should decide to lose his $4,000
Ketchel is open to meet anybody in
the world that the newspapers of San
Francisco might pick.
Ketchel wants fight and it makes
no difference who it is with II John
son decided to funk we will have a
lot of fun spending his $4,000.