The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-12-17

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. lit has
been decided definitely that the Jef
fries-Johnson fight will come to Cali
fornia and the chances are that it will
be fought at Jim Coffroth's Mission
street arena. While promoter Tex
Rlckard Indignantly denies that Cof-
froth, the king of all the prize fight
man1pulators, has a hand in the af-
falr, the wise fans only wink to them
selves, and wonder why Coffroth Is
going to allow Richard and Gleason
to use his arena for the purpose. es-
peclally as he is planning to hold many
fights there himself during the COM
ing spring and summer.
The fans all over the country are
very suspicious over the way the pro-
motors and the principals have acted.
Those mysterious conferences ana
agreements have not done much to
boost the big issue. Most everybody
believes that some sort of scheme is
about to be cooked up, but just what
it is nobody can quite fathom. 1t looks
like a deep laid plot to get as much
of the public's money as possible.
Purse Looks the Bunk.
The followers of the game in San
Francisco do not believe for a minute
that Jeffries and Johnson are to re-
ceive a purse of 100000. This is for
the general public to eat up Two sets
of articles were signed by the fighters
and the promoters. The real set is
safe under lock and key in a New York
safe deposit vault. This one will tell
the true story, but the chances are
that it's contents will never be known
by the public, unless perchance the
fighters and promoters fall out and be-
gin singing mud.
Eddie Graney, the veteran referee
played some important part in the
Richard and that the pair compared
bids on the fight before the sealed Of
fers were submitted in Hoboken. Ora
ney went east to either land the fight
or have his revenge on Coffroth. That
he did some good for himself goes
without saying. 1t is believed that he
will get a certain cut for throwing
his influence to the favored ones.
Whence Comes This Coin.
Where the money that Richard and
Gleason has guaranteed is coming
from is a mystery Neither of them
are wealthy Three months ago, Rick
ard was broke around San Francisco
When he first bid for the fight, he
stated that he was backed by Salt Lake
capitalists, but this story fell by the
wayside now that the fight is to come
claimed any hackers. He merely
i posted his $4,000 certified check and
assured the fighters that the balance
i of the money would be posted.
| England's three greatest little fight
ers. Freddie Welsh, Jem DriscoH ana
Owen Moran, will shortly be brought
to the United States again to fight for
championship honors. Promoter Jim
Coffroth is now on his way to London
to talk business to them and incident
ally to get a line on the moving pfct-
ure game in the European countries
Britons Showed Class.
Coffroth hopes to sign Welsh WIN
Battling Nelson, for the lightweight
championship, Driscoll with Atteh lor
the featherweight crown and Moran
with WoIgast for special 12S-pound
honors. the new class which the Brit
ish boxing authorities recently pro-
vided for. All these little Engilshmeh
have done a deal of fighting in the
land of the Stars and Stripes, and they
showed that they are there with pien-
tv of class and ability
The reason for Coffroth's journey 10
England for talent goes to show no"
scarce good fighters are in the lahu
that has always been~noted for orlng-
mo out champions There is really