The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-08-31
NO KETCHEL AND
LANGFORO FIGHT,
DECLARES JEROME

NEW YORK, Aug. 31.-Accompanied
by William Gibson, one of the heads of
the Fairmont Athletic Club, and by
Gibson's lawyer, Commissioner Baker,
of the police, called on District Attor-
ney Jerome yesterday for a conference
about the proposal of the club TO hold
d prize fight in this city. The club is
understood to have made a bid of $4,000
for the fight. Mr.. jerome armed Mr..
Gibson that such a out would not be
tolerated here. and that only boxing
exhibitions for club members were al
lowed.
1t was said that the district attor-
ney told the promoter he was violating
the law by even bidding for the fight,
and Gibson gave the assurance hat if
such was the case the clubs offer would
be withdrawn. But Maurice Dieches,
counsel for Gibson, said later that the
club might go ahead with its orange
ments and make a test case of the rul-
ing laid down by Baker and jerome.
The lawyer said he understood there
had never been a positive decision as to
the legality of selling tickets in ad-
vance for a fight and taking them at
the door.
Sometime ago Magistrate Butts
ruled that the Fairmont was a bona
fide club, and it got from Justice Sea-
bury an injunction restraining the po-
lice from interfering with its bouts,
said Mir. Baker after his visit to Je-
rome. I'VE can make an arrest, how
ever, if we find the law is being viola
ted. 1t is next to impossible to enforce
the law against these clubs. If the Far
ley bill. which was turned down in the
Legislature. had been passed, the police
would know where they stand We
ought to have a law either prohibiting
the fights entirely or limiting them to a
certain number of rounds
The nouncem that the ketchel-
Langford fight to be held in New YORK
in September, had been abandoned by
the Fairmount Athletic Club, because
Of the interference of Governor Hughes,
was premature. When President Glib
of the club was called into a con-
ference by the District Attorney and
the Police Commissioner and informed
Governor Hughes would insist on
a strict compliance of the law, 1t was
believed by Mr.. Gibson and his friends
the fight could not be held. But
now the officials of the club
the contest will be held as planned.
the only change being in postponing
the bout from September 10th to Sep
Goth. They insist that no prize
money has been offered the fighters.
that they are to receive only their
legitimate expenses, that both fighters
are qualified members of the club and
that only legal members of the club
will be admitted to witness the contest.
Willus Britt, manager for Stanley
Ketchel, has arrived Unexpectedly
and states that Ketchel is in the noun
tains OF California hunting and fishing
with his parents, and hat stories con-
corning his lapses are without founda-
ton. Britt says that Ketchel will
weigh about 1870 pounds and that he
will insist on fighting Langford at
catch weights. Sam Langford, who has
been training hard near Boston, has
insisted on Ketchell weighing twenty
pounds less than his present scaling
and this may cause a hitch in the
arrangements, although thee club Off
Gals say that the matter is not troub-
ling them. Britt does not know just
when Ketchel will start east.
Complete ratification of the action taken
by Sam Berger in signing tentative
articles with Jack Johnson in Chicago,
some weeks ago, is the substance of a
cablegram received today by Berger from
~Jeffries, who is now in Carlsbad, Ger
many.
Following phe signing of the Chicago
articles, Jeffries was interviewed in Ply
mouth, Eng, and apparently repudiated
Berger's work. Berger at the time insisted
it was no reputation, but rather that the
big fellow misunderstood what had been
done in Chicago. The cable received to-
day bears out Berger. 1t reads as follows:
Agreement satisfactory. Inform news
papers your action authorized by me.
Jeffries."
'"The Big Chap will return TO this
country inside of six weeks" said
Berger, and | hope by that time to have
arrange with some club TO handle the
fight. The articles may be signed as soon
as he returns and then VIC can go into
training quarters"