The San Francisco call., 1910-06-18
.SPORTDOM ADRIFT
ON SEA OF GLOOM
Developments i'm the Big Fight
Controversy Have Already
Affected Attendance
By R. /. GOLDBERG

This city is enshrouded in gloom.
A stranger unacquainted with the re-
cent developments in the Johnson
Jeffrfes fight would believe that a ma
tional calamity had gathered the west
ern metropolis in it's destructive en-
brace and tossed it far out into the
sea of hope1essness. The most con-
servative citizens in this town look
upon Governor Gil1ett's action in stop
ping the fight as a deliberate blow to
the welfare of the city. All sorts of
| reasons are being guessed for the gov
ernor'S action, but no one seems to be
able to figure out what led the chief
executive to make this rash move
Rickard himself has had no talk with
the governor and can only regulate his
actions according to the movements of
the powers that be.
The promoter told the writer over
the phone at late hour last night
that he could do nothing until he
found out what happened in the Kauf-
man-Langford fight that is scheduled
to come off this afternoon.
"All 1 can say positively" said Rick
ard. lis that the fight will take place
on the fourth of July, either in Reno
Goldfield or San Francisco, with the
chances very slim regarding the lat
ter city. l do not know what action
I will take until tomorrow night, when
1 will know the attitude of the au-
thorities toward the Kaufman Lang
ford fight"
UP TO POLICE CHIEF
The buck seems to have been passed
to Chief of Police John B. Martin. who
has promised the attorney. general that
he will stop the Langford- Kaufman
fight and thus save the state officials
from calling out the militia.
MANY Sn0rfS q OF ole of
hope in the possibility of the chief of
police giving the attorney general the
double cross. But it is doubtful if
this would be of any benefit to the
fight of greater Importance. The at
torney general applied TO the superior
court for an order prohibiting the
Langford- Kaufman fight. but was re-
fused by Presiding Judge ]. ]. Van
Nostrand. The latter claimed that he
could not issue an injunction until he
had made sure that the contest was a
prize fight in the legal sense of the
word.
The situation threatens to develop
into legal tangle that the best law
yer in the world will be unable to un-
ravel. Jack Gleason. Tex Richards s
partner, is the most optimistic man in
town and still claims that he will pull
off the big fight here. His views are
not shared by others interested in the
big affair.
All kinds of inducements are being
offered by the Nevada towns to bring
the fight to the sagebrush state, and
the people of this town have practically
given up all hope Of It's ever taking
place here. Neither Johnson nor JEFF
fries did any gymnasium work today.
They spent most of their time trying
to find out the best possible places to
establish training quarters at Reno or
GoIdfield.
Johnson indulged in a little recrea-
ton by coming down town and hav-
| ing George Little arrested and taking
| his two automobiles out of "hock'
| by putting up 5000 cold simoleons.
FIGHTERS STICK BY HIM
Rickard finds hope in the fact that
both fighters have promised to stick
| by him whatever happens. They are
ready to pack their things at mo-
ment.s notice and HE themselves any
where they are told
That the attendance has been very
much affected has already been shown
by the large number of letters received
from people all over the country can
ceiling their orders for seats. No small
part of the s135.000 in cash that has
already been taken in for seats will
have to be returned The pictures will
be expected to save the promoters from
heavy loss.
Jim Corbett arrived in town tonight
and was loud in his sdenunciation of
| the governor. s'It seems absurd said
Jim. that the chief executive should
take such step at this stage OF the
| game He should have warned the
promoters and the principals before the
thing had progressed this far. I have
been in tangles of this kind before, but
never expected such a development at
this late hour. JEFF will fight no mat
| ter what happens, and he viii be in
| the best of shape"
Tex Rickard will probably go to