The Washington times., 1910-08-10
Passes Away Peacefully at
His Home in Bal
timOTe.
ARIZONA TRIP FAILS
TO BE OF BENEFIT
Surrounded by Family, the End
Comes at sos This
Morning.

BALTIMORE. Aug. I0-Joe Cans. for
the world, died at the home Of his fos-
ter parents. M and Mrs. Camp. on
ArEyIe avenue. this city. at sos O'Clock
this morning. following brave battle
OF months duration against the dread
white plague. Cans end was. peaceful
At the death5ed the former champion
was surrounded by his loyal wife, Mar
tia J. Cans. former coIored school
teacher. whose Uutiring attention 10 her
stricken husband has won the admira-
ton OF ALL Cans foster mother Kid
North an oI4-tinle pugilist. who accom-
panied Cans on his homeward journey
from Prescott, Ariz.i the nurse, Miss
Tilghman- and Col Dan PendletOu. a
lifelong friend OF the little fighter
Funeral arrangements probably VII
be announced late today.
Last Public Appearance.
Cans last public appearance was on
the stage OF the Gaietv Theater. during
a theatrical engagement OF BattIing
Nelson, his concUeror. Joe did not take
any part IN the show. merely making 4
snort address. during which he told OF
ILle great proves OF the mighty Dane
WIS Wcl< 4lNeal q 2TauQ ovation
The parting OF Cans ard Nelson As
the former left the stage was u1csr
pathetic both men visibIy showing the
human affection In the EYES OF both
We're tears. The following day Cans
leIL tOr ArlZOna TO BEGIN training for his
last battle that Of lie and death
The grim reaDer EOn out Cans came
bacl>' last Fridav-came hack 10 die
Always Was Liberal.
While Cans was reputed 10 have
made more than $4,000 durine, his long
career, Just what amount he has LEFT
Of this worlds goods Is prOblematic-
Joe was always known 70 be a liberal
spender- and at times was reported TO
be a heavy loser at the TaCetracE
Joe was also q cheerful Zfve-~ -
many OF his friends can attest
The Goldheld Hotel. which Cans
erected IN his palmy days, did not in
the beginning prove gold mine. but
sun y was said TO have been a paying
investment Cans long Illness and his
enforced absence from the fight game,
however, drew heavily on his funds.
Some Of his friends place the value Of
Cans. estate near the $4,000 figure II
IS also reported that he carried very
little life Insurance
In the death of Joe Cans, the prize
ring loses one Of its most picturesque
scharacterS, and as game a lightweight
as ever cOD1ed a glove His real name
was Camp He was born in Baltimore
IN lSl4s the son OF poveTty-striczen
and ulIterate negro When a mere
piCkaninny Cans went TO work as a
delivery boy in the old Baltimore Fish
Market
Cans Owa Life Story.
These facts are taken from Cans
own story OF his life
"Once the boss and his brother and I
each put IN SIC, and we bought a ser
Of > boxing gloves I got too good for
the other boys, 50 they made me box
g.
70 a finish with another kid Ny box
ing with two boys at once had taught
me how to block and lead, so I won
my first real fight, which was for a $
side bet and a collection Of $40. II
looked like q lot Of money to me, and
I Just had TO win I took the money
home TO my mother.
MY next fight was for twenty-three
rounds, and the purse was S.. Then
began picking up little fights. meeting
the boxers and wrestIer5 who Travelled
arou-d giving exhibitions and earning
q fe-y dollars here and there. I took
& an home TO my mother II worried
her She asked me where / got Il.
and I told her ] won It shooting craps
But she thought I was stealing. so
] had to take my uncle one night TO
see ne fight Then my mother tried TO
make ne stop. but I liked the game too
uUc T. In those days I didn't have
much Of q punch. but I was awfUIlv
fast. and I could lab with Uy~IefI hand
IN great shape I didn't know 1 had q
right hand"
Defeats Kentucky Rosebud"
One Of Cans early fights was with
the Kentucky Rosebud" VINO had just
knocked out George Dixon Cans beat
him in SIX rounds Then began his pro-
fessiCnal career. which took him 10 the
TOD.
Cans first chance for the champion
ship came IN his fight with Frank Erne
IN New York IN March =. 1860. Erne
won in the twelfth round Cans claim
ed that he had been blinded when Erne
''bUtted" MIN He VS. unable to get
another fight with the champion until
May T. 1902. when they met AT Fort
Erie Canada Cans won IN 1 ruiF,lite
and 70 seconds.
cans had things an hIPoUn way as
the lightweight champion until july l.
1918. His first fight with Nelson had
taken place n September, 1895. at Cold
field New Nelson got $50 for the
fight. win lose. or draw. while Cans
got bur S1L00a. though the house drew
S67 rs up TO that time the largest gate
receipts ever taken IN at q ring contest
Not only old Cans agree 70 give Nelson
the larger part OF me purse but Mel
son forced Cans 10 weigh IN twice Cans
won IN the fOrtE-secOnd round In one
Of the most grueliEg fights ever seen
in THE American prize ring. After that
fight he defeated Kid Herman Jimmy
Britt George AIemsiC. spike Sullivan,
and Rudv UpnOlZ-
Cans Fatal Move.
IN the meantime Nelson was clamOr-
ing for a return match. He and Cans
met on July 4. 1905 1t was my fatal
move said Cans Nelson proved toe
strong for me. making me take the
count in the seventeenth round. On
September & 1905. we cIashed for a third
time and while I made 2 valiant struG-
gle to vvrest back the title / had held
- long the Batter wore ne down
again. and I was counted out in the
tuenty-secOnd round Ny last battle
vas with JabeZ White, the English