New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-07-03
RICHARD SURMOUNTS ALL
Opposition of Every Kind Over
come by Promoter.
DIFFICULTIES AT THE START
Big Fight To- morrow the Result
of His Determination
onI papeicfanoxr
and rsIstenCY.

The wonderful persisteney and tenacity
Of Jack Gleason, and more particularly
Tex Richard. the promoters of the JEFF
fries-Johnson fight, will be rewarded with
a fortune as a result OF the big battle
which will be fought tomorrow. Over
coming tremendous opposition and almost
insurmountable difficulties, Gleason and
Rickard have never wavered from their
determination to hold the fight on July 4.
as stated in the articles signed last De-
cennber. although they were forced TO move
almost everything short of heaven and earth
to do it. State officials and public opinion
did their utmost to stop the fight, but the
opposition was without permanent effect
More than a year ago Jack Johnson. al
though he held the heavyweight title which
had been surrendered by Jeffrtes when he
retired from the ring, challenged the latter
to meet him in q fight for the Champion
ship. Neither OF the two pusilists had
ever found his master. and the challenge
Immediately aroused the keenest interest
among the followers of the boxing game
The big boilernaker was in a quandary
about his ability to get in condition, and
the situation hung fire for many months
Johnson questioned Jefriess courage. and
the latter made forcible replies until the
sporting world was thrown into a turmoil
men !Aere going to get together and sign
the articles for the fight difficulties would
arise and the matter would be postponed
During the latter part Of last summer,
however, Jeffries finally made up his mind
to enter the ring, provided he could satisfy
himself that he would be able TO get into
condition He took a trip abroad and Wis
tied the various watering places in Europe
as a preliminary training period, and when
he was confident that he could take OFF
enough weight TO enter the ring he def
nitely announced that he would meet
Johnson Jefries made an authoritative
statement when he was in London on his
way back to the United States.
Bids for the fight were submitted at a
meeting held in Hoboken, n. J.. on De-
cember 1, 1909 The amount OF the bids
attracted wide attention at the time. The
purses offered were the largest in the his
tory Of the ring. Jack Gleason and Jimmy
CoHroth offered a purse Of $4,000, with
the bidders to retain all rights TO the NOV
ing pictures. or a purse of $1,000. with the
fighters TO receive IS % per cent of the
moving picture receipts. Tex Rickard Of
fered a purse of so. COO. the fighters 10
receive 66 % per cent of the moving pict-
ure receipts Many other large bids were
offered.
At secret meeting held at the hotel on
December ? a combination was formed and
JenrfeS~ and Johnson signed article agree
ing to box forty-fivs rounds or mere on
July 1, 1910, before a club promoted by
6. l. Rickard and Jack Gleason in either
Nevada, Utah or California The agree
ment called for the awarding of a purse of
S101, 900 and two-thirds OF the moving pict-
ure receipts TO the pugilists- It was decided
TO divide the purse en- a basis of IS and %
per cent. Just what part CofTroth played
in the proceedings has never been dIvulged.
but It is supposed that a tacit understand
Ing was reached with him so that his part
ner, Gleason. pooled interests with Richard.
The first problem encountered by the pro-
motors after the men had signed the ar
ticles was that OF selecting a site for the
fight. Richard declared himself in favor of
Salt Lake City. and It looked for time
as though the match would be staged there
Jack Gleason, however, vas determined
that the fight should be held in san Fran
cisco. The differences between Richard and
Gleason continued until the Governor OF
Utah plainly intimated that his stand would
be against the fight. and Richard yielded
the point.
When the promoters decided to take the
fight to the Coast the question of the ex-
act place was still in doubt. II was learned
that the new administration which was
going into Office In San Francisco was will
ing 70 grant a foFty-five round permit
breaking the twenty-five round limit but
there was stin some friction, and Il was
decided to hold the fight in ErperyviIle.
across the bay. Here a strong opposition
developed among the church members and
influential persons OF the town. so that the
District Attorney was forced to bow to
public opinion and tell the promoters that
they would have to go elsewhere TO hold
the fight The promoters then began to
gather their forces in san Francisco.
But the last straw OF the opposition was
laid on when Representative Bennett. OF New
York. IN Washington informed the Cham
Der OF Commerce OF San Francisco that
the Congressional committee which was in
charge OF arranging for the exposition in
celebration of the opening of the Panama
Canal would probably select New Orleans
instead of San Francisco for the site II
the night was held in the latter city. I'M
mediate steps were thereupon taken 10 pre-
vent the contest. and the promoters We're
compelled to leave California.
But Riokard and Gleason. although dis
couraged at first. were undaunted and cast
about for another place. Nevada was the