The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-06-18
To STOP BIC FIGHT.
Authorities Prevent JET.
frieS-JOhnSOn Contest.
GOVERNOR GILlfTTt'S ORDER
It is Reported the Promoters Will
Seek an Injunction to Prevent
Interference or Transfer
Fight TO Reno, New.
GOVERNOR GIllfTTf'S ORDER

San Francisco, Cal, June l6.-Goy'
ernor Gillette. OF California, gave or
ders to Attorney General u. 5. Webb
to stop tae heavyweight championship
fight between James J. Jenries and
Jack Johnson, scheduled to take place
here on July 4.
The attorney general said he would
take the necessary steps at once. Gov
ernor Gillette In answer to a query
said:
IL have instructed Attorney General
Webb to stop the Jenries-Johnson
fight, and ] shall expect him to do SO. -
The announcement was made by AT
torney General Webb. in confirming a
report current for several days that
Governor Gillette would not permit the
battle to take place. The attorney gen
eral said he would carry out the gov
ernor's order not to allow the men to
meet.
Tex Richard declared that If the
governor was successful in stopping
the fight he would take ii to Reno.
New.
The laws of California permit box
ing contests of limited number OF
rounds. but prize fighting is a felony.
Governor G!llette's action in ordering
the battle stopped is taken in accord
ance with this provision The governor
saws the contest is not boxing match,
but a prize fight. and as such II would
be a violation of the statutes.
The action Of Governor Gillette was
not unexpected. He was quoted by a
Chicago newspaper on his recent east
ern trip as saying that he believed the
fight to be fake" and frame-up. The
interview was subsequently declared
10 have been not authorized. but the
governor never has said he did not use
the expressions attributed to him. II
is understood that he made them while
In conversation with a friend and
never expected them to be made pub
lie.
The governor did say. however. that
the laws Of California did not forbid
the fight. and as long as they did not
he would hardly act. Pressure brought
to bear by the Ministers Alliance and
the better class Of political leaders is
understood to have caused the change
In his attitude.
What effect his action will have on
the Langford-Kaufman fight Saturday
is not yet known. but II Is regarded as
probable that this will be called of.
Jeffries was sore when he first heard
of the accusation OF taking. and 1t Is
regarded as almost certain that he viii
refues to go any further. A report said
that the promoters would appeal to
the courts for a writ of injunction to
prevent any Interference.
The first news Of Governor Gillette's
action came in letter to church peo-
pie at Sacramento. Cal Governor Gil
lette said that the letter was written
by him and is correct in all details.
The governor said ne was determined
to prevent the fight taking place in
California at all hazards
The governor. in this letter. said
that as District Attorney Rickert, OF
San Francisco. would not interfere.
the attorney general must. He said the
contest without doubt was a prize
fight. and under the law should be
stopped. He declared that he had d.
rected the attorney general to seek an
injunction preventing the fight and
that If they refused 10 grant such an
order the attorney general is to act
against the fighters and promoters I'M
der section 412. which declares prize
fighting a felony. The governor prom
ises the attorney general the cooper
alton Of his Office.
The real reason for the governors
action was a telegraphic warning he
received from Congressman Bennett,
of the house foreign affairs commit
tee. Emmett wired that unless the
governor stopped the fight San Fran
cisco needn't hope to secure the Pan
anna fair.
This ultimatum made Governor Gil
lette take quick action. especially as
1t was seconded by dispatches from
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