Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-06-22
GOVERNOR G|LLETT
WILL STOP FIGHT
DECLARES PRIzg-FIeHTINe A DIS
GRACE TO STATE or
CALIFORNIA.
PROMOTERS THINK CONTEST
WILL COME oFF-MAY GO
TO NEVADA.

all parts of the state, Governor Gil
lett yesterday took steps to prevent
the championship fight between JEFF
fries and Johnson on July T.
In a letter TO Attorney General
Webb, the governor expresses MS
of prize-tighting in un-
measured terms and directs that the
aid of the courts be invoked to pre-
vent the match and concludes with
positive order that in case the plea
for restraining order is not granted.
and the fight held, the attorney gen
eral proceed to gather evidence to
prosecute the principals and those in
terested In the fight for violation OF
the penal code of the state
The letter declares that the supreme
court of California never defined
prize-hght and suggests that oppor-
tunity be given 1t to do so. This is
taken to indicate the governors In
IGNITION to press his opposition to the
tpd and while the status of the fight
is IN an unsettled condition. the sport.
ing fraternity is much cast down over
what Is generally believed TO be the
death knell OF prlze-fighting in Cali
fornia. the mecca of the prize-fight.
ers" according to the governors let
ter has been soundeS
This was borne out by the fact
that the governor telegraphed We0D
later in the day to take similar action
on the fight between Langford and
Kaufman, scheduled for next Satur-
day.
Promoters Richard and Gleason
were taken completely by surprise
They had heard no Whisper o. the
governors intended act,"a. After a
conference with Webb, Richard said
he believed the fight would be held
in San Francisco on tine advertised
date despite the governors order. He
would not say positively what his
course of action would be until Webb
handed down an opinion. yet Rlckard
has no intention OF abandoning the
effort to hold the fight here. Richard
said that Webb promised him, be-
cause OF the great expense Of erect
ing the arena and other matters con.
nected with the fight that his opin.
ION would be forthcoming without
delay. Richard expects II within two
DAYS. In the meantime he would
make ready to take the fight TO Ne
vada or Utah II compelled TO do So
The governor in a letter declares
that federation of prize.iighting in CAT
ifornia is 0 disgrace 10 the state.
When word Of the governor order
was received ~ Jeffries he refused
TO believe t. The camp was thrown
into an uproar.
Il don't care where the fight takes
place. declared Johnson last nisht.
Il am willing to go any place
pefIes State Authorities.
Chicago, June al am running
San Frapoisco. am taking no orders
from Cfllett or his attorney general.
! You ciln bet your last dollar that tide
! big fight will be pulled of in my
town, just as advertised, said Mayor
Mccarthy of San Francisco, while
passing through Chicago last night on
his way home 'The big fight VIII
come on in San Francisco July 4. you
lbet your llfe.'
Reno Makes Bid. :,
Reno, New, June I6.-Reno bid for
the Jeffries-Johnson fight yesterday.
when A. j. Ailwortay, a theatrical
manager representing local business
men, telegraphed Richard that this
city would erect an arena The Ne
yada law permits finish fights.
A Washington View.
Washington, June 16.-The move
by the state authorities OF California
10 stop the Jeffries-Johnson fight is
believed In ashington 10 have had
its origin in a telegram which Repre-
sentative Bennett OF New York sent
to William X. Wheeler, president OF
the San Francisco chamber of com
merce on May Is. The telegram was
TO the effect that moral sentiment
Of the country was so opposed to the
tight that unless il was prevented
tnere was grave danger that congress
would take unfayorable action on "a
resolution now before it, naming San
Francisco as the place for holding
the international celebration on the
opening OF the Panama canal Mr.
Bennett IL member Of the foreign
affairs committee of the house
In response to Mr. Benefits tele-
gram, he received from Mr.. Wheeler
the following
Please urge on your committee OF
public spirited citizens promoting the
San Francisco exposition that people
generally interested therein are not
favorable 10 the Jeffries-Johnson
fight. It would be decidedly unjust to
consider the latter proposition in
connection with the former
GOVERNOR ESCAPES