Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-16
FIGHT OR BIG FAIR
CHOICE Of FRISCO
CONTINUED From First Pase.)

| Continued From First Pdge.D
and peremptory command, addressed to
| this office. to prevent the Jeffries- Johnson
j fight. The governor states that the facts,
| as presented to him, show that the tight.
IL held will be a prize fight, and that
| prize fights are prohibited by the laws OF
\ this state.
| This command the governor has the
| right and power to make, and 1T is the
| duty of this Office to comply with 1t. L
shall take such action as the law war
rants to prevent the fight being held. 1t
| is the right Of the Office of the governor
| to command: it is the duty of this Cfhce
| to obey. His instructions will be fol-
| lowed to the letter.
~ am not at liberty to state just the
character of the proceeding that will be
| instituted but such action or actions as
may be necessary to accomplish the ends
| desired by the governor will be brought.
MY final word in this matter IS that L
am going to carry out the governors in
| structions. l am going to stop the fight.
In statement given out earlier ir the
| evening MIR. Webb indicated the construc
| ton he would place on the Jenries-JC hn-
| son battle, which its proponents declare
will not be prize fight. but merely
boxing contest, and therefore not IN con-
| f1ict with the state laws.
Either Prize Fight or "Fake."
sThe fact of the matter is declared
the attorney general. that if this con-
test is one in which the contestants enter
the ring with the avowed intention OF
knocking each other out, to use fight
ing term, it is prize fight and against
the law. If they do not contemplate
knocking each other out i apprehend II
fake and ought a De WP Stand by
Gleason in contesting the governors Or
der has not yet been stated. The lat
est word from Richard Is that he will
full examination of the law has been
made He has been promised a definite
I.answer from that official in three days.
he says, as to whether there is possible
we can't fight in San Francisco" he con-
ciuded then We will go to Reno or
Ely, New, or to Salt Lake City. Any
of those cities will welcome us with
open arms.
When the disconcerting news was first
brought to Richard he said:
Its pretty tough that We should have
been allowed to go this far and then be
crushed. We will be losers by about
$40, 900 If the fight does not take place
here. That sum has actually been spent
by us up to date on the arena and for
other things. and We are not counting
upon our $4,000 forfeit to the fighters
either. The work on the arena will be
continued till We are positively told to
stop, but before make up my mind to
pull off the fight here. l must have posi-
tive assurance that there Will be no in
reference of any sort"
Just what Mayor Mccarthy intends to
do to Illustrate. as he announces, the
governors determination to stop the con-
test is a mystery to all concerned.
Fighters Are Incredulous.
Reports from Ben Lomond say that Jim
Jeffries is still incredulous over the news
that the governor has interfered. Jack
Johnson. likewise, finds it difficult to
credit the information. Both, however.
reluctantly declare that II they can't fight
in California they will leave it to the
promoters to pick the location Of the con-
test. as is stipulated in the articles Of
agreement.
johnson made "a naive suggestion as
the way out of the dilemma. "All l
want is to fight he said. If break
any Of the laws Of the state l am willing
to settle for it afterward.,"
The negro champion did not seem to
be much perturbed. though. over the stu
alton. OF course, I'll go right along
with my training" he said~
Louis Blot, who Is promoting the Kauf-
man Langford contest, scheduled to be
held here next Saturday declares that he
will carry out his plans for that event,
despite the governors orders to the con-
trart. He says his lawyers have as
sured him that he is acting in conformity
with the laws in staging the fight.
fight from San Francisco to some other
point the promoters assert they stand
to lose a large sum. 1t is estimated
that the gate receipts, IL the fight is
held here, will be in the neighborhood
of half a million dollars. That sum
will be very materially reduced IL it
becomes necessary to change the scene.
No Politics, Says Governor.
Gov. Gillett. in an interview given
out at Sacramento last night, denied
that political considerations prompted
his action in the fight matter. He de-
clared also that his action was not in
1uenced by the telegram to President
Wheeler Of the San Francisco Chamber
of Commerce from Representative
Bennett Of New York saying that the
fight would interfere with San Fran
cisco's chances of securing congress
sional aid for the Panama Pacific ex-
position.
The only reason he would advance
was his declaration that the fight was
not countenanced by the laws of the
state, and that he considered it his
Official duty to stop 1T.
Both Cities Must Raise
Guarantee of $500, 900