The San Francisco call., 1910-06-18

hearing was behind closed doors, with
Attorney General Webb, accom-
panied by William Cobb. an assistant,
appeared with the application. The
plea for the injunction was not to pre-
vent the crime Of fighting. but to re
strain the fight on the ground that it
was q public nuisance. District At
torney Fickert was called in to the
consultation and after about half an
hour the doors opened and Webb and
Cobb came out. both palpably chag-
rined and disappointed.
Gentlemen" said Webb to the
queries hurled at him from all sides,
''the presiding judge of the superior
court has denied the application for
a restraining order in the prize fight
matter Of the People Us. Kaufman,
Langford and the Metropolitan ath-
patrons and supporters of the fight
laughed and the crowd humned and
buzzed with excitement.
NO TIME FOR DEFENSE
Ny reason for denying the appli-
cation" said Judge Van Nostrand,
was on the ground that sufficient time
had not been given defendants for the
presentation Of their defense"
In the face of the order Of the court
Governor Gillet's determination to
stop the fight at all costs became all
the more indomitable. The confident
expectation of his opponents that his
inability to obtain the injunction
would result in a complete victory for
them and that he would back down
from his stand, were overthrown. In
stead Of backing down he became the
might have had of the court siding
with him being lost, he turned to his
own gubernatorial power exclusively.
Behind him were the bayonets of the
national guard and these he prepared
to invoke.
"a CLEAR CUT FELONY"
Il say this fight viii not be held" he
declared, smashing his closed fist down
on his desk 1T is a felony-a clear
cut. palpable felony, and it viii not
occur"
Then it was that the police depart
ment and district attorney interfered
Chief Martin, who all day had kept
strictly neutral and silent, jumped to
the forefront, taking the case into his
own hands
I have not been consulted he told
the governor, but / have decided to
interfere. I have decided TO police that
fight, and if you insist on having your
militia there the proba bilities are that
there will be a clash. You can see that
in case of this kind many innocent per-
sons viii suffer and innocent blood
will be shed. Therefore. / ask you to
withdraw your order and keep your
troops away"
MARTIN MAKES PROMISE
I will keep away the troops only
on one condition" retorted Gillett, land
that is that as chief Of police of San
Francisco you promise me that those
two men shall not fight"
I promise you that" said Chief Mar
tin.
Then on that promise to prevent the
fight ] win promise not to have the
troops sent TO the ringside."
At this conference District Attorney
Fickert interrupted, saying that if the
governor bad given him information
that a felony was about to be COM
mitted he personally would have seen
that il was checked.
You did not show any such inclina-
fion by the statements you made in the
public press" retorted the governor,
angrily.
i was misquoted," replied Fiekert
''Inasmuch as those interviews were
sn line with a telephone communication
I had with you and in line with a let
ter you wrote to me on the subject, it
does not make any difference whether
you were misQuoted or not. You have
made your position in this matter
pretty clear, Mr. District Attorney. and
] want you TO understand that am
doing the same thing
BLOT Is BELLIGERENT
With Chief Martins definite promise
that he would prevent the fight it ap-
peared as If the whole difficulty had
been swept away and the fight problem
solved But while the officials argued
and fought they neglected to pay atten-
tion to an important parsonage in the
strange imbroglio-Louis Blot, the pro-
moter in charge of the Langford- -Kauf-
man fight. Him they had neglected to
take into consideration, but by nightfall
he succeeded in overturning the entire
plans and making worthless the prom
ises.
This night is going on he said. 81
have not been notified by any official to
stop, and / hold that ] am within my
rights. 1 plan to give boxing exhibi-
tion according to the provisions of the
code. and If the chief of police inter
feres [ will have him enjoined. 1 have
certain rights in this matter which can
not be overlooked
The situation again became acute.
With the district under martial law and
the militia on the ground, injunctions
from a civil court would be absolutely
worthless; but there was nothing to
prevent the police from being enjoined.
The question was laid to Chief Mar
tin. What DO you intend TO do in case
you are enjoined2"
There viii be no tight" said the
chief stubbornly
Does that mean that you viii dis