Daily Kennebec journal., 1910-06-18
Says Gov. Gi||ett Of CAL
itornia Fight Game,
viii Have Militia al Kaufmann-
Langtord Fight.
eoIdfIeld Tries TO 0utbid Other
Nevada Towns for Big Fight.

San Francisco, June 1T still have
an ace in the hole. When Langford
and Kaufman appear tomorrow in
the ring, sitting in the same box with
District Attorney Fickert and Chief of
Police Martin, will be Adjutant General
J. B. Lauck. commander of the State
militia Of California / have positive
assurance that they (Fickert and Mar
tin) will not permit a single round to
be fought. Their promises were given
to me personally. I believe and ex-
pect they will be kept The doom of
prize fighting in California has been
sounded"
The foregoing statement made to-
night by Gov. James n. Gillett epito-
mizes the latest situation Of the prize
fight controversy that has plunged San
Francisco into crisis bearing all the
aspects of q miniature Civil War. Louis
Blot, the promoter of the fight, is In
open insurrection against California's
chief executive. Openly defying the
Governor, who had ordered out two
companies of militia to prevent the
ring contest" if city officers refused
to act, Blot declared he would hold
the Kaufmsnn- Laneford affair tomor
row even tnOuSH du ARMY were
ed on to block proceedings.
Ostensibly Blot stands alone but un-
til late today. he had at least the pas
sive support of the district attorney
and of the courts.
At the 11th hour. District Attorney
Fickert and Chief of Police Martin
pledged their word to Attorney Cen
eral Webb that they would prevent the
toIy
ernor Gillett held up his order calling
out the State troops
Still obdurate, Blot persisted in his
declarat ton that the fight would be
held as scheduled and unless he re-
tracts from his position, the outcome of
his rebellion will not be determined un
til tomorrow at p. NJ. Pacific time
when the fighters are scheduled TO
come together.
For a time today. it appeared as
though San Francisco would openly re
bel against California District Attor-
ney Fickert persisted in his contention
that there was nothing in the laws O.
California that could be construed a!
inhibiting either tho Langfnrd- -kauf-
mann or the Jefiries-J johnson contest
But the pressure brought to bear on
city officers induced Fickert to retract
from his position, and positive assur-
ancc was given by the chief of police
that the principals would ont be per-
United to enter the ring tomorrow
Blot, every one else says, cannon
carry out his determination to over
ride the Governors authority and to all
intents and purposes. the war is at an
end
RumorS were afloat tonight that the
Governor misunderstood the deciara-
tion of the city officers and that not
withstanding the pledges given MN.
the chief of police does not intend TO
call off the fight. unless he feels the
fight has gone beyond the bounds of
the elastic definition Of a boxing bout
and has developed into a genuine prize
fight
Just before the Governor left for sac
ra,nento late today. Chief of Police
Martin asked him If he should permit
the "prcliminaries' Of the Kaufman
and T.angford contest to be held.
"J am not concerned with your pre-
iilninaries." replied the Governor. Let
them go on
The question of what a preliminary
and wherein curtain raiser" to big
fight differs from the fight itself will
probably be determined tomorrow per-
haps bv Adjutant Gen Lauck. who VIII
he the Governors representative at ths
arena.
San Francisco was amazed at the
days startling rapid developments,
It would be difficult to analyze the con-
f,icting sentiments of the citizens. Ever
since the startling announcement from
the Governor that the Jeffries-J johnson
fight and the Kaufmann- -Langford fight
must not be held in California hostility
between the chief executive of Cali
fornia and the district attorney of Sar
Francisco has been evident.
San Francisco, June l7.-Lous Blot,
promoter of the -Langford
fight. after conference with his attor-
neys tonight announced that he would
carry the fight tomorrow as advertised
and would petition for an injunction re-
straining the district attorney and chief
Of police from interfering.
One of the events of the day was the
denial of a petition made by Attorney
General Webb to Superior Judge Van
Nostrand for an injunction restraining
the Kaufmann- Langford fight. not on the
grounds that 1t was the intention of Pro-
moter Blot to hold a prize fight. but be-
cause the contest would be public nui-
sance."
A conference between the attorney gen.
eral and District Attorney Fickert
brought brought forth the unexpected
announcement that the district attorney
and the chief of police together would
guarantee that tomorrow's contest would
not be permitted. While en- route to Oak
land station to board train for Sacra-
mento the governor delivered his parting
ultimatum as follows:
This means the end of prize fighting
In this state and by this statement I
mean Los Angeles well as San Fran
cisco. 1t is not pleasant thing. when