Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-06
BRAVE ZOE CANS WINS
HIS RACE FROM DEATH
Dying Pugilist Reaches Mothers
Home to Spend Final
Hours.
MADE LONG TRIP
ACROSS COUNTRY
Physicians Say He Can Live But
Few Days-Friends Greet For
mer Champion at Depot.

BALTIMORE. August with his old
mother tenderly caring for his wants.
Joe Cans. former lightweight champion
of the worlds prize ring, today lies on
bed in his old home, at 1928 ArSyle
avenue, in the last stages of consump-
ton. His physicians give him but Il
few more days to battle with death, GER
tain that the grim opponent OF the for
mer champion will soon win out. The
physicians say that Cans cannot live
more than a week at the most. Near
the bedside in which the great fighter OF
other days breathes hard for life sits
Kid North of San Francisco, who train
ed Cans for all his fights in the west
A tank of oxygen is close at hand. to be
used in case of emergency. 1t will be the
last resort to prolong the life of the lit
tie colored fighter, who when he realized
that death was but short way off, de-
cided to come back to the town of his
birth, where loving mother awaited his
return.
Joe Cans has come back but his
stay will be a short one, his relatives
admit He has fought his last fight, the
fight to reach Baltimore before being
overtaken by death. When the ambu-
lance carrying the little fighter from
Union station to Argyle avenue reached
Cans home. an aged woman neatly clad
IN an old-fashiOned calico dress and
with a handkerchief to her eyes was on
the steps waiting for II. 1t was cans
mother. She watched the attendants
bring her boy into the old home OF MS
youth. and directed them where to place
his withered form.
She was first to greet the former cham
pion when he reached the house. After
they had carried him on stretcher from
the ambulance to his room the attend
ants left the room for moment that the
aged mother might greet her boy in her
own way.
Can't Live But Few Days.
Down in the parlor and dining room a
score of friends of the old champion We're
sitting, waiting to hear tidings from Dr.
Harry T. Southworth, the Prescott ply
stcian who accompanied the sick man
back to Baltimore. DR.. Southworth told
them what the reader already knows
that Cans has but a few days more to
live.
In the street hundreds of colored peo-
pie stood in little groups with grief
stricken faces. Joe has come back,
they said to one another. Poor Joe,
game to the last, he reached his mothers
arms before death got him. An old col
ored minister with a book under his arm
muttered silent prayer for the former
master of the lightweights.
Besides DIR. Southworth and Mrs Cans
(Joes wife), Kid North of San Francisco
was in the drawing room of the sleeper
OF the Pennsylvania limited which reach
ed Union station at 800 O'Clock yester-
day afternoon. They directed the station
porters in the removal of Cans from the
car to the ambulance.
Hundreds of white and colored friends
of the sick man were at the station when
the train pulled In. The first to arrive at
the station was AL Herf0rd, Cans old
manager. who brought out the former
champion years ago. Herfords face was
sorrOw-stricken. A few friends were with
him, and they, too, wore sad expressions.
"A faint smile was on Cans face when he
realized that he was at last back in Bal
tinore among his relatives and friends.
He recognized Al Herford and several
other sporting men as they grouped about
the stretcher. Standing close by was
Jimmie Cans He is a boy Of but fifteen
years, and the tears streamed down his
cheeks as he watched them place the
emaciated form of his father iE the am
bulance Mrs. Cans Goe's wife), over
come with grief, bore up we'll as she
walked through the station.
Wanted to See His Mother.
It was about three months ago that
ering his health. For long time before
that he had suffered with tuberculosis,
and the physicians said that the western
desert lands with high attitudes were the
only place for him to go If he cared to
live. Cans left here early in May for
Prescott, Ariz. At first it was thought
the western climate had beneficial effect
on him. Then reports began to reach the
east that he was dying.
The Prescott physicians did all they
could to overcome the disease and return
Cans to his old home a well man. They
were handicapped from the start. The
disease had gone too far, they said, and
Cans, realizing his condition and know
ing that he had but few weeks at the
most in which to live, asked the doctors
to make arrangements for his removal
to Baltimore. Il want to die near my
old mother" he told the physicians
The start was made for Baltimore last
Monday night. During the whole trip
east Cans showed that same spirit of de-
termination to reach Baltimore alive
which saved him many a battle with
ma sters Of the ring. At Chicago the for
cl,o y,Y,in ctcI foU hours