Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-02

RENO, July with the appoint
ment of the timekeeper and the an
nouncer the circle of ringside official
dom for the Fourth of July battle be-
tween Jeffries and Johnson on which
rests the undisputed heavyweight
championship of the world, was COM
pleted. The officials are:
Tex RiCkard of Nevada, referee.
Charles White of New York, alter
nate referee.
Billy Jordan of San Francisco, an
nouncer
"Tim" Sullivan of New York, stake
holder.
Tom Corbett of San Francisco, bet
ting commissioner.
Despite the persistence of rumors
that Rickard did not intend actually
to referee the contest, no tangible
ground for the report could be discov-
cred. Rickard himself denied emphat-
ically that he had any intention Of
stepping down at the last minute in
favor of the New Yorker.
"I am the referee" he reiterated
"and 1 am going to do the refereeing.
Here" Rickard reached into his
pocket and produced roll of bills.
4"Here-just bet that $500 for me that
I referee that fight. That's how I feel
about it."
BILLY JORDAN ABSENT
OF the fight officials named above
all but Jurdan are on the ground.
Harting and Sullivan arrived today.
"I have $4,000 Of the purse money
now in my hands," said Sullivan, "and
the rest will be turned over to me to-
morrow"
Rickard was at the depot to meet
Sullivan. After a brief conference the
pair climbed into an automobile and
set out for Jeffries' camp. Five mem
bers of Sullivan's party accompanied
them.
When the machine drew up at jeff
ries' cottage the fighter came for
ward.
"Hello, Tim" he said, extending his
Hello, jeff" replied Sullivan. 81
wish you all kinds Of luck, boy"
After q few moments of talk with
the big man Rickard and Sullivan
whirled over the dusty road to john
sons quarters. They arrived just after
the negro returned from his afternoon
road work. The greeting between Sui
livan and Johnson was cordial, and
after an interchange of remarks the
two officials hastened back to the
city.
Reno was much perturbed today by
rumors. They were flying everywhere
-rumors about Jeffries, rumors about
johnson, rumors about Rickard and
the referee job, rumors about every
thing and everybody directly or indi-
rectly connected with the fight
LOTS OF RUMORs ATLOAT
Taking the Jeffries rumors in chro-
biological order, this morning he broke
his left forearm, at noon he ruptured
2 blood vessel in his elbow and at 2
o'clock in the afternoon he underwent
an operation for appendicitis In spite
Tee IT, CI1f
ficiently recovered at O'Clock to look
1lp from a game of cards and draw
bridge.
"Well, so long as I am all right on
Monday afternoon, 1t doesn't cut much
figure what happens to me now, does
it?" he said. The only real affiiction
to come on Jeffres during the day was
one which threatened his poclletbook.
A suit for $4,000 attorneys fees was filed
against him in the district court by
the local lawyers who drew up the con-
tract conveying the fighters share in
the moving pictures to an eastern syn
dicate. The lawyers alleged that be
cause of the terms Of the contract with
the syndcate's representative they
were entitled to at least $4,000. They
argued that. since by the contract
Jeffries and his partner in the deal,
Tex RiclIard, would get $66 600 in good
hard money as soon as the first gong
tapped on Monday, and that even II no
blow was struck in the fight, that
see, 900 belonged to Tex and Jim abso-
lutely and they could throw it at the
birds if they liked, $4,000 did not look
very big after all
Rickard said later in the day that
the matter had been adjusted.
The lawyers said that it had not.
They admitted, however, that it was
likely to be settled at any moment.
There were numerous conferences at
the lawyers Offices during the day
and Rickard did not appear worried
in the least, so it is supposed that it
was all settled to his satisfaction, or
would be at any moment
MORE RUMORs AFLOAT
Another of the flock of rumors that
electrified into life the corps of news
paper men and sports that dotted the
shady side Of Center street was one to
the effect that Sam LangfOrd would
box with Jeffries before daylight faded.
That particular rumor kept the war
correspondents hopping around in cir
cles. They went out to Moana, then
they came back. As soon as they got
back they wished they had stayed
there and started out again.
About 8 o'clock it became known