The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-09-30
JACK" JOHNSON TO RETIRE
Champion Says There VIII Be No
More Big Prize Fights

More Big Prize Fights
London, Sept. 2S.-"Your worship, l.
John Arthur Johnson, wish to an
nounce that Monday next shall not
box with Mr.. Wells in the British Isles
or in any other place where Great
Britain has control"
Thus spoke the champion heavy
weight pugilist in Bow street police
court today when legal proceedings
begun by the home office were drop
ped on the understanding that the S40,-
900 boxing match bewteen Johnson
and Bombardier Wells would not be
held in England Later Johnson sta.
ted that after fulfilling his Is weeks
engagements at English vaudeville
houses and similar American con
tracts he would retire from the ring.
"This is genuine retirement" he
said. Il am going to do what no
other heavyweight champion of the
world has ever done. Retire and not
come back to defend my title The
title OF heavyweight champion will
have to remain vacant for year or
so, but after that time | mean to get
the five best men available to fight IL
out and name the best among them as
the champion. IL is not because OF
the result OF the court proceedings to-
day that have come to the decision
that | will retire. | have been think
ing about II for some time past and
Mrs. Johnson has persuaded me to
give up the ring for good"
80 ! am broke am !" smiled John.
son when informed OF the report cir
culated in Chicago and elsewhere
well, / am not broke, but rye got
toothache had II all last night and
didn't sleep wink. | possess more
than 100000 cash, four automobiles
three here and one in America, and all
fine ones-a bag full of diamonds and
lot Of other property.
Il have Just had car made accord
Ing to my own ideas at cost OF $500.
Ny wife owns between 100000 and
10000 worth Of jewelry. could re-
tire now and ask no odds OF anybody
on this green earth. Besides. ! have
closed contract for Is weeks OF stage
work In Great Britain at $500 a week
II we're broke that would help, would
MT Il?
when my work here is finished ]
am going back to America to M
vaudeville engagements. My trip to
Australia has been indefinitely post
poned. / have more business than |
know what to do with. Tell them that
Jack Johnson is still a long way from
the bread line"
"The Johnson Wells fight will not
take place, at least not in London. II
has been enjoined at Earls Court and
we can't arrange for II Ia any other
place at the time advertised. October
2. II Is all the preachers fault. These
reverend chaps are getting much too
busy In many ways. They are but
ting in all over the place and are go
ing to cause a revolution before they
learn any sense. may not live TO
see II. but they'll cause parent to rise
against child, brother against brother,
and sister against sister.
Already they have put the first
rank fighters out OF business. We
shall never see another great fight like
those Of the old days, or like that at
Reno, with big stakes, tremendous at
tendance and worldwide interest. This
Is supposed TO be free country and
II would be but for the preachers.
They look sharply after everybody's
morals except their own. Prize fights
hurt nobody. On the contrary, they
do good. They teach people how to
protect themselves, develop muscle,
energy and healthy instincts and make
against gluttony and too much drink
ing.
81 wish one OF the bishops would
come out here into Epping forest and
run with me few miles. I'D show
him whose manner OF life produces the
best wind and fibre, his or mine. |
am a sober man. | am told that the
great majority OF preachers In Eng.
land are boozers.
u am going back TO Paris Saturday
] think Paris Is about the warmest
town on earth. Il certainly lays II all
over London. What interests and
pleases me chiefly there is the stylish
dress, personal beauty and gay spirits
OF the people. No, have lost none
OF my love for Chicago. II 10 a great
town and destined TO be much great
err, but even Chicago offers no hope
OF revival OF great lighting Great
fighting IL dead from an overdose OF
observation-disclosures.
Johnson Is living with his wife and
retinue of trainers at the Royal For.
est Hotel, a tall, red.timbered. white
concerted hostelry on the edge of the
big forest Of low, thlck.trunked, heavy
follaged oaks. He runs IL miles a
day on smooth roads under the trees
Some OF the inhabitants OF the
sleepy village OF Chlngford gather be
fore the hotel but stand respectfully
afar on. watching the comings and go
lngs Of the big shouldered oolored 81
ant who. when not in training costume
wears a neatly pressed blue serge suit
low-cut patent leather shoes and SOFT
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