Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1912-07-05
INTERFERENCE OF POLICE
SAVES FLYNN HUMILIATION
OF KNOCKOUT BY johnson


New Mexico undoubtedly cut down
the attendance by several thousands.
The knocking on the fight by the Al
buQuerque Journal succeeded in send
ing 500 sportsmen from the Duke
City, who showed their contempt for
that papers malicious assau,Ss. The
Albuquerque boys put on badges
bearing the name of their city and
were warmly greeted by Las Vegas
people.
Contrary to the expectations OF
those opposed to the fight, the whole
affair was carried on in a most order
ly manner. The streets were. filled
with visitors, yet there were no SER
ious troubles of any kind. Many Las
Vegas people who had prepared to ac-
commodate visitors with meals and
beds undoubtedly lost money on the
transaction, having spent large
amounts of money in preparation.
The restaurants, hotels and regular
lodging houses, however, were filled
to overflowing and many people en-
tertained their friends at their homes.
The decision of Referee smith, fol-
lowing the stopping of the battle, was
popular one The crowd, on the
way out of the arena, expressed itself
as confident Johnson would have won
by a knockout within a few more
minutes. Flynn was roundly roasted
for his unsportsmanlike tactics and
his poor showing. Throughout he ap-
peared to be working with the deter
mination to take an unmerciful beat
ing with the hope that good fortune
might enable him to put out the
black man, whether according to
Hoyle or not.
Undoubtedly Smith would have
stopped the fight at an earlier period,
but he hated to deprive the fans OF
an afternoons amusement after their
long journey to Las Vegas.
The action of Captain H'ornoff, ac-
cording to sentiment at the ringside,
was entirely uncalled for. Captain
Fornoff was here. it is understood at
the request of the governor to assist
in preserving order Why he should
show such discourtesy to the sheriff's
office as to jump in and interfere
with the fight is not known. I'll
should have been the sheriff who
stopped the fight if interference were
made, according to precedent 1t is
understood that the governor had in
Fornoff to stop the fight at
the first opportunity. The captain
carried out his instructions to the let
ter, being careful to get in front of
the moving picture machines as he
did so. r
1t is strange coincidence that a
police finish occurred, as both Flynn
and Johnson at conference a few
days ago interference from the offic-
ers. Both agreed that a decision
should be given in such an event.
Ten minutes before the time sched
uled for the start there was no sign
of either fighter. The Las Vegas
band started a demonstration to the
edification of the 5000 or more spec
tators then assembled. Probably a
half hundred women were sprinkIed
through the audience. Mrs. Johnson
and the wives of the champions
trainers occupied a nox at the corner
Johnson chose when he entered the
ring. Flynn's supporters from Pueb-
10, perhaps 200 in number and distin-
guished by white rooter mats, sat to-
gether and were prepared to greet
their man when he arrived. Up to
this time there had been no calling
of bets at the ringside and COM
plete absence of yelling or signs of
other enthusiasm.
At 2:04 Official Announcer Tommy
Cannon of Oklahoma City took the
ring to call attention to the several
ladies who have graced this
occasion by their attendance" and
asked that the spectators remember
their presence when it came to shout
ing comments on the fight. 1t was
the first sign of life at the ringside.
Cannon then announced a boy-sized
four rounds of one min
ute each, which appeared to be a