The Washington herald., 1912-03-10
TURNER ENTITLED
TO WELTER CROWN
Local Wrestler Plans to Go West
and Meet Gehring-Duohesne
Favorite.
By WILLIAM PEET.

A long letter to The Washington Her
aid signed by a well known wrestling
fan, iptimates that the bout between Joe
Turper and Max Miller, on the Gayety
Eheater stage, Friday night, was an ex-
- hibition, as Joe was able TO crawl out of
seemingly impossible holds.
The author of the letter also states that
Turner has no right 10 claim the middle
weight or welter-weight championship
title. as Gehring, of Cleveland, holds the
middle-weight championship, and Young
Miller, of st. Paul. the welter-weight.
The public certainly is entitled to know
the truth of affairs connected with the
wrestling bouts held here this winter, and
the writer who has acted in the capacity
Of referee at all of them knows whereof
he speaks.
Joe Turner has just as much right TO
the title Of welter-weight champion as
has Henry Genring, of Cleveland. Turner
has beaten every man IN the East with
any reputation, and for the past three
weeks has tried 10 get Gehring to meet
him. Experts familiar with the wrestling
game state that Turner could make short
work of Gehring, or any other man on
this side Of the pond at his weight.
There has been no possible chance for
the bouts held at the Gayety Theater
stage TO be framed up, for several rea-
sons. First, the money a. stake is too
small, and then again nobody has been
known TO let nickel on the outcome.
George V. Touhy. of Boston, whom the
writer has known personally for the past
ten years, and who is recognized as the
authority on wrestling in the East, speaks
highly OF Turner work. In a personal
letter TO the writer, Touhy says 'Tur-
ner made a trip UP here early last fall.
He easily beat all the men up North
with whom he was matched, and few
cared TO go on the mat with him
Touhy goes on to say that there are
several good men who would undoubtedly
give the Washington grappler a tough
battle, but adds that they would not
come down here at the figures offered by
a theater. at the conclusion of a per-
formance
The fact that Turner wins his bouts
away from home just as easily as he does
in the Capital should count for some
thing.
On trip through the South last year
as far as New Orleans. Turner engaged |
in seventeen matches. and was beaten |
only once, Max Miller turning the trick |
in Charlestown. S. c.
The same success attended him in the |
North. Turner beat every man his own |
weight, but lost few matches TO some |
Of the heavyweight grapplers. whom he
was forced to meet, as none Of the vel |
ters or middle-weights cared TO take him |
on.
Turner states that in a short time he |
will take a trip through the Middle West. |
making Cleveland his first stop, and |
Henry Gehring will be invited TO go on |
the mat for a goed-sized side bet
Gehring took one trip East recently. |
and was beaten by4several men whom /
Turner has thrown. Yokell, of Salt Lake |
City is another claimant for the title, |
but the writer believes that Joe Turner |
has just as much right TO the honor as
either of these.
Wrestler Tom Duchesne of Fall River
has made host of friends here, and also
won q numbe;- OF notable battles since
he came TO Washington. Duchesne's
latest achievement was in winning from
Young Monday. This bout was held on
the Gayety Theater stage last Wednesday |
night. Monday saw he was licked and /
deliberately slugged Duchesne He was |
at once disqualified. just as he had plan
ned TO be- The blow was Intentional and |
this fellow should be barred from future |
bouts in the Capital
Duchesne has also beaten Jack OIeson l.
in Charlotte, y. c; Tommy Ryan in Rris-
tol, Tenn, and Jack Lester at the Ma II
jestic Theater. in the Capital He is one
OF the cleanest grapplers who ever STEP
ped on the mat: also one Of the clever
|