The Alaska citizen., 1912-04-01

z LIS oof aAl utNOitu 10 llS Wife and baby beyond measure. not to mention the manner in which he takes oaIe and supports his blind father. A young man who is so righteous and dutiful is bound to be successful in any line of busi- ness. especially one of Kilbane's good habits.
 Dr. A. r Scullly of this city. who has blcn physician fer the Kilbane family for several years past. voiced the foregoing voluntary statement with reference to the new feather weight champion of the world in a talk with d News reporter today.
 There never lived an athlete in Cleveland so universally well liked as Johnny kilbane. He is a boy of magnetic -rsonality Full blooded Irish, but Cf American birth. the little champion has the typical Mile sian laughing hazel eyes. He wears perpetual smile when among his friends and his expression even ill battle changes little He is the personifieation of good nature and generosity and is noted in his home neighb0rhood for his love for the company of children. He has been known 10 play marbles for hours on the sidewalk with the little ones over in the vicinity of his home. And as d result every kid in the neIghborhood swCGrs by Johnny. Mother Died When He Was Six.
 Young kilbane's mother was one Of the prettieSt girls on the west side of the Cuyahoga river. it is said and they say she was an unusually bright Title woman and of excep- 1ional disposition. As result of these characteristics, she was very popular in the part of the city where she lived. But Johnny lost his mother when he was scarcely 6 years old and he was raised to man. hood by his grandmother, the late Mrs. Bridget Kilbane. one of the biggest-heartsd Irish women who ever drew the breath of life, her neighbors declare. Grandmother kilbane fairly dotted on her little Johnny" as she called him. She was always oppC sed to his embark ing in the pugilistic game. but Johnny liked the excitement to be- gin with, and he had his few bouts unknown to his grandmother.
 Later on, however, some of the nei8hbors told her of Johnny's sue cess in his early contests and she became net only interested in his career, but very proud of the prow- ess he had been displaying up to the time she died a few months ago
 Johnny was in Los Angeles when the news of the death of his grand mother was received by his man. ager, Jimmy Dunn. In fact. the telegram came on the very day Of his battle with Joe Rivers, whom he knocked out in the sixteenth round, but it was not shown to Johnny until after the fight, Dunn knowing full well that the effect of the sad n WIS would have been disastrous
 few hours after Johnny had laid the Mexican champion low. the news of his bereavement was gently broken to him by his wife. Johnny broke down and wept like baby. He told those about him that if he had heard the contents of the telegram before getting into the ring he would never have been able to win. He loved his aged rela- tive tenderly, and on learning of her demise he hurried his prepar- ations to make hasty start for home.
 Has Supported Father Nine Years.
 The kilbane's were a poor fam fly, and when Johnny's father be- came blind, about nine years ago, it devolved upon Johnny the only child, to assume the family burden, which he did like little man. He left St. Malachis school, with only another year to go before he would have graduated, in order to support himself and his father He obtained a position as timekeeper on the Cleveland and Pittsburg ore docks, and for few years managed 10 keep himself and his stricken par ent comfortably. And to this day the kilbane neighbors tell of how little Johnny used to lead his father about when through with his work and on Sundays and holidays the pair were inseparable. His devotion to his father won hundreds of friends for the then future cham pion.
 And that same affection and dut- iful consideration is still kept up, Johnny and his dad are frequently seen together arm in arm on the streets now when the boy is at home.