Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-03-31
DRYING OUT AT GOLDFIELD
Story Of the Day Joe Cans Net
Addie Wolgast.
ONE OF EoLANs FOXY TRICKS
Clever Manager Put One Over on
His Rival I'm the Matter of
Making Weight at the
Ringside.
nv w. w. NauGHrov.


a story that takes us back TO the days
when GoIdneld made its one big splash
in the pugiiistie pool. and a fairly good
story II Is.
II has to do with Battling Nelson and
Joe Gans-NeIson principally-and for
fear anyone should pronounce II pleas
ant piece Of fiction. ! hasten to state
that 1 had It from Billy Nolan, who in
the years referred TO was the manager
of the Durable Dane.
Such newspaper men as were In the Ne
vada mining camp in the days preceding
the Gans-Nehon fight will remember the
turmoil which arose when Nolan insisted
on Cans Weighing In in ring clothing.
Nolan did not intend TO spring this de-
mand until the day OF the contest lie
took for his basis OF argument old prize
rules. which made II imperative for a
man to step on the scales In battle array.
and he figured no doubt that when Cans.
who all along had supposed he was going
20 weigh In nude. was confronted with
an eleventh hour inxistence that he weigh
In his fighting equipment. he would have
10 resort 10 drastic measures that would
send him into the rIng as weak as a sick
kitten.
Anyhow. someone from Nelson's camp
talked too much and news Of what Nolan
had up his sleeve got around several
days sooner than the shrewd manager
intended. Cans was one OF the first to
hear 1t. and he sent word to Tex Richard
They say they're going to make me
weigh with my fighting things on and
can't show is3 pounds that way" COM
planned Cans. 1T will take me ali my
time to make the weight the other way.
II Nolan Is to dictate. will have 20 al
low at least a couple OF pounds for fight
ing trunks and shoes and this means
will have TO pull myself down to i5i
pounds. Mr.. Richard. 1 can't do H."
Tex spoke to Nolan and Nolan was de-
fermined.
Where Is the precedent for anything
like that:' asked Rickard.
The rules. sir, the rules" whispered
smiling Nolan. That's the way they
weigh for all championship fights. Fits
simmons did II for Dempsey at New Or
leans. Everybody has to do It."
Richard called a meeting OF the sub
scribers to the Gans-Nelscn purse for
that night and Cans and Nolan were
there by appointment. A rumor OF what
was In the wind got around, and there
was a crowd outside the Red Dog, or
whatever the name Of the saloon where
the pow-wow was held. There were mut-
terings Of discomfort. too. Tho Nevada
sports had heard that hitch In the pull.
Ing off OF the fight was imminent through
Nolan's stubbornness. and grim sugaes.
lions were made As TO the kind Of treat
ment that ought to be melted out 10
Nolan.
Ter Richard came out 70 the Sidewalk
from the conference room to lei the cool
night wind play upon his fevered brow.
The expression on his face showed that
no progress had been made towards a
satisfactory solution Of the difflcsity.
How Is II going. Tex" asked someone
as the crowd surged around the Goldfield
promoter.
Nolan won't give away an ounce" said
Tex.
well. you know US. Tex" growied one
unshavcn husky. You've only got "a
say the word. and we'h get q rope"
Then Tex exploded.
what have you get TO. do with itf'
he asked with snarl while fighting
CLINT came into his eyes. I'VE can man
age our business and we'd get along I
lot better perhaps n you fellows jus
chased yourselves away from here ant
attended TO yours"
Then he went back into the room ant
slammed the door behind him.
Nolan won out and the meeting dis
persed. the news being given out tina
Cans would have TO do ig In fightln,
RIG. even II II became necessary for hin
to have leg or an arm amputated. An,
sthe worst Of II was that the article
called for three weighingx at interval
on the day Of the fight.
This was also Nolan's stipulation. II
held that. II each man showed once o
twice beforehand he could make III
weight. there would be no disappointment
when the crowd gathered around IN
ring.
Cans set to work to devise a rim
costume that would be or gossamer llghi
ness. His trunks were Of some form
cobsebby silk and weighed barely a ha
pound. II was said that he fashions
a pair of ring shoes from brown paps
and stuck them together with glue. RIA,
be that was an exaggeration.
Here's where the real story begins.
seems that Nolan had almost an equal
hard time of II with Cans in maxim
the weight. The battler had TO dry OF
as he never dried before. and the thirs
which he dared not assuage. was pro'
igioux Nolan's consolation to him wa
well. you may be bit feverish, b.
Cans win be twenty times worse
The prospect didn't appease' Nelson a
together. Through abstinence from COO
ing fluids. his tongue became as dry
parrots II he dozed off on the e.
Of the fight. he dreamed Of cascades
iceuafer. Just as men do who are dyli
Of thirst on the desert
He was all right for the first weight
next day. and 90 was Cana The secol
time at the scale. too. went off wit
out hitch.
But when Nelson returned to camp
await final weighing he fell from gra.
Temptation placed In his way q cup n
Of apple sauce. a thing Of which I
Durable one was inordiuately fond.
threw discretion to the winda As I
cooling stuff sid across his parch
palate he forgot Nolan. Cans and ever
one else. He was desperate and he To
q chance.
And n there's anything in the wol
that win put on weight IN q hurry
sppls sauce" remarked Nolan when t.
ING the story.
Then came the ringstde weighing. q
naturally enough Cans was the one "
wzs watched Suspicion was direct
fowur1z him for he vas guprozed 10