The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-02-23
GETTING ANXIOUS
Promoters. of Big Fight Can't
Locate johnson.
willard Is Ready but Battle
May Be Postponed.
(By Ed. w. Smith.)

(By Ed. w. Smith,
FL Paso. Texas, Feb. 23.-Two-
thirds Of the male population Of this
mans town has been waiting for two
weeks for the big shot across the bor-
der, but it hasn't been fired yet. The
shot they want to hear is some little
word from Jack johnson. Not thing
doing yet.
The big champion. who is slated to
do battle here a week from Saturday
with Jess willard, is as much OF
mystery right now to Jack Curley,
promoter Of the battle, as he Is to
dozen or SO newspaper correspondents
and the greater portion OF the popula :
ton of Ell Paso. Not a single word
has been heard Of him since he left
Barbados. British West Indies. on the
afternoon of February 20 on a Ward
line steamer. That is, not direct
word There have been plenty OF ru-
more but nothing that would stand
investigation.
Johnson was nine days late out Of
the British West Indies, due to the fact
that the boat on which he had pas
sage was delayed that length OF time.
He was unable to get another boat.
and there you are. He may be r1gnt
now within a few miles OF Juarez.
which is just across the Rio Grande
from this city. or he may pc
hundreds of miles away. Nobody
knows. Curley is more anxious than
anybody to know and would tell the
world in a second IL he had an ink
ling. It's the blacklist mystery OF the
decade around here.
Travel on Horseback.
Hes got to go about 200 miles on
horseback" Curley said today. IF he
sure he did, he found lot of blown
up bridges, torn-up railroad tracks
and some difficult trails to follow
north; but he has a couple of trusty
men with him. Mexicans who know
every inch OF the route, and who are
absolutely to be relief on. So am
not worrying.
when he gets within sight of a
wiring station he will tell me about
himself. that's all l can say" Curley
said. in this case 1 consider no
news mighty good news. If anything
had happened to him I would have
heard of it. A postponement may be
necessary, but that also is not worry
ing me. That will only develop when
johnson lands across the river. If
he'll fight March 6, We'll go ahead
with our plans. If he won't then we'll
have to listen to him and do some
thing else"
1t is true there may be a postpone
ment despite the fact that during the
week of the fight there is to be big
cattlemen's convention here and this
is expected to enrich the Golfers of the
club by a considerable sum. But as
most of the men who will be at the
convention live less than 1000 miles
from here and would come to the battle
any way Curley is not worrying any.
I'D sooner have Johnson in shape
than have him offer any excuses after
the battle" Curley explained. He
simply must be in shape. I'll see to
that. But let's not guess about that.
Let's get him in here first"
willard Is Ready.
And johnson had better be in shape
Jess Willard yesterday afternoon saw
him go through fifty minutes of the
hardest kind Of fighting, not boxing
mind you, but fighting-with the reti-
nue. of hopes" at his camp. eleven
miles from town. and I've never seen
boxer, big or little. in better shape
than he is right now.
Jim Savage, the New Yorker whom
eastern fight writer's said they were
afraid to have in the camp because
among the number. Jim has fought
all of them of his own size and bigger.
He weighs 1876 pounds. but he is mere
ly a handful for the big Kansas farm
err.
And Walter Monahan. the man who
hope" a man with a good record. is
no better. He weighs 2O8 pounds and
boxes. through long connection with
JohnsOn's camp. in much the same
style as the champion. He's one bite
for willard. So is Jack Hemple, q ten
time winner on the coast AS for Tex
O'ROurke. one Of the strongest men
ever seen in American colleges, Will
lard tossed him around as the ordinary
man might child in a playful mo-
ment.
to be considered at this time:
Hes the greatest big man 1 ever
saw" he said. Three rounds is my
limit with him at any time. He's 20
strong. so hard to hit. SO like a bear
in the clinches that 1 can do nothing
with him. l firmly believe he has an
excellent chance of winning. If John
son isn't in the best of shape Willard
will win, sure"