The Alaska daily empire., 1915-09-16
mat aLay-Downv Story.

That "Lay-Down7 Story.
 In connection with the story that Jack Johnson cabled the promoters of the Johnson-Wnlard fight for lay down" money the New York Sun pub fishes the following:
 "The charges made by Horatio Bottomley. editor of John Bull. Che outspoken English periodical. that Jack Johnson had cabled here for money due under agreement to lay down to Jess Willard brought a viz orous denial yesterday from II. 2. Frazee, the man who backed Jack Cmley in the great fistic venture. When shown the John Bull story, printed exclusively here In the Sun, Frazee said:
 ''Why. it's the most absurd thing that ever got into print. 1T ever a championship contest was dead on the level that was. How could John- son have tossed 1t off before the eyes of so many prominent sporting writ CTS.
 ITO say that Johnson has wired for his lay-down money is lie of the worst kind. or my own knowledge he has sent us two cables. one asking us to hurry up his end of the Canad- ian picture returns and the other was his offer to fight Willard again for a purse of $25.OOO. l got Jess Willard on the long distance phone immed- lately and asked him if he was will- ing to fight Johnson again.
 "Yes, 10 times. came back his answer over the wire. Get him at any price. Mir. Frazee. Don't let that purse stand in the way TIT fight him for nothing. I've drawn the color line but never for Johnson. want to prove every day in the week that there was no question of fluke in my win over him. Make the date four weeks from the time we sign and rn be ready
 That's what Willard thinks of Johnson. I'm SO sure that Jess can and win stop Johnson in seven or eight rounds that I cabled Johnson: Put up your money and the fight is on.' That's the last we've heard of him. wrote to Eddie Well. our rep resentative who was sent to London with the pictures. and told him to see if he could get Johnson to put up ey- en S20,O0O. It would be easy money. We haven't heard from him on the subject.
 'If the Sun cares to send a cable to London right now saying that Wil- lard will fight Johnson for $15,000. winner to take all. we will stand by the offer But 1t must be winner to take all No splitting of a purse with Johnson. His only aim is to get di- vision of the purse with Jess. He'd sell his ears for money But to say that Johnson has laid down or as wired for lay-down money is @ rank injustice to this fine. white boy. who went to Cuba and wiped Johnson off the map when he didn't know wheth- CT or not he'd get a straw hat for his work.
 Johnson never wrote any such ca biegrams as John Bull purports to re- produce Why he'd be insane to do anything of the kind He owns an interest in the moving pictures. and they are doing a big business in Eng land. Johnson has sense enough to know that any such action would be Q confession of wrongdoing and that it would kin the pictures in England. If he has told them that he faked or allowed that impression to gain any ground then he has done it with the view to re-establishing himself in the eyes of the boxing public. But you take my word for it. he has not sent any such wires to America.
 "Johnson's cant whip Willard What is more. no man in the world has an outside chance with Willard. Coffey is a big. strong fellow and would at- tract a crowd, but as a fight it would be a farce. Jess would stop him in- side of 10 rounds sure. You know you're dealing with @ changed man in Willard. He's a champion now. and a wonderfully improved fighter. They'll never get him for years to come. I doubt if he will stay in the ring long. ] think that as soon as he gets enough money to live in comfort for the rest of his days he will re- tire for good. AS for this talk of fake, 1t is the usual cry that follows in the
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