The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-03-21
A few words about the biggest fg-


ure in the cast.
Tex Rickard-George Lewis Rick
ard--is greater than any other man
who will stalk through this drama
OF the padded mItt on next Saturday
night. Rickard. in conjunction with
Sam McCrackin, is promoting the
big contest. The affair is an assur-
ed success. The advance sales in
dicate that once more this dark-eyed
westerner has triumphed-mentally
and financially.
Richard is the personification OF
all that is implied in "a dead game
sport" Only a man such as is Rick
ard could have successfully promot-
ed this greatest contest OF its kind.
Tex Richard is quiet, frank-faced.
youthful man, with an undisguised
air of the wild west-when II was
wild. He is 45 years old-but APP
pears younger He looks out OF a
keen, dark eye, and has a closed
mouth ready To curl in friendly
smiles or tighten into ominous lines.
His speech is quick, and his tongue
has the twist of a Texan cowboy.
His hand is always open to grasp
the palm of a friend distressed, or
10 clinch in defense of those he
cares for.
He has won and lost fortunes. He
xsrifh y.
muir, without a single word of JOY
or sorrow. He has travelled the un'
certain road from rags to riches and
back again, with never complaint
20 lIfe's street commissioner. At the
present moment he is on the sunny
side OF Easy avenue-and walking
fast.
Although his cognomen is TEX
(short for Texas, he Is not from the
Lone Star state. Richard was born
in Kansas City, Mo-. Jan. 2, 1871
When two years old young Richard
was taken by his family to the Pan.
handle-Henrietta, Tex.-where his
father built the first -four mill that
those frontier days knew.
But young Tex did not become a
millwright. At the age OF 10 years
he became a cowboy, and for IL long
years he punched cows and Indians
and buffaloes from the Indian Terri
tory to the wilds OF Montana.
A. the age OF 22 he was elected
city marshal of Henrietta, Tex. 1t
was while keeping the peace Of the
home town that he first heard or
faraway Alaska and her fabulous
fortunes.
In the fall OF 1895 we find him in
Circle City, Alaska. Then came the
famous "Klondike strike" Within
two months, after suffering untold
trials and horrors, he reached the
Yukon. There he staked claim.
worked as a miner, and helped wash
the first gold ever uncovered in a
washing machine. In a little over
an hour this machine produced Sl0.-
900 worth Of gold. This created a
sensation, and Richard. longing for
the city, sold his claims, No. Edo.
RADIO and Nos. 8 and 4 Bonanza, for
about $4,000.
This was his FIRST fortune. In
three months II was all gone! Tex
undertook to run a gambling house
in Dawson City and they broke
him"
Flat broke. Richard went 70 chop
ping cord wood with Rex Beach, the
novelist as a partner. In n few
weeks he made enough TO take him
to the newest lure, Nome. He arriv-
ed there by the Behring Sea on June
80. 1899, with two ounces OF gold
dust--about &3b,
Three months and 90 days later
he sailed out with $4,000 In the
purser's keeping. The saloon and
gambling house, the Northern. was
his gold mine. For the next Ave
summers Tex averaged close to
100000. and grubstaked every brok-
en- "sour dough" who came TO him
for help.
Then. aspiring to metropolitan
existence, no jcurneyed forth 70
Seattle. where he lost n all,
Next came the news OF gold at
Goldheld In 1904. Richard. ever
alert, traced Il back Immediately