Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-04-20
NORTHERN CITY
MAY Be BARRED
State Public Safety Commission
viii Consider Proposed Battle
at Next Meeting.
LAY REFUSE PRIVILEGES
Colonel Miller Demands for Willard
Guarantee of $4,000 From
Fans of Twin Cities.

st. Paul, April 20.-Although ar
rangements practically have been
closed by Jess Willard and his per-
sonal representative, Colonel Mil
Ter, to pull the heavy weight
brawl with Fred Fulton in the Twin
Cities July 4, an element of doubt
was injected into the affair last
night when kilograms of protest
arrived at the governors office. sug-
costing that Willard and Fulton
take their fuss to Picardy and pitch
the ring in No Mans Land
Although Governor BurQuist has
announced that he will no inter
fere. new opposition has appeared
in the person of Colonel c. H.
March of the state public safety
commission. He has called a meet
ing for next Tuesday. when the
members Will discuss the fray and
then vote on whether they want the
thing" in Minnesota. When Col
onel Miller heard this he decided TO
withhold the final awarding of the
mlX-up.
Colonel March said that the com
4AloS4Cl4 NOuiu COIiSlutI TIE IldlGc1
of permitting the fight.
Public sentiment can control
the situation" he said.
Five States Closed,
Judging from reports from other
states, if Minnesota decides to chase
the 'rhinoceros of the ring" Jess
and Fred may be forced to follow
the Picardy suggestion. Five states
already have warned the principals
to take the air. among them Colo
RADIO, one of the few states permit
ing distance contests. However.
long contests mean nothing to the
champion. and this is one of the
reasons why he looks favorably on
MinnesOta-they can't fight over
ten rounds here, and who ever
heard of heavyweight match being
decided in a limited joust?
The kilograms and messages re
ceived from all over the country
beg some Minnesota official" to
save the fair name state by
refusing TO stand fiasco.
Some of the agita it will
be another mons bitiOn,
rivaling the fam tck af-
fair in Chicago S ago,
while others Sd. d scheme
of Willard s L. - his bank
roll" How many Liberty bonds
has Willard bought and how many
will he buy, with the proceeds of
this match ?" one message read. An
other wrote: With the biggest
fight in the history of the world
of CT L a
and liberty as the issue, why per-
NIT two oilers, willard and Fulton,
10 advertise a 'fight?' That name
| means too much these times"
Fans Must Pay.
In the meantime the boxing en-
thusiasts continue with their sub
scription bets in an effort to raise
$4,000, a sum Colonel Miller, vice
| Willard, demands for awarding the
fuss to the Twin Cities. Although
| this is absolutely a new angle in
! promoting demanding money for
/ the privilege OF making money-re-
| ports are TO the effect that the $40
900 will be forthcoming, even in the
| face of Uncle Sans plea, Buy Lib
/ erty bonds" Frank Torgeon, a St.
/ HduI nOIel man, Bblu ldSL HlSHl Lhdt
subscriptions obtained in Mime
| apolis and ST. Paul were closed 10
the $40 1000 mark.
! This request for a bonus from
| the business men has been traced
| to Willard. whose only objection 10
| this state as the fighting scene is
| the 10 per cent tax the state law
| exacts from all boxing encounters
| While the champ thinks it is unjust
/ to ask him TO contribute this out OF
his money" he has succeeded ia
| lodging the issue by demanding the
| $4,000 bonus, He expects a $780,
| 900 turnout and 10 per cent of this
| is the size of his business guaran-
! tee"
In addition to the III old ten
| thousand the colonel and Jess have
| been feeling out the local adyer-
/ Using field and limiting for bids
/ from big concerns for the privi-
legs of advertising their wares in
side the fighting arena. This
| source is expected TO yield enough
money to pay for the building OF
an arena in case one has TO be put
up. thus making every penny that