New-York tribune., 1919-03-15
CurIey Wants Senegam-
bian Hanged f; FrotIls at
the Negro's Confession
By w. 0. Mcclellan

The wandering Senegambian, Jack
Johnson, will soon be on the move
again. Latest indications from Cuba
are to the effect that the authorities
of the island will invite him formally
to get the air, any air save that which
is waited spcily over Cuba. The
Cubans are not at all pleased at John
sons assertion that he put one over
on them in the Willard fight. Some
of them, who have the ear of Presi-
dent Menocal, had some substantial
bets down on the negro and they are
wandering If the money cannot be
brought back
but reports from Mexico City Indicate
that the poems will not be pleased to
meet him. Besides, the report that
there IS another little revolution brew
ing below the Rio Grande will make
the negro less eager to enter the tur-
bulent republic.
Another reason why Johnson will
soon be leaving Cuba fiat is that the
promoters of the bout are alleged to
number of prominent Cubans. After
the fight the Cubans tried to cash the
marked ''No funds" As Johnson. on
his own statement got all the gate
money, the Cubans feel that he should
settle and he has nothing with which
to settle.
Johnson's finish probably will be
that predicted by one of the United
States marshals, who chased him to
the dock when he departed. The man
with the badge declared that sooner
or later the negro would return and
surrender himself Persons who talked
with him at Paris and in Spain have
predicted the same thing "He is
the homesickest niger in the world"
they said
Many Believe Johnson
Opinion as to the veracity of ihe
negro's confession" is divided. Mum
bers of good judges of fights and fight
ers are inclined to believe that there
was a frame-up. Willard never has
been a popular champion, never a
fighter by temperament, and the Gre
dence which is given the negros state
ment may be due largely to the preju-
dice against the PRESENT title holder.
Jack Curley, promoter in chief of
the WillardJohn fight and, Incl
dentally, we might mention, promoter
OF the Gotch Hackenschmidt wrestling
iiasco and other purely philanthropic
works in the interest of pure sports,
wants Johnson hanged. Personally |
do not care to say whose word would
take in q question of veracity between
Jack Johnson and Jack Curley.
zone would think says Mr.. Curley,
the phlanthropist, that johnson would
be led to the nearest tree or telegraph
pole, thereon to swing from the end
Of ii rope with his feet dangling in
he air.
If all the fighters and promoters of
fake prizefghts were served as the
phlnnthropc promoter suggests, the
telegraph companies and the Board Of
Forestry would be severely embarrassed.
Congestion Of poles and trees would
result before half of the good work
could be carried out
Curley Is Ingratefu
The big-henrted Curley also takes
a slap at "thc public" the long suf-
fering pubic. This is n bit ungrateful,
as part of this public fell for the
Gotch- -iIackenschmidt wrestling match,
which nctted Curley considerable
The Curley declaration follows:
"The public is funny thing;
from sport viewpoint you cannot
figure out where to place it.
world to the other to land a scene
for his battle with Willard. l still
have framed in my Office all his
wires preliminary to making the
match, After a hard task we de-
cided on Juarez, Mexico, and just as
Johnson was about to sail from
Havana to Mexico, after his bag
gage and retinue were aboard the
ship, an order came from the be-
WI 10 rlC ba
of Tampico. The hard work, quick
action and finally moving the battle
ground to Havana are now ancient
history. Even Wizards sensa-
tional and unexpected victory is
forgotten when johnson splashes
bomb from a clear sky, right from
Havana, that he laid down to Will
lard in a fake fight.
"Of course the story Is a lie.
OF course every one connected with
the fight knows it Is lie and every
critic that came from far and near
agrees with me.
Wants Johnson Hanged
"But that is neither here nor
there. Whether lie or TRUTH can
you imagine the audacity of human,
taking for gospel that his statement
is true, to stand before his victims
and say in almost these words You
are all lot of darn fools. | made a
sucker out of every one of you. l
always chuckled when / thought of
how easy you were. You were all so
interested, so excited, SO sincere, and
all the time looked upon you and
pitied you for your innocent igno
rance. Why, stalled for ten rounds
and then ten more rounds, and then
some more waiting for Willard to
make decent showing, and at last
came my chance to feign a knock
out.
And the public stands by and
with open mouthed amazement says