Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-05-16
PROTEST GIVEN
GOVERNOR COX
AGAINST FIGHT
Ohio State Executive Receives Re-
quest That Willard Dempsey
Bout be Stopped.
REPLY is ISSUED BY MAYOR
Says City Will be Benefited in
Many Ways by Battle and
Thousands Who Attend.

Toledo, Ohio, May 1G.-Protest
against the Jess Wi!iard-Jack
Dempsey heavyweight champion
ship battle scheduled to &c decided
at Bay View, park, a municipal
owned plot of ground here, July 4,
is expected to be in the hands of
Governor Cox of Ohio, and James
F. Matthias, sheriff of Lucas coun-
ty, today. These officials. togeth-
er with Mayor Schrieber If Toledo,
were requested by the Toledo Min
isterial union, an organization of
$50 churches, to prohibit the con-
test.
The protest declared that. al
though the government sanctioned
boxing as war measure. the gov
eminent also endorsed bayonet
fighting, but the same government
would not encourage bayonet
fighting in peace times.
Mayor Schreiber's answer TO the
protest was statement today
that the government had made
boxing part of the curriculum in
the army and navy and that the
battle would bring thousands of
visitors to Toledo who Will expend
hundreds of thousands IF dollars.
Bout Sanctioned.
Toledo, Ohio, May 16.-Ohcial
sanction for the heavyweight
championship battle between Jess
Willard and Jack Dempsey, sched-
.uled to be fought at Bay View park
here July 4, was given by the To-
ledo boxing commission late yes
terday, when a permit was issued
to Ad Q. Thacher and his brother,
representing the Toledo Athletic
club.
The permit, calling for a T.
round contest to a decision. bears
the signature of Mayor Schneider.
c. F. Wall, director of public safe
ty and head of the boxing com
mission, and the remaining five
members. This action removes all
speculation as to what the com
mission would do in regard to
sanctioning the contest.
The actual construction of the
arena. which, according to present
plans, will have a seating capacity
of $4,000 persons, was started to-
day. Tex Richard, promoter Of the
contest. drove the first half dozen
spikes in the framework of the
huge structure. Because Toledo
lumber dealers were unanie tc fur
nish the large amount of material
required the date for completing
the arena has been set back from
10 to 20 days. depending upon the
arrival of materials. Hundreds of
wagon loads of planks were deIfv-
lered today.
The first major reservations of
seats was made Officials of the
Maumee River Yacht club gave
Richard a certified check for So
500, which will go for SIS and SO.
seats for club members. Sports
men of Columbus, Ohio, also placed
an order for 400 seats They plan
to make the trip in special trains.
Because he feared tickets might
fall into the possession of scalp
ers Richard refused a check for
100000 worth of seats. He de-
clined to reveal the name of the
prospective purchaser.
Jack Dempsey is expected to ar
rive in Toledo today. He is trav-
cling by moto- from Chicago. Will
lard, according to the latest word.
will arrive here Tuesday or We'd
nesday.
yelling VS.. BrittOn.
Syracuse, n. Y. May 16.-His
hand fully mended. Joe yelling
will on Monday night tackle Jack
Britton in a 10-round contest here.
The weight isl to be 142 at
o'clock. Local fans believe Joe
will give the welter champ a stiff
argument.