Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-03-22
JACK JOHNSON SAYS THE FIGHT
WITH WILLARD WAS FAKE.
WANTS TO BATTLE.

Negro Furnishes Associated Press
with Signed Statement N Which
Tie Declare, 1t Was prcarranccd Tic
Was o Allow White Man TO Win
IL Tenth Nound--Forccd TO Wait
Tn il TwCuty-SiXth. He Asserts. TO
Let Jess Make Good Show ng.
simply Il Crude Joke" says Willard
in reply.
Lawrence, Kan, March 13.-"Jack
Johnson simply need the money and
IS trying TO put over another MATCH"
was uhc comment of Jess Willard
when shown the statement received
from HaVanna today, in which John
son claimed the championship bout
with Willard four years ago was a
prcarrangcd affair.
There is asolutely nothing to it."
Willard continued. 81 refuse to digni-
~ the statement with Il denial, for
as far as | am concerned it is simply
crude joke.
IN view of the fact that there were
sport writer's and fight critics from
all over the world in Havana when
| won the championship from Johnson
1T Is foolish to suppose that =. fake
could have been pcrpctuated oven if
L had been 80 low as to countcnance
such an arrangements
"JohnSon's game is almost childish
III lis simplicity, and you may say
for me that I refuse to fall for it 1
do not intend to fight Johnson again
or any other colored man.
When thn a ScDciotcd Dro,c ronro
sentative asked Willard If he wished
to make Il formal denial OF Johnson's
charges. Willard exclaimed rather i'm
patiently:
"Ccrtainly not. l have nothing to
deny. Is it not apparent that there
is no foundation for such bunk as
this? That guy just wants to force me
into another fight.
Willard added that johnson was n
long tipc getting around 10 his s. o1y.
1t takes considerable nerve to admit
being n party to fraud and in tho
same breath wanting to arrange anoth
CT bout"
Havanna, Cuba, March 13-Jack
Johnson, former heavyweight cham
pion, III signed statement given to
The Associated Press, declared his
fight with Jess Willard in this city
four years ago, was n prcarrangcd az
fair and that he allowed Willard to
win.
IN addition to the sum Of $4,000,
entire rights to the moving pic llrc
films in Europe and 33 1-3 per cent
of the proceeds from their exhibition
i'll the United States and Canada are
mentioned by Johnson, together with
tn promise of aid to settle Johnsons
difficulties with the federal authori-
ties in Chicago SO that he might re-
turn there to reclaim his property
and sec his mo"hcr.
Johnson declared in his statement
it was arranged ho should lose in the
tenth round provided Wizards show
ing was such to Justify 1t, butTthat
MS willard was doing practically moth
ing he was forced to wait. The sig
nal agreed upon was given in he
twentieth round. Johnson states bur
he waited until the twen:y sixth round
to give Willard an opportunity to
make good showing.
The former champion declares II n
unlcSS willard agrees to fight Inn
within reasonable me he will claim
the worlds title. lie signed his s ale
mont: Jack Johnson, champion"
Colonel D'EstrampeS, former CON-
gresham, who is backing Johnson,
stated that Johnson is willing to bat
tie Willard anywhere in the United
States the proceeds 20 go to the Clark
Griffith hat and ball fund or to any
charitable institution. Colonel DIES
trampos has wired BAT" Masterson,
Of New York asking for the address
cs Of Dempsey and Fulton with the
idea of arranging n ma CHI in Havana
between either OF them and Johnson.
D'Estrampcs says in his cablegram
that johnson is disposed to defend
the worlds championship" against
either of those men.
The statement in part follows:
ITO arrange the match, Jack Curley
came TO London from New York. He
asked me if I were willing to fight
Willard and I sad l would if he gave
me my price. I thought I could beat
his man for him. Curley said he did
not want that. told Curlcy + would
make the match.
"When ready to leave London, I
wired Curley for certain sum Of
money, which ho readily sent. Well,
it went on and began 10 bother me,
and I spoke to my wife who advised
me not to do it, but I told her that If
I were going to lose I'd send her word
in time to get out. The reason I said
that was because there was more
money coming to me, and I did not
want to lose until I found out they
would pay me the sum I asked for
and guaranteed that thoy would get
me out Of trouble in America the most
important thing for me.
AGREED ON TENTH ROUND.