New Britain herald., 1919-02-11

ssg{Nwa Railroad DempSey 4fgned the contract to meet Willard in Q cham pionship battle on July. 4.
 There was little of the fanfare and, excitement that marked the signing up of Jeffries and Johnson in 1909. Rickard, Dempsey and Kearns leaned up against radiator, spread the con- tracts out on window sill and scrawled their John Hancocks to the papers. Ike Dorgan, Richards major # domo, and Jack Skelly, the old time DugiIist, were the witnesses. Two score of reporters, sporting men and hang CTS on watched the proceedings. The < majority of the persons in the room # were not aware anything out of the #ordinary was taking place.
 Jeff Signed in Secret.
 When Jeffries and Johnson signed #up over on the Jersey side in 19O9- the contract was signed on December 3, 1909, seven months previous to the @Gght. July 4, 1910-it was at Hobo ken hotel amid the popping of wine #corks and a great hullabaloo. The Mactual signing of the contract was done In secret and was not witnessed A by the newspaper men. Jeffries and his manager, Sam Berger; Johnson and his manager, George Little; Rick %ard Jack Gleason and Stakeholder Bob Murphy locked themselves in room and did not show themselves to the newspaper men until after the # contracts were signed. Joe Cans, the < colored pugi1ist, and H. H. Frazee, @now president of the Boston Red SoX, were the legal witnesses.
 The contract Dempsey signed with Rickard yesterday is identical with \ the one signed by Willard except as to the division of the purse and the forfeits Rickard agrees to pay Dempsey $27,5O0 and one-third of the picture privileges. Kearns is required to post a forfeit of $5,OOO instead of the s1O,OOO Rickard required as for felt from Willard.
 Rickard will post s1O,00O at once as a guaranty of good faith, $10, 900 m ore sixty days previous to the contest and the remainder of the $27,5OO forty eight hours before the fight. Rickard agrees to inform Dempsey where the contest is to take place sixty days previous to the fight but retains the privilege of changing the battle ground upon ten days notice previous to the bout. Rickard agrees to pay Dempsey's expenses if the contest takes place outside of North America.
 Two Months Training.
 Dempsey left here last night for Allentown, Pa, where he opens a, six weeks theatrical tour. Jack intimated yesterday he would engage in further theatrical work before settling down to the grind of training.
 'I have been in steady training for many months" said Dempsey, "and am on edge Of course my brothers death and my mothers sickness have worried me, but physically I am in the best of condition. I will not take more than two months hard training for Willard. That is really more than I need anyway. My theatrical con- tract requires me to box and do con- siderable exercise That will keep me pretty fit and I will not start active training for the big bout until about May 1.'
 Rickard at first was averse to per hitting Dempsey to box while on tho stage as his theatrical contract calls for, but reluctantly consented after Dempsey promised to take no chances of injuring himself.
 When Rickard was asked if Demp- sey and Kearns showed him the con- tract between them and whether any one except kearns had any managerial interest in the fighter Tex declared: T did not ask them to show any papers. Both assured me, however, that Kearns is the sole manager. I did not care, however. I have Dempsey's signature to the contract, and that is all want. IL makes no difference to me in what way the money is split after I pay Dempsey. Thereamy obli- gations end"
 In Dempsey's presence Kearns re- iterated his statement that Jack Curley had nothing to do with the handling of Dempseys affairs The boxer, too, denied any connection with Curley.
 ENCIE IS NC(~EyI1TIrn