Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-07-10

Toledo, Ohio. July 4.--By virtue of one Of
'speediest and most one-sided battles which
ever decided big fistc event Jack Demp-
sey, who may now wish to be known by
his full voting name Of William Harrison
Dempsey, to-day became the worlds
champion heavyweight boxer
To all ntents and purposes he whipped
the huge Jess willard favorite in the
meagre betting, In one round. Dempsey
thought the referee had announced him
winner and actually left the ring. But
he was called back and the butchery con-
tinued for two rounds more when Jess,
sitting in his corner with a bewildered
look on his swollen countenancc. failed to
respond to the gong for the fourth round.
at was no use to continue" said the
ex-champion. MY strength went from
me in the first round"
He sat there apparently the most sur
prised man in the United States at the
moment. His right eye was closed and his
right cheek swollen and blue with bruises.
Blood covered his body aand his arms
hung so helplessly over the ropes that 1t
seemed as if child might give him fur
Their abuse without arousing his interest.
DEMPSEY NOT SCRATCHED
Dempsey was breathing hard when the
fight ended. but 1t was from exertion and
not from punishment. He escaped almost
, unhurt but as he had been using his
arms like trip hammers on the anatomy
of his opponent, for nine crowded minutes
| in sun that sent the thermometer to 10
degrees. his heart was still pumping at
| high pressure and he appreciated the
breathing spell.
In the first few seconds of the contest
it looked as if the experts who had been
assigned to keep detailed account of all
blows struck might come measurably
close to doing so. but 1t was only for a
fraction of moment. After that the
experts did well to count Jacks blows,
let alone take note of how each was
made. The challenger knocked the big
fellow down five times in the first round
and had him hanging helplessly on the
ropes or draped over his own shoulders
most Of the time when he was not taking
advantage of the count.
GONG SAVES WILLARD
The crowd thought the fight was over
! in that round. Willard was down for the
seventh time and the count was apparent
ly about to end when the gong sounded.
1t was modest gong which couldn I
make itself heard before so many people,
and even Dempsey didn't get It. He
crawled through the ropes and was head
ed out onto the shoulders Of screaming
fans when the truth was broken to him.
Such fighting as the Kansas ranchman
produced was placed on exhibition at the
onset. He had stood in his corner a pic
ture OF confidence. His smile seemed that
Of one who had a brief and not unpleas-
ant task before him. He certainly was
all set to go, for just before time was
| called he was heard to remark: Lets get
this thing over.
He measured the attendance. which dis
appointed estimates by about fifty per
cent, with an appraising eye.
Dempsey presented a contrast None
OF the confidence of his training camp
statements appeared in his bearing The
man across from him outweighed him
forty pounds and looked as big and i'm
pregnable as a metropolitan bank build
ing. The mood of the challenger was
plainly thoughtful and more than one
rngside gazer whispered: Hes licked
/ right now"
! WILLARD VERY CONFIDENT
When they were introduced Jess saun-
tered over with the cordial manner of
one desiring to reassure yosmgster, and
| tOOk MS manu- III inc IrlenNlleSt way.
Jacks handshake was friendly. too. Just
/ then, but it Sas the last token of friend
ship from those gloves A minute or so
later they were using Willard for n
chopping block and some in the crowd
were crying stop it! Stop It. It's plain
murder"
! Dempsey's first effective blows and the
ones which apparently settled Willard 8
fate, were a right over Jess's shoulder
10 the Jaw, left to the body and a right
TO the jaw. Jess staggered. His eye
was closing and he reeled and the chal-
lenger. with all the energy of his pulsing
youth, began hitting him at will.
ATTENDANCE DISAPPOINTING
/ The attendance was below expectations.
Seats were built for eighty thousand and
the estimate was that not more than
half of these were occupied. Spectators
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