Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-06-15
DEMPSEY D|DN' 7
HIT HIS FRAU
HE TELLS COURT
Prize Fighter Denies AIIega-
tons of Cruelty and Nom
Support Lodged Against
Him BY Former Wife.
10y MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wIRsl
G. I,.n ..ninnn EnliE Ihl..n

10y MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wIRsl
San Francisco, Calf, June IA
William Harrison Jack Demp-
sey, heavyweight boxing champion
of the world, took the witness stand
in his own defense today in his
trial here on charges of evading the
selective draft act. Dempsey de-
MED charges of non-support and
cruelty made by his former wife,
Mrs. Maxine Dempsey, in tesi-
mony given earlier in the trial.
Dempsey described himself as
having been the principal support
of his family from the time he was
IA years old. He detailed expert
ences as a farm hand, miner, car
penter and boxer, experiencing re-
verses when the boxing game was
dull" and toward the end, as a
budding champion. Dempsey said
he had supported his wife until she
left him.
Never Struck His wife.
He denied that he had broken
his wifes jaw by blow while they
were living at a hotel here, as she
had charged, because she had not
earned any money for him." Demp-
sey said he never had struck his
wife and that the jaw fracture was
caused by a fall.
Dempsey said his earnings in the
ring for 1917 were about $4,oOo'
The next year a large part OF ms
time was spent in appearances AT
patriotic benefits, out of when, ne
said, besides travelling expenses ne
got 1.-TWO wrist watches and gold
pencil"
at wanted to do the country some
good" he said il explanation OF ms
boxing for nothing.
Did any of your opponents get
ANYTHING for these matches? ne
was asked.
mo. once Willard was to get
$4,000 in Chicago" Dempsey re-
piled.
Found His Wife Gone.
Early in 1917, soon after ms mar
riage. Dempsey said, he left his VIE
in San Francisco while he went 10
Salt Lake to box. He returned ten
DAYS later to find her gone, dls-
covering her living with her broth
er. in an apartment house,
Boxing promoters then told MN
he was worth "about thirty cents
70 them, of remarks his wife had
made about his Laying down TO
Flynn." the witness said. soon
after they went to Seattle, he pay
ing all the bills as usual, Dempsey
continued.
From Seattle his wife went to
Yakima to see her mother, the
pugilist testified, while he got a
iob in the ship yards on account
of dizziness in the boxing game
.but she failed to return to him
and did not answer his letters"
San Francisco, Calf. June II
william Harrison (Jack) Dempsey
worlds heavyweight champion,
made strenuous efforts to enlist In
the navy. according to the tesu-
mony today at Dempseys trial IN
the United States court on
charge of draft evasion. Lieutenant
Holm F. Kennedy of the battleshlp
Mississippi testified Dempsey had
asked him to secure his release
from his exemption so he might
enlist.
Dempsey, according to Kennedy,
often remarked he did not feel
right to see the men in uniform
about him and as long as his fam
ilv was we'll taken care of he dld
not care what happened to him.
The remarks were made at the
Great Lakes naval training station
where Dempsey was boxing as
civilian. Kennedy testified Demp-
sew in September, 1918. asked him
to have his exemption released and
later Dempsey telephoned twice
from New Jersey to see If the re-
lease had been obtained. The re-
lease, Kennedy testified. came
through" and Dempsey had started
for Philadelphia to enlist, but the
enlistment was stopped by the or
der of the secretary of the navy.
Before further action could be tax
en- the armistice came.
Dempsey told of his work as