The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-06-15
CHAMPION
IS freed
OF DRAFT
EVASION
Jack Tells Story Of His Ca
reer on Stand, Revealing
Work Done in War

SAN FRANCISCO. June lS.--
William Harrison tJack) Dcnp-
sey. heavyweight Champion.
was found not guilty Of draft
evasion by n jury In the fed
ersI court today.
The verdict was rendered
after the jury had delibersted
less than hall an hour.
The charge of draft evasion
against the heavyweight champion
and OF conspiracy 10 evade the
draft against both Dempsey and
Kearns. his manager. was made u
federal grand jury indictmsne
following Newspaper articles quo4>
ing the former wife Of the fighter.
KEARNS CASE
To BE CALLED
The case Of Jack Kearns. Demp
sey's manager. who is charged with
having conxpired to aid the pugt1kn1
to escape the draft. will be cAlle1
In court tomorrow morning. A.
sistant United States District A..
iorney Thomas announces follow.
ing Dempsey acou,ttai.
Thomas declined to comment On
whether the freeing OF the chan
pion would interfere with the eov@
ernments plans 10 prosecrta
KeAyns.
THAT win be determined in Tie
r,orning." said Thomas.
I'm the happiest kid on earth. :
vas Dempsey's statement when the
verdict WAS announced today.
Neither the fighter or his mas
ager expect that the consptrnev
charge against them viii be pressed
since their attorneys stated that The
second charge was contingent On
proof OF actual evasion.
Maxine Dempsey charged that
Dempsey swore falsely when Ne
asserted In his federal questtoD-
naire that he was the sole support
Of herself and his aged father and
mother.
Dempsey himself was the star
witness for the defense He told =
convincing story Of his career dur
ing the war when he boxed AZ nu-
merous war benefits. He told ~
his desire to enlist after he hnh
fulfilled his obligation 70 hin
family.
dAXINE WANTED
$4,000 FOR LETTERS
The so-calied Stacker letter.. =
said TO have been written 10y Denp.
scy to his wife and which were not
allowed as evidence In the trial.
were the hasis OF the original
charge. Maxine had demanded
$4,000 for their surrender. accord
ing TO the testimony OF news
paper man who was with Demp-
scy when the demand was made.
The ruling OF Federal judge
Dooling that the letters were com
fidentisl communications between
man and wife, and could not b
introduced in the trial took the
teeth" out OF the prosecution case.
attorneys said early in the cass.
The trial was featured with
salacious testimony concerning
the underworld life Of Maxine
Dempsey which caused her huo>
hand to secure n divorce.
II never N my life did anything
to encourage her in those ways"
Dempsey stated. refuting Max
ines charges that he had forced
her to become scarlet woman.
Dempsey. who appeared as the
final defense witness yesterday.
gave a straightforward and convinc-.
ing story OF his various activities
during the war. Included in his tcs-
timony were numerous details con-
ccrning the "wanderings" Of Maxiuou
Dempsey. his former wife.
Boxing benefits in which he took
part. staged during the war. netted
various charities over $500, 900.
Dempsey said. At the same time,
he was supporting his parents, his
wife and his sister. the champion
said.
Considerable interest was shown
in Dempsey's testimony regarding
the questionable which is alleged to
contain perjured statements and
which resulted in his being given de-
ferred classification in the draft.
There is absolutely nothing un-
true in that paper and II were
ulling 1t out today l wouldn't change
a thing" he said.
Dempsey said that. besides his
travelling expenses. he had received
only two wrist watches and a gold
pencil for his patriotic boxing ex.
hibitions.
81 wanted 10 do my country some
good" he said.