South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-08-18
DEMPSEY BRENNAN
FIGHT QUESTION TO
BE DECIDED TODAY
Ultimatum of Gov. McCrav on
Bout Expires This After
noon at , O'clock.

whether Champion Jack Dempsey
VIII fight ten rounds with Bill Bren-
nan Labor Day az Floyd FS-zsim-
mons arena VIII be decided this ar
tsrmoon az o'clock when the ultll
matum OF Gov. Warren T. ATcCray tu
which he gave LaDorte county on
Gals until that hour 10 call the nght
of. viii expire.
At present the situation So An a
deadlock il by . o'clock this acter-
noon Laporte county officials have
not declared the battle or the Cover
nor viii be forced 70 make tho next
move, Word from Laporte ssays that
with the firm stand taken by States
Atty. Rowley and Sheriff Anstiss the
general opinion IS that Gov. AIcCray
VIII be forced 10 order troops 10 take
possession of the concrete arena or
employ such other means "a within
the power OF the state 20 keep the
two big boys from getting together
However. American Legion officials
under whose auspices the proposed
bout is scheduled. have announced
the bout VIII be called or II Gov
McCray continues 70 maintain the
opinion that the affair Is Illegal
This statement on the decision OF the
legion was made last night by Os-
valid Ryan. national committeeman
OF the legion from Indiana. The
legion's organization stands for law
and order. Mr.. Ryan said. and II the
governor decides to prohibit the con
test. the legion will comply with his
wishes
However, Mr.. Ray said the AFFAIR
was TO be a boxing exhibition and
not a prize fight and added that there
ives considerable between the two
classes OF hfticuffs-
Regardless OF the heat and the de-
mite announcement Of Gov. McCray
that their Labor Day flEht would not
be permitted, Jack Dempsey and
Bill Brennan yesterday went on with
their training. Dempsey boxed We
rounds with his sparring partners
while Brennan worked four.
Then they called it a day and went
swimming. Dempsey win play golt
today with the sporting editors of
local newspapers.
ct promised the boys ar Michigan
City that wouldn't do anything un-
ia after Friday Gov. McCraN
declared announcing he had not
changed his position In demandin-
that the fight be stopped as a viola
ton Of the law
The scrap here must be halted by
. %. m. Friday III county officers
don't want official action taken by
the governor to stop the bout
Despite this ul.imaum Promoter
Floyd F'itzsimmOns and the princi-
pals in the battle appeared confident
that the "1O-round. no decision box
ing contest would be pulled off,
Backers Of the fight claim that
they are not evading the Indiana law
forbidding prize fights and assert
that the governors stand IS merely
his reiteratiOn Of warnings given be
fore all Michigan City bouts.
II Sheriff Anstiss OF Laporte coun-
~ and other officials fail 70 cancel
the bout by today the governor
said he would act.
Two courses are open under the
law-appeal for an Injunction IN the
Laporte circuit court or dispatch or
national guardsmen TO the scene. de-
~
Technically a prize fight fs riot
under the law and everyone attend
ing IL are participants and are liable
TO fines Of $50 TO $500.
There IS no likelihood that troops
would be sent into the town, but the
possibility was pointed our,
McCray holds that the bout r.
prize fight and as such - an s-Sso-
Lutte violation OF the state law.
ct don't think ifs an exhibition
bout with seats ranging as high a.
S27 apiece" he said. People don't
travel far and spend that much foc
a seat at a tea party
Those fellows wouldu"t do AL the
training they've done either for an
exhibition bout. They're going Al
this in earnest"