The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-09-28

Editors Note: This is the fourth of a
series of six articles by Frank G. Menhe
detailing how the fight game
yived in Australia and including the
sensational incidents leading up to and
embracing the .J0hnson-Rurns fight for
the worlds championship.
SYDNEY, Australia, Sept. %. No
rivals in pugilism ever hated eacn
other more than did Tommy Burns
and Jack Johnson. And all through
the days of 1908 preceding their meet
ing here for the worlds championship
one of Hugh D. McIntosh's principal
jobs was to prevent their meeting on
the street.
IF they had ] guess they'd have set
tied their differences then and there,
he said. "But there came a day when
an impromptu fight to a finish was
only narrowly averted.
1.-THE fighters couldn't agree upon a
referee. l finally called a meeting in
my office. Johnson came there with
his manager; Burns came with a
friend. The names of a dozen men
were suggested, but Johnson would re-
ject those Burns proposed and Burns
would turn down Johnson's.
Finally, Johnson said to me:
"'The man who referees, will, OF
course, be a white man-and / am a
negro. And all that means that i
l score 10 points I'll still be three be
hind. That's why | want to get the
| squarest referee that s possible
Burns Starts Something
CAS- Johnson sat down after making
the speech, Burns, on the other side
| of the big table, sneered and said:
"4Yes, that's right. They don't like
niggers here
"Johnsons face took on an express
sion of wild anger. He leaned across
the table and said to Burns:
Would you repeat that?'
"T said that they don't like niggers
here snarled Burns. And I'm repeat
ing it,
johnson jumped up, stripped off
/ his coat and started to run around the
| table at Burns. Tommy jumped up,
/ grabbed the chair he was sitting on,
/ intending to throw it at Johnson.
/ grabbed the chair from his hands, and
then he grabbed huge inkwell.J
Il was just in time to grab that as
| someone grabbed Johnson. In a sec
ond the whole room was full of scuf
fling men; Johnson trying to tear
loose from his captors; Burns trying TIC
do the same.
Get Settled Down
"After a little while we got things
Gained down. Then I sent Burns out
of the office, holding Johnson there
for little while to prevent their meet
ing on the street. Johnson had cooled
off a little, but as he was leaving he
said:
"Iu remember about that 'nigger
stuff when l get into the ring and
Burns will pay for it,
1.-The next day Johnson heard fol
the first time that Burns was to gel
$4,000 for his end of the fight. He
came racing to my office to denounce
me because / was giving him only
5000;
"That's what you asked-and that's
what you'll get 1 said.
"I won't fight for that money ht
yelled.
oh, yes, you WILL I told him
You'll fight for that much You'll ge
that much and not cent. more
johnson went away growing. Blu
wasn't worried about it. Almos
from the day he had arrived in Sydne,
he had been giving me some sort o
; trouble and | was getting used to it
, knew that not only would he figh
for $4,000 but he'd have fought TO
$500 if | had decided to cut his end.
For Johnson had murder in hi
!, heart toward Burns and felt supremel,
confident that he could whip the whit
man and so gain at least the technica
, championship of the world.
Il had made the prices for that figh
range from $3.50 up to $50 for a seat
The town was full of people who de