Evening star., 1923-07-03

The conference ended at $50 am
Montana time-and the cheers that
rose In the crowded hotel corridor
outside of Kearns' room aroused the
sleeping hotel The outburSt came
from some forty correspondents who
throughout the night and early
morning had been harried and beset
by statements and counter-State-
ments, by ill-founded rumor and by
: false report and by citizens of Great
Falls
When the zero hour of midnight
arrived Jack kearns sat in his room
awaiting some rerort from the COM
nittee headed by Judge Lane, which
had taken over the management of
affairs from the original promoters.
No report came and not member OF
the committee could be found. A
few minutes after midnight, how
ever. Judge Ayres. representative of
the committee. dropped in to renort
that the 100000 due Kearns as third
payment could not be met and that
the scant sum collected had been re-
turned 10 the various donors.
Kearns was evidently in a mood
10 play poker. having come to the
conclusion that stiff-necked atti-
tude toward the payment of the final
pound of flesh would not appeal to
the country at large. and. as matter
of fact, Jack Dempsey was anxious
10 go on with the battle on any terms.
But there was no one to play poker
with Kearns. The committee. which
had ceased 20 function at midnight.
had celebrated its retirement to pri-
vate life by going to bed.
Only 10y Molumby was about and
he had nothing to say. The writer.
who likes to see a poker game, went
TO Judge Lanes room in the Hotel
Rainbow and got him out Of bed. He
and kearns and Molumby went into
retirement and after an hours con-
versation came forth and announced
that kearns had suggested post
ponement until July 2o. his stipula-
y tion being that money be raised for
did not say how much the st. Paul
scrapper was to be paid.
A delegation of Great Falls cit
izens raised a lusty howl roaring
through the corridors that the honor
of Montana demanded that Dempsey
be content with the S210 900; that
he fight or go home" Judge Ayres
announced that the committee would
not revive itself and would not work
to collect the third 100000. 1t was
through Judge Lane seconded this
statement. Molumby wanted to be
game, but. pestered by his friends
fight or go home, and by the unprom-
ising attitude of the financiers, he
did not know what to do.
Lays Cards on Table.
Quitting the scene with the in
'tenton of getting into touch with
Shelby by telephone and learning
Tommy Gibbons views uDon the post
ponement. he did not again appear.
While he was gone Jack Kearns quit
his poker-playing anu laid his cards
upon the table. He would fight for
the money now in hand with the
privilege of collecting gate receipts
up to 100000: if $4,000 were taken
in at the gate he would get that
sum; if $4,000 he would get that.
and so on. On the part of the pro-
moters they were to pay the referee.
pay for the fighters on the prelimi
nary card and meet the cost of the
arena.
Judge Lane would not commit him
self until Molumby was advised of
the new offer. An hours search of
the city by the judge resulted in
the locating of the original promoter.
The sixth conference of the evening
was held in kearns' room. Fifteen
minutes sufficed to bring matters to
adjustment.
Everybody shook hands with
everybody else. everybody cheered
and then rushed for bookings to
Shelby.