The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-08-10

Dougherty presents his side OF the
case in detail as follows:
st never had the pleasure Of
meeting Gibbons until I met him
in the ring. I had read a great
deal about him. and always thought
him to be a gentleman. When
I met him in the ring, and after
one hours work with him within
that small circle. could not help
but give him a lot Of praise for the
way he acted and the way he
fought.
I'm the early part Of the contest.
when I saw he had no chance. I
tried to help him in every way that
would be fair and not let him get
any the worst OF it
"He claims that I let Dempsey
wrestIe him around. He should
read the rules. the Marquis of
Queensberry rules. under which
they were fighting. had no
right to break Dempsey. because
Dempsey was not holding. III /.
had enforced the rules strictly
I could have disqualified Glib
bons, as IL il . foul to hold.
which he did in every round.
He said that I went to his cor.
ner and cautioned him in one or
the rounds when he rouehed it
with Dempsey. What I went to his
corner to caution him about was
reaching out his hand to shake
hands with Dempsey for something
that he thought was not fair on
Dempsey's part.
After the round was over I
70 n
According to the rules Dempsey
would have been within his rights
If he had taken ADVANTAGE of that
apology and knocked Gibbons out.
Which Of course would not have
met with the approval Of the crowd.
And ] would have had to count
Gibbons out. That IS what / eau
toned Gibbons about.
"Since the fight have given
Gibbons great praise, not only at
two or three banquets. hut I also
spoke highly Of him while broad
casting from Lit Brothers. in Phil
adelphia, and which was heard by
half a million people.
Now that he is trying TO saddle
sf,rne responsibility on me for his
failure in being better man than
nature allowed him to be. IL makes
me look upon Gibbons in a different
light.
Dempsey fought o fair and
clean contest. / have never NELL
toned this before. but / cannot
say the same for Tom Gibbons.
He had his body coated with dry
grease that could not be distin-
guished by the eye. He was as
slippery as an eel and it was int
possible for me to break him loose
when he was holding.
According to the Marquis OF
Queensberry rules, ! could have dis
qualified him for that offense. AS
] did not want to hurt his reputa-
ton, 1 did not expose this before.
but now since he attacks me, who
gave him a fair and square deal, l
feel that 1 should let the public
know the straight facts.
''All the money in the State of
Montana or Minnesota could not
have induced me to give Dempsey
any the best of the contest. My
reputation is worth more to me
than my friendship for Dempsey,
and when the eyes Of the world
were upon me I was not going to
do anything to destroy my reputa-
ton or ruin the game or boxing ann
bring it irto disgrace. All my life
] have enGeavored to build 1t up
and put it on a par with other clean
athletic sports.
in my judgment, Gibbons has no
more chance of heating Dempsey
than Billy Miske or any other Sec
ond-class heavyweight. Why l
specify Miske is because he has
had two trials and failed in each
one.
JAMES F. DOUGHERTY.