San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-01-10
CHAMP VICTIM
Of FRAMEUP
He SAYS
Breaks Silence on His
Trip to Box in
Mexico.
By JACK DEMPSEY

That recent trip of mine into old
Mexico produced a few situations of
the melodrama variety.
The original arrangement was that
! 1 was to be paid $500 for an exhibit
ton in Mexico City and another $500
or $3.50 each-for exhibitions in
Monterrey and Tampico. Jimmy Fit
ten. an oId-time fighter around these
parts. made the deal as agent for two
promoters in Mexico. one. of them Le-
vine. an American, and the other Ro-
nero. a Mexican.
The contract stipulated that the
entire $4,000 was 70 be paid to me
is Mexico City and that failure to
make the payment automatically can
celled the agreement.
LOTS OF HAND-SHAKERS.
When I arrived in Mexico City i
was mobbed by about 10000 Mexicans
who all had an idea they wanted to
shake my hand at one and the same
time. They gave me a wild ovation
down there-but it was a little too
wild. They must have had it figured
out that because / vas champion.
nothing could hurt me. So they crowd
ed, showed, jostled and nearly swirled
over me.
The government folks were mighty
fine. They assigned some militia TO
me and those soldiers acted as my es-
cort in the town. thereafter, and that
saved me from being mauled too much
BY those Mexicans, although the boys.
in their enthusiasm down there, did
succeed in nearly tearing two suits off
of me. I guess they must like wool as
souvenirs in Mexico.
Some rather smart business fellows
took my visit as a means OF attempting
to get a little publicity for the prod
ucts they manufacture. They tried to
get me TO pose drinking some of their
beer, some Of their stronger liquor
and also their cigarettes. I turned
them down. But one fellow, who
manufactured cigarettes, was most
persistent. He got me in restaurant
one day, and getting close, said:
"Ah, and now you weel smoke, ah
yes"
OH, BRAVE MAN!
Whereupon, he damned a gun into
my ribs and tried to poke a cigarette
between my lips. I took the cigar
cite. crushed it in my hands, threw
it onto the floor and said:
And now, ali, / weel not"
No, he didn't shoot, but until he
took that gun off my ribs, 1 didn't
feel any too comfortable.
1 was paid the $500 for my cx-
hibition in Mexico City. but when |
asked about the other 1900 the pro-
moters said il would be paid in Mon
terrey. / took their word for it, went
TO Monterrey. boxed-and still didn't
get the other $500, nor any part of
it.
Then those fellows wanted me to 60
to Tampico. But / said:
nix. You fellows already owe me
1880. Give me that and the other
$3.50 and ! go to Tampico. Other
wise / don't"
FRAMEUP ATTEMPTED.
They continued ursing-but / stood
pat. / finally served notice that if
the $500 wasn't paid in "a hours |
would 90 back TO the states. And then
the good old 'frameup" was tried. !
had a room in a Monterrey hotel.
Along in the afternoon some friends
OF the promoters came there. declared
the promoters would be around a
little bit later and that. 10 pass away
the time, they guessed they'd play
cards.
They invited me into the game
insisted upon it-but ! turned them
down.
The game hadn't been on for more
than 90 minutes when there was loud
rap on the door. When it was opened.
about six Mexicans. undoubtedly
policemen. hurled themselves into the
room, guns drawn-and announced
that everybody was under arrest, in
Guiding myself
TOLD 1T WAS HIS ROOM.
why am under arrest!" 1 asked
Il wasn't playing
st is your room" their spokesman
said. You are running a gambling
house"
"Oh. no, this isn't my ROOM" j
answered. THE promoters were 70
pay my expenses. They hired this
room. It's their room, not mine. j
wasn't playing cards-and so you fel-
lows clear out of here and quit your
funny bluffing."
They did leave. When I tried 10
find Levine and Romero later. il
couldn't be done. They had faded
from the picture. / waited around an
other night. they didn't show up and 50
I came back TO the U. S. A.-with lie
vine and Romero still owing me that
$3.50 for nv exhibition in Monterrey
kHInnFr nnrvyT Glide