Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-05

fight with Dempsey.
l felt sorry for Murray. He took 1t
to heart, this size Of Dempsey busl:
ness. He pleaded with me to duck out
of town 1t wouldn't be too late. he
could tell them anything and he had
the blizzard to fall back on. Beat 1t
quick. before the cops saw Dempsey
On our way.
had to talk some against that kind
of stuff. Murray was in a panic and
my assignment was to brush him
down.
Murray" I began, there's no
cause for all this noise. Just because
that big stiff Morris weighs ton is
no reason why we have to. This Eel
low I've got here will knock him out
for you. He'll stiffen him or we don't
want anv money. You can make
new terms right now and your own
terms, too. We're here to fight Morris
and nobody else. I'll guarantee that
we'll lick him and that this fellow Will
make you, as a promoter.
Murray protested. He was walking
around the room with his hands clasp
ed behind his head. You'd have
thought that it was the last hour De-
fore the electric chair.
Dempsey Takes a Hand.
Dempsey took a hand. Listen, Mr..
Murray, I'll beat this fellow" threat
ened Dempsey. "SiZe means nothing
to me. You needn't worry about me.
I've taken care of myself against bet
ter men than Morris. I'll hang him
over the ropes for you. Ii oon
hang him over the ropes, L don want
n nickel, I'll go into the ring tonight
with that agreement. Hang MIN over
the ropes or no pay.
st listen. sonny" said Murray, put
ting his hand on Dempsey'S shouioers'
'svou look like a nice kid. You are a
nice kid. I don't want to see you get
killed. Take my advice will you. III
give YOU your end of the purse IL
you'll fold right up now and go TO the
station. Get the hell out of town De-
fore I'm lynched. You don't know
what this means to me. I'm mace
here. You'll break me If they even
see YOU. The fight is off now
Offers Murray $1,000 Bonus.
"I'u tell YOU what I'll do, Murray"
I began, I'm give you $1,000 cash IN
your hands if you let Dempsey nght
this fellow. We have reputation 10
uphold as we'll as you. We're inter-
ested in the business of hanging Nor
ris on the ropes. You heard what
Dempsey said. If he promises to hang
Morris on the ropes he'll keep his
word, He's one fighter who can call
his shots and tell you which way
they're going to fall. You needn't
brood about us. Wen carry our own
sorrows when they come, but they're
not coming to us in Buffalo tonight.
Dempsey says he'll hang Morris
over the ropes for you. That's what
he means. He'll knock Norris out
and leave him hanging there for the
customers to pity"
We paced the room, the three or
us. Murray was being talked to good
and plenty. I've never seen Dempsey
so earnest before and he began walk
ing on his toes and swelling out his
chest to give Murray the best pos.
sible eyefull. 1 began to think we
were in a dickens of fix.
Feared Cold Prison Bars.
There seemed no way to convince
Murray that we weren't too small
to fight Morris. Carl had been go
ing great and Murray was certain
that he'd slap Jack down in the first
round. His customers wouldn't stand
for it and Charley saw visions of res
funds or cold prison bars and a
manslaughter charge.
He finally decided to call his
partners on the telephone and have
them come over to give Dempsey
the once-over. He said he knew
that they'd can the match, no sooner
than they saw Jack.
Well, they came over. They joined
Murray in the terror talk. I heard
handouts and iron doors banging
shut. I began to doubt my own
mind. Theirs was powerful argu-
ment against letting Dempsey go
into the ring with Morris when. as
matter of fact. we actually thought
that he would be push-over. Big,
and foul fighter. we had no fear