Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-07
GUNNER REALLY RULING
PUCILISTTC RACKET NOW
Murder of Andre Anderson for Refusing to Throw
Heavyweight Bout to Big Mum Cited
Example of How the Robbers Work.

/ Shea was made they were determined
to keep it solvent Before the fight It
was known among the betting gentry
just what the result would be.
It seemed good fght-so good that
the fans cheered and swore later by the
result. Shea fought briskly and hard
and then in the fourth round he
dropped, ever so casually his good left
hand. Rosenberg bored in and Shea
was dropped to the canvas for the
| count.
The crowd believed the knockout, but
Referee Patsy Haley didn't. And neither
did the gamblers. Odds of from to
that Shea would be knocked out in just
the round it happened. When sure
thing gamblers offer mad odds at the
last minute before a fight, 1t can only
mean one thing.
There are conflicting stories of what
happened. The one generally credited
to Ray Avis, Shea's manager, is this:
EmiSsarieS approached Avis and de-
manded that the fight be thrown. His
answer was, GO to hell" But, instead
OF going there, the two gunner walked
into Shea's dressing room just before
the last preliminary had finished and
passed out an order-"You take a dive
in the fourth"
Four Gunner at Ringside.
WHEN Shea entered the ring, the
w story continues, there were not
two but four gunner directly
behind the press seats. They grinned
at Shea and patted their gun pockets.
He took the count.
The aftermath is record. Shea was
barred from boxing again in New York
State. The Boxing Commission kept
Rosenberg in mind. During the first
part of 1927, while he yet held the
bantam title, he was to meet Bushy
Graham at Madison Square Garden.
The mob was at work. Rosenberg
came in, not bantam, but a full
fledged featherweight. Yet Bushy
title. Graham fought the fight and
lost. Later, as an upshot of the mat
ter, Rosenberg and Graham were sus-
pended for a year on the charge OF
making q dual financial ARRANGEMENT.
Segal lost his license.
Whether Eddie Shea was inundated
in the earlier match or not, the re-
ported methods mirror accurately q
common procedure. The gunner use
intimidation when more amiable meth
DDS fail. More than one boxer in the
last several years has taken a knock
out because the smell of a muzzle con-
gealed his ethics.
Go Much Farther.
COMETIMES the robbers 60 farther
~ than that. Unable to WOO a fighter
to reason, they have been known
TO tntimidate referees. And during the
early months of this year they kid
mapped one manager and held him
prisoner in hotel room, a hostage.
while his fighter went, as the boys so
picturesquely describe it, into the
tank"
Some Of those behind Rosenberg tried
intimidation with a promoter in Chi
cago. The bantam was barred in New
York, but he could still fight in clubs
Of Illinois. A match was made for him
with Bud Taylor. Rosenberg put up
a $4,000 forfeit that he would make
the weight.
Rosenberg didn't make the weight.
but his confreres refused to worry. They
reasoned with stalwart Jim Mullen, the
promoter. He couldn't call off the
Tight, they argued; he had advertised
IT extensively. 1t was popular match,
a championship match; he had sold a
lot Of tickets.
But Jim Mullen wouldn't reason and
he wouldn't give back the $4,000 for
felt. The fight was OF. The BULLDOG
ing tactics began. But for once they
didn't work. Mullen kicked the Mad
den mob out Of Chicago and ordered
them to take their popguns back to
New York.
The Chicago man showed how the
carpetbaggers could be handled, but for
one Mullen there are a dozen weaker
vessels among the squared-circle en-
trepreneurs. 1t Is easier to have no
trouble; it Is easier to take a little cut
in the swag.
And sometimes it can cause trouble.
The dark hand Of gangdom showed
itself four years ago in Cicero, capital
OF Chtcagos underworld, when Andre
ANDERSON, . heavyweight boxer, was
shot down ut his table in q cafe.
Anderson, the Chicago police were
told. was killed because he refused to
throw q match to Big Wayne Mum,
giant who held the wrestling title
briefly. Certain interests, believing
Mum would be a great drawing card
because OF his unique size Gas Camera
later BECAME. were determined to build
him up as a boxer.
Rumors Of Fixed Fight.
THE match was held in Kansas City
l. and there were rumors at the time
that the fight had been fixed. But
Anderson did not dive. He walked into
the ring and knocked Mum out in two
ROUNDS. There was nothing TO indicate
that Mum himself was involved.
Anderson was shot by a well known
chicago gunman in an unprovoked at
tack. The gunman was identified as
one OF two who approached Anderson
before the match with Mum,
The growing powers of New York's
corrupt syndicate have allowed the car
petbaggers TO use suave methods in that
city.
They have fights to trade. One syn
dictate boxer last Winter helped the
"build-up" OF championship aspirant
with one OF the phoniest phoney fights
on record. The winner was controlled
by another gent of the gangster trade
and there must be professional ameni-
ties among members of the same craft.
Politics on It's Side.
THE New York syndicate, too, has
L politics on its side-and politics is
the strongest weapon of all. Poll
tics makes matches just as politics
wins elections-you help me match my
fighters and I'll help you take the polls
One district leader Is worth 10 guns.
Only real crusading boxing COM
mission can drive the gunner out, and
cruSading boxing commissions are hard
TO ind. In the first place, most of the
syndicate men never appear in the
records. They are not licensed man.
ayers or seconds. Their names are
spoken only in rather ridiculousIy
hushed tones In the privacy Of home
They appear in the newspapers
through their front men," Front men