JACK JOHNSON HAS RETIRED.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12847, 3 January 1912, Page 8

JACK JOHNSON HAS RETIRED.

90.000 DOLLARS WOULDN'T DRAW

HIM AGAIN,

Writing under date, October' 20, to a particular friend in New York, yclept "Tad," the well-known American sporting scribe and cartoonist, Jack Johnson, then staying at the North-Western Hotel, Liverpool, said:

"Just a few lines to give you a x'eal dope. I noticed in your paper a few days ago a great headline ' Jack Johnson was-Broke.' That's the reason I'm retiring from active service.

"Does this appear like a man who is broke? I can write a cheque any day in the week for 100,000 dol. Besides this, I have property' in the way of automobiles and jewellery. I value my cars at 25,000d01.. and jewellery at 60,000d01., and I have a few thousand in my pocket. Outside of that, I'm kind of shy.

"Now a few words about the Jphn-son-Wella fight. When T came over hero to London I only intended to bool< a,few weeks in the muslc-hails. I got booked up for about twenty weeks, ■ and during'that, period of lime one -James White indn'ced me to cancei my theatrical • engagements, and James White declared-be^ would give me 30,000d01. to box Bombardier Wells, win, lose, or draw. So he put up 10,000dol. with the London 'Sportsman,' a daily paper, and I, being an old fox. drew 7500d0,1. of the money that was put up'with the 'Sportsman,' and to be paid over to SvmK' Johnson and Bombardier Wells —three-fourths was "to be given to Johnson and one-fourth to" Wells. I drew my share, and the fight failed to take place. Now one James White has brought suit against Jack Johnson for 25,000 dol., which ho cannot get.

'Just had an off'?r to box Langford in the States. I don't know-whether it is genuine or not; but, nevertheless. 1 have retired for once and always. -It would not make any difference if they offered me OO.OOOdol.; I shall never fight in iho ring again. Yours, etc.,

"JOHN ARTHUR JOHNSON." "'Liverpool. October 20. 1911."