BOXER’S TROUBLES

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 December 1923, Page 8

BOXER’S TROUBLES

— — BECKETT PAYS FOR PUBLICITY. The English boxer, Joe Beckett, was ordered at the Brighton County Court, England, to pay £lO 10s to .Mr Bart Kennedy author and journalist, for publicity work in connection with the recent fight between himself and Carpentier.: Kennedy had claimed £52 10s for fees and work done. Beckett denied liability and counter claimed for £5. Kennedy said that he was the editor and proprietor of “Bart’s Broadsheet,” and that he published an article "boosting” Joe Beckett. A few days later he saw Beckett witn bis valet at the Hotel Metropole at Brighton, and mentioned the article which appeared in the “Broadsheet.’ At Beckett’s invitation he went to the bedroom, where he read over the aiticle. Beckett said he was very pleased, and went to the telephone i<> speak to Mr Morley Brown, the editor of the “Sporting Life.” and when he returned lie said Mr Brown thought it a very good article. lie added "If you can get me an article like that ’in the “Sporting Life” it would be as good as a ■monkey’ to me.” Mr Justice Cann : What does he mean by a “monkey”? Kennedy : He meant £5OO. Kennedy added that he told Beckett that he was not anxious to rush matters, and Beckett replied, “They say I am mean, but I am very generous.”

Kennedy said he told Beckett that the public was against him and he could not win the fight unless he induced the public to come round in Lis favour. Beckett said he would pay him well for writing the articles. Producing an immense pile of notes, lie gave him £5 to go on with. “During the interview Beckett said he had good teeth, so I put that into the article,” remarked Kennedy. At the time Beckett had a vew bad Press indeed, and the result of the article was that people began to take more kindly to him and gave him an ovation when he entered the ring such as he had never had before in his boxing career. Mr F. AV. Gentle (for Kennedy): Have you written articles for other prominent people?

Kennedy : Yes; I wrote an article about Mr Lloyd George and got 50 guineas for it. Judge Cann:' Did he require a publicity agent? (Laughter). Kennedy: I don’t know. He is a paying sort, and Mr Lloyd George didn't need my articles as much as Beckett. Further, he explained that Beckett suffered from stage fright, and he thought that if he could bring the public round Beckett would stand a. better chance. Asked by Mr A. Emmanuel, for Beckett, why he expected Beckett to pay, Kennedy said : He gets paid when he fights, and I expect the same. George Lynch, a journalist, said that for the work Kennedy had done lie thought 100 guineas would have been a reasonable charge. He said that he knew Beckett was <me of the best known men in England, having been caricatured by Tom Webster and written up in every

newspaper. Beckett, in the box, said that until his recent retirement be was heavyweight boxing champion of England. Judge Cann: I think we know all about that, affair. Referring to the first postponement of the light, he said that although he was unfit to fight, he was ready to do so rather than engage in a law action with Major Wilson. Kennedy called at his hotel and bothered him repeatedly on the telephone. Eventually Kennedy came into his room and read the article ’in “Bart’s Broad-sheet.” JfHe went on to say that he was in difficulties icontinued Beckett), and as 1 had iiad a good day at the races I gave hpn a loan of £5. We boxers get plenty of publicity without paying lor it. Cross-examined, Beckett said lie was getting tired of articles which had appeared in the Press about him. Mr Gentle : I don’t want to hurt vour feelings; but the majoiity of them were unfavourable. Beckett: T don’t think so. I didn’t take much notice of them. Don’t you read the papers about yourself?-—Sometimes; but I get tired of 'all they say. Did you tell Kennedy you had been treated unfairly by the Press? —I am not sure. You were anxious to have favourable articles published?-—I am nob anxious. Yon say you were unpopular with the public?—No; T didn’t. Beckett sa»d he had never paid

a journalist for articles about himself,- and did not expect to pay Kennedy. since he had never authorised him to act as bis pubVcity agent. Judge Cann said that the point at fcssuc- was whether la .contract was made at the Hotel Metropole. You have a journalist on one side and a pugilist on the other, he said. 1 don’t think you can have any class more unbusinesslike. Beckett apparently seemed to know very little about the occurrence. As slated, be gave judgment for Kennedy for £lO 10s, in addition to the £5 already received.