Money Making MoJo
Shelby businessmen, were left stuck with the bills, the lawsuits, the shame of the $366,000 fraud, that started as a gag, then a publicity stunt, to a real fight for the World Championship Heavy Weight Boxing Title, what happens in Vegas, might stay in Vegas, but what happened in Shelby, Montana, July 4, 1923, was the shattering of the birth of innocence, completely new territory for small town America, just trying to put their new town on the map, the truth of who we are as Montanans, a community of farmers, ranchers, with new oil, gas and irrigation wonders, a story of a deeper truth of the reality of what is in us, the honesty, covering invested money, working for five years to pay off all debts, to anyone owed. Shelby earned their money the hard way, Kearns and Dempsey, earned theirs the easy way, forcing a contract that was unconscionable, refusing to tell the press that fight was on, even up to two days before the fight, willing if not intending to back out at the last days, with silent partners, who were not only in on the taking, but collecting money for Jack Kearns, the slick Willey, who lied, took every dime he could, costing the Shebly boys to loose their shirts, banks to close, pay for years, making good on their promises, when the other side of the competition or contract, reneged on everything that would have made the fight a raging success. American greed may have ruined the profits, but it didn't ruin the honesty of the men involved, Johnson, Body, Molumby, the American Legion, and really did put Shelby on the map, or I wouldn't be here!
L.A. Times, 66 Years Later . . . In 1923, Shelby--Population of 500--Took on Jack Dempsey and His Manager
20,000 fans watch thrilling title bout, covered by the world press, in the Shark's Tank, of American Greed. The town of Shelby, quickly recovered, the fight promoters, compensated for the losses, through ranching, farming, and other business ventures, with the pioneer spirit, they championed the fraud, and the community continued to thrive, even though the oil, gas and irrigation booms stopped, the hardy people of Shebly, Montana, were smarter, wiser, and more cautious, than they had been before the shattering of their innocents. I am not sure if Jack Kearns was ever held responsible for his part in sabotaging the fight, refusing the press, only in the fight to steal whatever profits, to the ticket sales, the day of the fight, even after being the prime mover, behind all the cancellations of ticket sales and special passenger trains, backing out without a total commitment, and statement from Kearns and Dempsey, who even after collecting $200,000 by June 15th, just weeks before the fight, dared to take even the tax revenues, with IRS handing over the proceeds to Kearns, who had a Great Northern train, scheduled to leave, Shelby, ASAP, after the fight.
The Johnson, father and son, team and other fight promoters, put everything they had, into the fight, which really put them in a real jam, coming out of the fight with a mere, $950, after reducing $5,000 worth of ticket sales, the final day of the fight, wanting to make something on the fight. Later, is appears that contracts with film company, who was contracted to market the film, through some legal technicality, and even film proceeds appeared to land in the pockets of Kearns as well. The only way that happens, is for the Kearns to have had his hands in everything connected with every red nickel, made on that fight, taking all monies, regardless of the collectors, IRS standing at the gates of the fights, and still turning over the $54,000 to Kearns. The only good thing about going after the Shelby businessmen, is they were able to get of on taxes from the proceeds of the fight, by claiming that the IRS, had the money in their hands, therefore, they could of at any time, taken what was owed in taxes, with the liability for the taxes, being released by the judge and court, for a small, $100, due to that fact.
A Unexpected Hospital Stay, And Airplane Crash, Hurt the Cause
"Body" Johnson and his father, were the main idea man behind the fight project. But just at the time that the Boys from Montana were setting up the fight, first going to Governor Joe Dixon--who said, "Hell, there is not that much money in the whole state of Montana", with the idea of paying $200,000, the original offer, also clearing the deal and the law with the attorney general, and what would have been easy for the promoters, had that been where the contract stopped, but that was not the case, when Johnson was laid up in the hospital, while a less experienced man, Molumby, who was called in or just got involved on his own, stepping up to the plate, to meet with Kearns and the Dempsey manager guys, took advantage of this country boy, and while in Chicago, signed a contract for $300,000, $100,000 more than everyone agreed to, with Molumby, also making deals with others involved in offering services, to prepare for the fight. At first "Body" thought the messengers were lying about he final contract deal, but soon he found out that the newspaper reporters were not in error, and Johnson was sick, but felt, a deal is a deal, and they would make this happen.
Now, if the Shelby boys would have had some legal counsel, who was worth their salt, they may have backed out on the contract, having never, ever, talked about any amount, other than the original $200,000, that was the goal, having heard that Dempsey fights, normally ran at about $100,000 per fight, so they thought that they were making more than a good deal, and worth the fighter's time and his manager . . . they didn't take into consideration, American Greed, and the more you get, the more you want, and every dime, Kearns had a change to get his fucking hands on, he took! The sophisticated businessmen, bankers, mayors, Shelby's American Legion members, Great Falls investors, who had cut deals, on just a handshake, and were shocked, never would have thought that any man, let alone someone they had talked to over and over again, would con someone into getting an extra $100,000, it is a fraud to take money from someone, knowing full well, the main guys, were only willing to pay the agreed upon, original amount, with Molumby, signing a contract that Kearns knew would never have been agreed upon by Body, or others involved from the get go, not ever agreed to, with letters of the terms received and acted upon, depended upon.
American Legions Around Montana Step Up to Make Good On Contract
Body Johnson and others involved in the fight promotion, took to the skies, going town to town, covering the 4th largest state in the United States, with spares numbers, barely reaching the million people point, just last year, as I have heard, but Montanans circle the wagons, to make good on their friends' promises, with commitments to be made, and many champion the cause of their fellow Legion members, even though state and national American Legion leaders, distanced themselves from the Shelby fight promoters, with individuals free to purchase tickets, give as they seemed fit. And it looked like, between the second installment of the payment of now a total of $200,000, still with no absolute commitment from Kearns, Dempsey, who refused to work as contracted, leaving a default open, up to and including the last payment due, July 2, 1923, the fight boys in flight, would make that final payment, wanted or not, good guys, and good for their word.
And then the unthinkable happened, the plane crashed, leaving many of the promoters, the guys who knew what was going on, not only with broken bones, casts, and injuries, but luckily, no deaths, but now no plane to get them the rest of the way around the state, nor time to travel by car, to collect ticket money or contributions to save the face of these Montana businessmen and Legionaries. The honesty alone, the making good on a bad contract, with every reason to renege on the deal, dealing with more sophisticated partners, who knew that the deal was already agreed on, and that Dempsey according to Montana law, had to fight without paying one dime, past the first payment installment! The team of Montanans, knew, legally they had Kearns and Dempsey, but didn't want to take the time to sue, or stall the fight in any way, and just bucked up and took it on the chin, making good on their side of the contract, never dreaming that someone would go for every dime in profits, taking film monies too! None of that was in the signed contract. Kearns was a business man, like none other the honest Montanans had ever dealt with, and too wise to deal with ever again.
IRS Took Over As Ticket Takers . . . Shelby Boys Didn't Know What Hit Them
The way all the events, efforts, and cancellations worked out, there had only been roughly 8,000 tickets sold. Like I mentioned in the title, there were $500,000 worth of tickets sold, but because of Kearns and Dempsey, who would not commit, regardless of the law, the terms of the contract, to work with the press, always pressuring the men to get a commitment that the fight was going to be pulled off, quit the feat for a town of 500 out in the middle of nowhere! Had Kearns and Dempsey, done what they promised to do, as part of the fight promotion, everyone would have made money, so what was the deal. Body Johnson, felt that even the press was reading from a script, written by Kearns . . . the second the $200,000 had been paid, without counting the ticket sales the day of the fight to cover that amount, the original amount, double what other towns had paid for previous fights, the press, started pressing for the next $100,000 payment!
Shock of shock, the IRS, shows up, bumps ticket takers, and take over the ticket collection booths and entrances, collecting $54,000 the day of the fight, but turns the money over to Kearns! Johnson remembers seeing the money sitting in a back room, talking to the IRS agents, telling them not to turn the money over to Kearns . . . so they are there to make sure taxes are being paid? And then, after collecting the money, turns it over to Kearns, and goes after the Shelby boys, for not paying taxes on the proceeds? A we are suppose to believe that the tax collectors, were not in on this from the get go? Really? Then turning the money over to a guy, they never tried to collect taxes from? Don't ever say, the IRS, the government is not above this type of activity, I have found that the government agencies were right in the middle of not only my son's music, but in the middle of my cases . . . and people can't believe what happened to my son's music, or the theft of my cases? Like I said, the Mormons, the Mob and Men in Black, too hard to believe now, look what was happening almost 100 years ago!
Is It Any Wonder Montana Passed Anti-Corruption Laws
When the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on the bogus case of the century, over turning 100 years of anti-corruption laws in Montana, and I would guess, that this fight, in addition to Kearns friends, the Copper Kings of Montana, going after the state's treasures in timber, gas, oil, silver, goal, water, with Citizens United, lifting all campaign contribution limits, Governor Steve Bullock at the time the Montana Attorney General, were concerned and for a damned good reason, that Montana would become political fodder again, and he may have even known, I would guess he did, and may have been leery of swindlers, shysters, and wheeler dealers who had taken advantage of the honesty of the people of Montana, wanting to control the elected officials in this state, like they had before, buying, selling and controlling judges, legislators and congressional delegates! Is his concern, that of his office, out of line? Not really . . .
Now, not only are corporations persons, with free speech rights, but individuals can make donations of any amount, and I am not sure that they have to report, those contributions? Just a thought, vote for candidates who have the largest contributions from local Montanans, not out of state corporate entities, who want favors, votes, and inroads into this TREASURE STATE! Buyers beware! If you think, Jack Kearns is a one of a kind, you are crazy, protect yourselves, learn from history, make sure, you earn and learn . . . that advice is something I need to heed as well, having been taken advantage of this same type of mentality, all about the money! AMERICAN GREED!
Gibbons Returned to Shelby Often, Dempsey Never Did, WHY?
Tommy Gibbons, allegedly didn't get paid for the fight. According to contract, Gibbons got $7,500 per originally agreed amount. His claim to fame, was his older brother, Mike, who taught him how to fend off the more experienced Jack Dempsey, ditching and dodging his fists . . . with the fight going the full 15 rounds. After the fight, someone asked Dempsey why he didn't knock the kid out, and he said, he had to be able to hit him first! LOL! Apparently, big brother Mike who was a middle weight, unable to qualify for a heavy weight, taught little brother a thing or too, enough to give Dempsey a damn good fight!
Gibbons was always excited to come to Shelby, bragged and loved his experience, making not only the proceeds from the fight, but getting $2,500 per week for 20 weeks, on a vaudeville tour, telling people and giving demonstrations of what he did to hold Dempsey at bay for 15 rounds! Gibbons and his wife, were invited to Shelby for celebrations and anniversaries of the fight, with the city, licking its wounds, and recovering and still benefiting from the fight of the century, the fight that won't stay dead! Dempsey, on the other hand, hometown, Salt Lake City, Utah, never came back to Shelby, whether because he thought he would be hung by the locals, or because he knew damned well that his manager, and him to some extent, refused as agreed by contract to work with the press, promoting the fight, only agreeing to go forward with the fight in private, but not in public! They hurt the town the fight, the reputation of the town of Shelby, who looked nothing other than noble to me, honorable men, doing all they could, given one calamity after another, accidents, inexperienced promoters, plane crashes, but doing what no other town in America ever did!
Check out local, Shelby Sports Club & Cocktail Bar, Main Street . . . great Philly Sandwiches! Haunted wicked, Halloween decorations, costume party?
Check out local, Shelby Sports Club & Cocktail Bar, Main Street . . . great Philly Sandwiches! Haunted wicked, Halloween decorations, costume party?
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