Sunday Chicago Bee

Roxborough,
Watson End
Prison Terms

JACKSON, Mich. - (ANP) -
The doors of Jackson prison opened last Friday morning to give John W. Roxborough and Everett E. Watson their freedom after having served 18 months of a two to four year term for conviction in the policy ring case begun in 1940. Roxborough, manager of world's heavyweight champion Joe Louis, was the first to leave prison, followed 10 minutes later by Watson.

The two former policy kings went into prison in 1944, after efforts to wriggle out of the sentence, through appeals and delays, failed. The start of the end of their regime as policy heads began in 1940 when the Ferguson Grand jury returned a true bill against them.

Roxborough made his appearance, expressing a mingled feeling of nervousness, relief and happiness. After the first. Waiting at the prison gates were Mrs. Roxborough and Mrs. Watson, the latter arriving 30 minutes after the first. Roxborough made no comment to make on anything until he had talked with Louis. Louis, however, was not to be seen among the crowd on hand to witness the two men's release.

With Mrs. Roxborough and her brother, Radford Morris, the released men started immediately for Detroit.

Unlike Roxborough, Watson came out of the gate, shook hands with Prison Chaplain Rev. Mr. Wells, said "Goodbye" and made a sudden exit from the scene. He walked erect with rapid strides to his car, so fast that photographers had difficulty in getting pictures of him. Mrs. Watson drove him to their farm east of Jackson.