M
U i
i i
sf 5
ppppppiif ff
PALE
VIIL NO 283
gambling rooms opened at mid
night After dBylight all idle1 They respect Jeffries as a great
this great national
was forgotten
celebration
color blind Im going in to win
fighter but I believe the public
will respect me more by sun
down I havent worried a bit
in the world I didnt believe
Jeffreis would ever get in the
ring with me but I respect him
for being willing to take the
chance If he wins I will be the
first to to congratulate him and
Ill be sincere in it too
At 130 old Billy Johnson will climb
through the ropes roaring the celebra
ted starting signal gong at a signal
from George Harris the v teran
Actors literary lights writers J timekeeper Then the argument will
artists and other
whose names are famous mixed
in the crowd with Indians cow
boys and all sorts of people Ev
erything run wideopen now
Jeffries this morning sent no
tice to the promoter that he
would not enter the ring if the
present canvas covering remains
on the floor It is new and he
thinks it too slippery It is the
only covering over the heavy
planks He says it may result
in a broken ankle ror skull He
is willing to use either his or
Johnsons covering Arrange
ments are being made to substi
tute Among the famous fighters are
Fitzsimmons Burns Attell Bat
tling Nelson Ketchel Hanlon
Lange Larigford Sullivan and
Sharkey
Jeffries played cards nearly all
day Sunday and retired at 9 p
m and slept soundly till late
this morning All intruders
were kept out
arose early in a play
tohnson HadHght exercise a
down and declared himself
in fine shape
As usual a calm pervaded the
Jeffries camp this merning All
Apt later than usual and after
a iort strollJeffries ate a hearty
celebrities s rt From every state in the union
Canada Mexico Europe and even
Australia lovers of the fighting game
have journeyed to the lumber shrine
airdorne covered with brush justout
side the city which this afternoon
will he the greatest battle between hu
man beings the world has ever seen
since Christianity drove the gladiators
from the Roman forum
Two good Johnson bets were re
corded this morning one being 700
to 100 the other G75 to 100 Andy
Craig of Chicago lecently bet 100 to
C500 on JeiTnes He has 20000
more
Weather conditions could not be
more nearly ideal for the big mill
There is almost a cloudless sky and
the blazing rays of the sun are tem
pered with a cool steady breeze from
the surrounding hills Although a
majority of the women took advan
tage of the boxes many are scattered
through the arena By noon the
lines of ticket holders were a block
loiiu but it was a good natured crow <
made doubly so by the lines of depu
ties determined to keep down any dis
turbance of jostling etc
When the canvases of the fighters
were submitted for choice Johnsons
was rejected because it was pure
while and cast such a sharp white
glare that it was deemed not suitable
The first row was started when the
holders of 40 and 50 seats discover
ed a moving picture stand was erect
ed just over them This stand cut oft
the view from COO or 800 people who
became angered when the
nient ave them no satisfaction They
threatened to tear down the structure
To prevent violence a guard was
placed around the stand
Shortly before 1 oclock a band en
tereiPthe arena and aroused intense
enthusiaain l > y playing Aiueiicu
Dixie The great crowd stood
tuTd
up
and wved small American flags Any
one approaching the gates carrying
bottles or suspicious packages were
stopped They were not allowed to
enter until they were discarded
Governor Dickerson entered and
took his seat directly behind the Unit
edi Press box
At 132 two minutes past the time
for beginning fight no sign of either
fighters but Flanagan promised to
have Johnson in the ring within a
few minutes Tex Rickard just an
nounced that purse amounts to 121
000 He also announced that there
would he a split of GO cents to the win
ner and 40 per cent to the loser It
s stated the sales amount to 250
000 The aisles are practically pack
ed and the very entrance is jammed
145 still no sign of fighters
Billy Muldoon the famous wrestler
climbed through the ropes and called
for three cheers for Nevada During
the cheering Mrs Jack Johnson wife
of the champion accompanied by Jlrs
Sig Hart wife of Johnsons friend
Flipped into the erena and took a
seat immediately in front
Johnson entered the ring at 230
and the black was given a tremendous
ovation as he stepped through the
ropes He was attired in black and
white bathrobe He was accompanied
by seconds Jeffries appeared at 230
While walking down the aisle the
crowd arose and gave him the great
est ovation yet As soon as he step
lied into the ring he tested it then
nazed it the audence on all sides He
was accompanied by his seconds
Jeffries stepped into the ring at
tired in light gray business suit and
w
By Ticf of Twelfth It Was Fregoaie Gonclu <
sioj Tiaf the Negro Would Win
The Fight By Rounds
Reno Nevada July
t Johnson won the
fght in the fifteenth
imu r
Tleno Nev July 4 Reno
awoke this morning stark fight
mad Even before dawn the
sidewalkswere congested The
ness was forgotten Nothing at
all was remembered by the
throng except that this was the
day for the Jeff riesJohnson fight
By 7 oclock the streets became
impassable The restaurants and
dining rooms were packed with
notablds Everywhere the talk
was of the fight There was no
element of the safe and sane
Fourth movement present as
breakfast Later a little stir
was created by Jeffries objecting
to the thin floor covering This
was adjusted by offer to substi
tute one of the canvascoverings
TTthT am pr Figur infunrtlle
costume for the afternoon John
son said I know Im the short
ender in the betting and I know
why Its a dark secret but
when the fight starts well be
>
wprefa light golf cap Johnson slip
pedJKff robe and displayed a pair o f
bluejtights An American flag circled
hisvbelt While being introduced he
smed waved his hand to his wife
Jolfcons hands were bandaged
fiis was lliscovere d Attell
nd Jeffries hands
Jeffries is attired in short blue
trunks with an American flag about
hisbelt He appeared unmoved and
did not show the least sign of ner
vousness He gazed for amoment in
to the Johnson corner but turned his
head without changing his expression
Flanagan adjusted Johnsons gloves
Jim Corbett fitted Jeffs
The gong sounded at 246 12
It was agreed men would not shake
hands
First Round
Johnson advanced courteously Jeff
I feinting with left Johnson grinned
Jeff again feints with left Johnson
lands left to eye Jeff clinches John
son appears stronger clinches forcing
Jeff back Jeff sends left Clinch
Jeff i3 smiling and Johnson looks wor
ried Jeff slipped into straight left
but was patted on the cheek a second
later Clinched at the bell Anybodys
round
Second Round
Johnson slings left into ribs another
jab slightly marred Jeffs right eye
They sparred Jeff assumes such
Johnson sent left to chin and uppercut
with left
Third Round
Jeff sends left to stomach Clinches
and they break Johnson dashes left
to nose Clinched Jack missed right
and left uppercuts Johnson tries with
a vicious right to head but Jim ducks
and clinches Jack is cautious in break
away Johnson sends two little rights
to head Clinches Johnson tries with
an uppercut but Jim sent a ligHt left
Continued From Page 1
Bar Harbor Me July 4 Chief Justice Mellville W Fuller of the U S
Supreme Court died suddenly today of heart failure His death jeeurred at 6
a m but the fact was unknown until four hours later The chief justice died
in the arms of his daughter Mrs Nathaniel Francis of Washington at a cot
tage he had been occupying the past three wfeks At the bedside were a grand
daughter Miss Aubry Francis and the attending Physician Dr Phillips
There will be held a simple service ut thet Chapel W Serento Wednesday
macageand the remains will be taken to Chicago for interment
PALESTINE TEXAS MONDAY AFTERNOON JULY 4 IV 10
Johnson
V
ALD
15 CT5 A WEEK
EIrato3 by Amer3can EEeSS AssoSlatlon
V1 is j yj vt JtWS Z9KBKF
v sm i s is > jr
JAMES J JEFFRIES 1ST HfORTlT FIGHTS
James J Jeffries was born in 1875
in Carroll O the son of an inpecu
nious preacher At an early agp ht
removed to Los Angeles Cal where
he recieived some schooling befoVe ha
started out to make his living as a
boilermaker The strenuous work re
quired by his trade developed his uany ne met him in the ring In the
physical strength to an unusual de1 meantime Jeffries went to Los An
gree and thus prepared him for his j geles anj took on Joe Goddard the
later career in the prize ring His Barrier champion who proved easy
first pugilistic experience was not ob
tained in the ring however but on the
public street It was an unscientific
with Jeffries victory
Jeffries first regular ring fight was
against Tim Van Buskirk whom he
finished by a knockout in the second
round The result of the fight was
particularly pleasing to Jeffries as
Van Buskirk was considered the
heavyweight champion of the Pacific
coast
The young bollermakers next ex
perience in the ring was a little hard
er His opponent was Henry Baker
of Chicago who kept Jeffries hustling
for nine rounds but finally succumbed
to the giant Californian These ex
periences convinced Jeffries that he
could fight and he determined to go
into the game for all it was worth
He tackled Gus Ruhlin the fight
ending in a draw Soon afterward he
went after Joe Choynski then in his
prime and at the hlghtest notch of his
fighting skill This contest also end
ed in a draw
When James Corbett was training
at Carson City Jeffries was his spar
ring partner for a time and many are
of the opinion that Jeffries learned a
great deal of the science of boxing
from his sparring opponent Jeffries
however has always denied this
Jeffries was ambitious and eager
for a fight with Tom Sharkey and at
last the match was arranged But the
authorities stepped in and the contest
was called off Jeffries never lost
sight of Sailor Sharkey and event
money Jeffries won in four rounds
This was on February 28 1898 It
was in the same year that Jeffries by
fst fight between Jeffries and the cola succession of victorious fights came
ored ward bully who had made him jnt0 prominence as a fighter
self obnoxious and the battle ended
J
In MaRh and fflet and dJ
ne
feated Peter Jackson and Pete Ever
ett and in May his fight with Shar
key took place Jeffries won after
twenty hard rounds and his fame was
made San Francisco and the west
coast were too small for the big
boilermaker and he decided to go to
New York Accompanied by Billy
Delaney his manager Jeffries set out
for the east He was well received
and soon became popular but there
were no fights to be had Negotia
tions with Peter Maher were carried
on for some time but struck a snag in
some technicality It was then that
Jeffries somewhat desperate offered
to take on any two men the same
night at the Lenox Athletic Club
Bob Armstrong was the first op
ponent Jeffries fought the stipulated
ten rounds and whipped the big col
ored man but hurt his hand so se
verlythat he had to abandon the sec
ond fight which was to be against
Steve ODonnell
After this experience Jeffries re
turned to California but the following
year found him back in New York
Continued on Page 4
>
m
M
i