THE MINNEAPOLIS JOURNAL MONDAY MORNING, JULY 11, 1910 JAMES J. JEFFRIES vs JACK JOHNSON

JEFFRIES DENIES HE WANTS FIGHT Former champion Says He Is Through - Could Not Whip Johnson

_ Los Angeles, Cal., July 9. - James J. Jeffries submitted today to his first interview since the fight at Reno. So persistent were the demands for an expression of opinion from the de- feated pugilist that his friends let down the bars and allowed newspaper men to see the ex-champion. The first question asked him was whether it was true that he wanted another fight with Jack Johnson. _ "No, I'm through fighting," he said, mumbling. "I fought once too often as it was and I guess they'll let me alone after this. I might have beaten Johnson six or seven years ago but I don't believe I ever could again. That's all there is to it. I don't want to fight Johnson or anyone else again." _ The interviewers were warned by Jack Kipper, his partner, to expect a much bruised man, though Kipper said he was greatly improved today. _ "This is the first day since the fight that Jack would speak to any of us, even his wife," said Kipper. _ But Jeffries is in bad condition men- tally as well as physically. He hesi- tated in his speech and stopped in the middle of sentences as if hunting for his thoughts. His face is still puffed abnormally and he hears with diffi- culty. At times he gives up without even trying to finish his sentences. _ _ _ Jeff Not Doped _ "How about the story that you were doped, Jim?" he was asked. "Nothing to it. I wasn't doped. No one could have doped me. Some- one said that the dope was rubbed into me. But that isn't so. Not a man in my camp would have done anything to injure my chances under any conditions. They all lost about their money on me. All my friends lost all their money. _ "The trouble with me was that I was broken down nervously and didn't know it. I guess it had been coming on for about a week, but I thought I was as good as I ever was - I thought I could beat Johnson even when I entered the ring. But I couldn't get into action at all. I guess I'm too old to fight any more." _ Jeff said the above hesitatingly, shaking his head at times like an old man. When asked about Rickard's statement that he had the fighters signed to contracts two days before the bids were opened, he flared up and said: "What has that got to do with it? You got your fight, didn't you?" _ Again he was asked about John- son's statement that he was offered huge sums to throw the fight. "Why should I ask Johnson to throw the fight? I felt as sure as that I was alive that I could whip him. I don't believe there is anything in it." _ _ _ Had Nervous Breakdown _ Kipper and Jack Jeffries, his broth- er, both said today that they believed that Jim had been doped in some way. _ "I'm not sore about losing my money," said Jack, "but something more than stage fright was the matter with Jim when he entered the ring. I don't believe any one in the camp would do it and I don't see how any outsider could have got at him." _ "Jim was on the verge of nervous breakdown," said Kipper. "He may have been doped but the thought that all of his friends had bet on him and fear that he might not have come back as he thought he had, cost him the fight." _ Sam Berger is the only person who is trying to get Jim back in the ring. He says Jeff is sure he can whip the negro, but Jeff himself absolutely de- nies that.

Experts Say Jeffries Was Not a Nervous Wreck; Was Merely Semblance of Man of Ten Years Ago

Minneapolis Specialist Examine Photograph By Which New York Doctors Decided That Jeff Was Suffering From an Attack of Traumatic Neurasthenia And Say They Can See No Trace of Such Trouble - Say Muscle Had Been Converted Into Fat

JEFF IN THE RENO RING

The photo by which New York experts declared Jeff to be suffering from a serious nervous ailment

_ FRIDAY, when the fight pictures reached New York from Reno, some of those who had gone so far afield in selecting Jeffries as the sure winner, were struck by the awk- ward pose of Jeffries as he was being introduced to the crowd by Announcer Jordan. The pictures were immediate- ly submitted to specialists. _ Some of these medical and physical sharps declared - or were quoted as hav- ing declared - that the pictures showed Jeffries to be suffering from "trauma- tic neurasthenia," a nervous ailment, and the symptoms were given as fol- lows: _ _ "The patient is incapable of _ concentrating his attention to any _ subject requiring his careful _ thought. _ _ "The emotions of fear and ap- _ prehension are exaggerated. _ _ "Acute dyspepsia is frequently _ noted. _ _ "The patient is capable of per- _ forming all movements, but they _ are executed in impulsive way with _ little force. _ _ "The heart action is irregu- _ lar. _ The same photograph, reproduced in connection with this story, was sub- mitted yesterday to some of the lead- ing specialists in nervous disorders in Minneapolis, and they do not agree with the quoted opinions of their New York brethren so far as such a vague diagnosis as a photograph permits. None of them cared to allow their names to be used in connection with the affair in any way, but here is the way they analyzed the photograph - and also told why Jeff made such a sorry show- ing: _ _ "Jeffries looks to me like a _ spoiled child, who had trained just _ as he pleased. without regard to in- _ structions," said one prominent _ nerve specialist. _ _ "He looks like a man over _ trained, whose muscles were infil- _ trated with fat, which would make _ it impossible for him 'to come _ back, as the expression goes. _ _ "When a man over trains his _ muscles become hypertrophied, or _ enlarged. Then when he stops _ training for some time, like Jeffries _ did, the over plus of muscle becomes _ fat, and he can't train back. _ _ "That is the trouble with train- _ ing young men with pliable mus- _ cles for the football game. Their _ hearts become enlarged, and when _ they quit training the excess mus- _ cle turns to fat. If they go into _ training again one game of foot- _ ball will play their hearts out. _ _ "I see no special signs of neu- _ rasthenia, although that spread of _ his legs as he stands is fearful."

Farmer Burns Doubts That Jeffries Was Victim of Dope

_ Omaha, Neb., July 9. - "Jeffries may have been doped, I don't know. But his heart sure went back on him." _ This is what Farmer Burns, the wrestler, said tonight on his re- turn to Omaha from the Reno fight. "I can't say what was the matter with Jim, but it sure was something bad. He may have been scared to death; overtraining may have affected his heart; but in the dressing room before the fight, his hands and feet were cold, and he acted sleepy - had no life about him. _ "I couldn't say for sure that he was actually doped, but it looked funny. And then it would have been hard for anything like that to have happened, for his quarters and food were all carefully watched. _ "But he stayed in a half-dazed mental condition for a day and a half after the fight. That's why it looks funny."

RICKARD STANDS READY PROMOTER WILL MAKE FIRST MOVE AND ATTEMPT TO SIGN JEFFRIES

_ San Francisco, July 9. - Tex Rickard will go to Los Angeles early next week to make a tentative arrangement for another meeting between James J. Jef- fries and Jack Johnson. He announced tonight that he would talk with Jef- fries over his plan for a fight and if the former champion is in earnest, will try to sign him with the big negro for a second scrap. The battle will be staged either at Reno or at another city, which Rickard refuses to name, but which he says is in the United States. _ Rickard's decision to endeavor to promote a record go between the men was reached after he had been shown the interview by Jeffries, in which he said he had been thinking of another battle and might decide in a very few days to go after Johnson for a return engagement. "If Jeff is sincere in his desire to fight Johnson again, and if I can sign him and the negro, I cer- tainly would be glad to promote anoth- er battle between the men," said Rick- ard tonight. _ "Jeffries should be given a chance to redeem himself. In all fairness to him he should be given another chance at the negro again. the match would be a good drawing card and I will be able to agree early next week whether I shall have the opportunity to put it on. _ "Johnson's intimation that the talk of another match is for the purpose of advertising a world tour of the former champion is nonsense. If Jeffries means to fight the negro he must begin train- ing at once and the battle must be held within a short time." _ _ No Tour for Jeff _ Rickard declared that Jeffries could not afford to postpone his re-entrance to the ring long, and added that the white man would have to forgo the world tour if he re-entered the ring. _ "Honestly, I don't think that Jef- fries will ever make a tour of the world," continued Rickard, "except, perhaps, as a private citizen. It is certain that he is not the drawing card he was prior to the July 4 fight and a world tour might not prove a money- maker. "However, if he enters the ring and defeats the black, that is an- other question." _ The promoter added that he did not think Jeffries would be willing to fight Johnson outside of America, but should the fighters be willing to go to London or Australia, some other promoter would have to look after the match.

JOHNSON WILLING TO FIGHT AGAIN Match With Jeffries on Labor Day Agreeable to Champ

_ Chicago, July 9. - Replying to James J. Jeffries alleged announcement that he intended to issue a challenge for a return match for the championship of the world, Jack Johnson tonight said he would be ready to fight the Californian Labor day, "providing the proper in- ducements were offered," and pre- dicted Jeffries would fight harder next time. _ Johnson intimated that he would set his mark high and that he would not fight again unless a good sized purse was offered, but evidently believed that there would be no difficulty on that score. While he expressed some doubt as to Jeffries' sincerity in desir- ing another match, Johnson said that he believed one would prove a good drawing card, despite the "poo show- ing made on July 4 by Mr. Jeffries." _ "I haven't really broken training," declared Jack, although I have been eating heartily and taking an oc- casional glass of beer. I can get back into fighting trim at a moment's notice and nothing would please me more than to do it. If I do fight Jeffries again, I will whip him worse than I did the last time, but I predict that he will do more fighting than he did at Reno. I do not believe he fought as well as he might have. I think he was scared. But if he had fought his hardest, he would have been no match for me." _ _ Discuss Details Later _ Jack said he would discuss his ar- rangements regarding a side bet and purse when Jeffries issued his formal challenge. _ Jeffries announced his intention of seeking a return match with the negro in an interview given at Los Angeles this afternoon. _ "I expect to fight Johnson again within six months," the big fellow is reported as having said. He explained that he had not said anything before because he had felt so badly over his poor showing at Reno. He said he had gone stale by training too long for the July 4 fight and that he would not enter the ring in that condition again. He expressed confidence of being able to win from Johnson and declared that he would issue a formal statement within a short time. _ Johnson shipped his racing car to New York this evening and will start there himself tomorrow afternoon at 3:45 o'clock.

FRIENDS NOT SURPRISED Those Close to Jeffries Say Return Match Is Logical Thing

_ Los Angeles, Cal., July 9. - Jim Jef- fries' alleged announcement that he may seek a return match with Jack Johnson was no surprise to his friends here. If he does get a return match he will carry another bunch of Los Angeles money. While the big fellow has made no state- ment for publication, except that given today, it has been reported that he ad- mitted to his friends that he was whipped before he entered the ring and not by Johnson. _ Through Jack Kipper, Jeffries' busi- ness partner, it was learned today that the big fellow has been hurt deeply by the accusation that he showed a yellow streak. it is because of the adverse comment that has been launched and his desire to avoid an appearance of making excuses, that Jeffries has de- clined to make any explanation of the mysterious change in his form on the eve of the battle. His seconds say, however, that he was a victim of con- ditions which made a postponement of the fight for a few days impossible, and therefore he went in the ring and fought knowing that he had been thrown out of condition in the last hours of his training, only his game- ness and courage were unimpaired.

McCARRY NOT AFTER GO Promoter Does Not See Reason to Bid for Another Battle

_ Los Angeles, Cal., July 9. - "They called me a cheap faker when I went after the first Johnson-Jeffries match, and should the men decide to come to- gether again, I will make no effort to get the fight," was promoter Tom Mc- Carry's emphatic statement today when told that Jeffries might consider an- other match with the negro, and that Johnson had expressed his willingness to meet Jeffries whenever any induce- ments were offered. _ "Nothing in the world could induce me to bid for such a fight," McCarry continued. "It might be arranged by Rickard as the first one was - I won't pass on that - but the world knows what kind of deal I got when I bid for the first fight and I will keep my hands off of another." _ When asked his opinion of the chances of another match, he said: _ "They have fought once, why should they not fight again? If Jeffries is not satisfied with the last meeting, they have a right to fight it over."

BURNS THE NEXT MAN Former Title Holder Says Jonson Has Promised Him Return Battle

_ Portland, Ore., July 9. - Tommy Burns declared tonight that he is the next man whom Jack Johnson will fight for the championship. Burns left to- night for Seattle, where his wife awaits him. Shortly after he reached Portland from Reno, where he witnessed Jeffries' defeat, Burns called the local newspa- per men together and said: _ "Just after the fight, Johnson gave me his promise that I would be the next man with whom he would fight. Jack told me he thought it no more than fair that I should get a return engagement because he never would have won the belt had I not fought him - and lost." _ According to Burns, the match will be pulled off in London, and that Mc- Intosh, the Australian promoter, will stage the battle.

BLOT ALSO AFTER FIGHT Would Not Give Over $30,000 for Next Jeffries-Johnson Mill

_ San Francisco, July 9. - Louis Blot, whose attempt to stage a fight here caused Governor Gillett to order out the state militia, said he would bid for an- other Jeffries-Johnson fight, but that the match would only be worth $30,000 now. _ "I don't think any promoter would give another $101,000 purse for Jef- fries and Johnson," said Blot, "and then again, it is a question whether the public would stand for a second fight."

HAS A GOOD CHANCE PRESENT ALDERMAN OF THIRD WARD RECOGNIZES JOHNSON AS STRONG OPPONENT

_ Chicago, July 9. - Jack Johnson's for alderman in the third ward became a matter of serious consideration to- night when Colonel Foreman, who now holds that office, recognized the cham- pion as an opponent by discussing the pugilists chances for election. The colonel said that he had not yet de- cided whether he would run for re- election but admitted the possibility of Johnson making a strong race. _ Colored friends of Johnson, however, are not so sure that his showing would be as good in the political arena as it was in the prize ring. "Jack has got a bad case of 'swelled head," said one of the dusky brethren, "and that won't go with 'we all.' He has been to busy entertaining some of his rich friends since he got home from Reno and forgetting us old fellows who knew him when he was a pickaninny - but we've got a vote and may use it in a way he doesn't expect, if he doesn't come down off his high horse."

LITTLE DENIES CHAMP'S CHARGE Former Manager of Johnson Says He Will Stir Up Things

_ Chicago, July 9. - George Little, for- mer manager of Jack Johnson, and whom the latter accused of offering him $100,000 to let Jeffries win the big fight in the eight round, is expected to return to Chicago tomorrow. A stormy meeting of the two men is predicted. _ Little's friends say the former man- ager will go direct to the champion's home and either make him retract some of the statements or else make public the entire story of his relations with Johnson since he took up the reins of management shortly after the return of Johnson from Australia, Those who defended the deposed manager declare they have information from reliable sources that Johnson was the first to bring up the subject of throwing the fight and asked Little to find out how much there would be in it. _ _ Johnson Not Worried _ Johnson simply smiled and expressed the wish that Little would reach town before he left. "I will stand pat on every statement I have made," Johnson said. "Further than this, if Little wants to stir up any trouble, I will make things a little hotter than he thinks I can. There is a lot more to the story of our split that has not been printed, and if he starts to abuse me through the press I will divulge the whole thing. _ "For his sake I kept the story se- cret on the coast and in Reno, for I was afraid the authorities might run him out of town or try to prosecute him for trying to perpetrate a coup on the public. I firmly believe the poison which was given to my friend George Sutton was meant for me, and it was only a miracle that I did not get it in my food. I have paid him every cent I owe him and a little more, and I am through with him forever."

FIGHT PICTURES FAKE BOGUS FILMS EXHIBITED IN NEW YORK ALMOST CAUSE A RIOT

By United Press. _ New York, July 9. - "The first mov- ing pictures of the Jeffries-Johnson fight," were shown in New York to- night and they almost caused a riot. The $500,000 films were exhibited on the American roof garden, one of the largest summer amusement places in the city. _ They proved to be a palpable fake, and the 3,000 persons who jammed the garden to the doors threatened all man- ner of dire things because they did not get their money back. _ The theater had advertised the pic- tures extensively. When the matinee was over the management announced that the developing of the films, rushed here on special trains, had not been concluded and that the pictures would go on exhibition at 6:30 p.m. if the audience would wait? It would. _ At 6:30 p.m. all was expectancy. A small boy rushed in with the films. The stage manager announced that the managers had not seen the pictures, but hoped the audience would be pleased at the enterprise in getting the films so quickly. _ The "fight" started. A 135-pound Jeffries danced through the crowd of "props" around the camp ring and vaulted over the ropes. He was fol- lowed by a diminutive Johnson, clad in a white towel. They shook hands and hit each other once. En mass the audience yelled "fake," and the mov- ing pictures stopped. The stage man- ager announced that the management had been tricked. The moving pictures have not been fully developed, and it is expected that they will not be ready for exhibition until the middle of next week.

KETCHEL HAS VARIOUS PLANS Will Fight Burns or Langford or Go on European Tour

_ Chicago, July 9. - Stanley Ketchel, in Chicago, on his way east with his man- ager, Miesner Wilson, said he expected to take on Tommy Burns in a short fight. He is now negotiating with Burns. Ketchel said he would fight Langford if a suitable place could be found for the meeting. He is also con- sidering going to Europe with Hugh McIntosh, the Australian promoter.

THE MINNEAPOLIS JOURNAL MONDAY MORNING, JULY 11, 1910

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