The herald., 1893-01-20
PETER JACKSON ON EXHIBITION
The Australian Pugilist at
Turnverein Hall.
He and Frank Childs Do Some Easy
Sparring.
The Australian Greeted by Large but
Unenthusiastic Audience-A Talk
with the Big Fellow About
His Profession.

An opportunity was given 10 tne
sport loving public last evening to see
the Australian colored pugilist, Peter
Jackson, at the Turnverein hall. The
house was filed with spectators, but
little or no enthusiasm was shown,
A number of preliminary rounds were
given between local men and excited
little interest until Peppers, the ex-long-
distance rider, and Cotton appeared for
four rounds. Peppers is the man who
did up lot of San Francisco sports who
tried to induce him recently to engage
in false contest. His hands were in a
frightful condition last night, he being
unable to close them at all. This fact
the audience of course did not know,
and they could not understand why
Peppers did not mix it up more. Cotton
is wonderfully muscular fellow, as
agile as kitten, and looks as ii he
could put up good contest.
Parson Davies then introduced Frank
Childs, the local heavy weight, and
Peter jackson, the Australian. Jackson
is not in condition, but showed up a
wonderfully handsome figure, which is
moulded on such symmetrical lines as
to hardly deceive one as to the extent of
his muscular development. His arms
are 60 long as to give them the appear
ance of being slender.
Childs was fully head, If not more,
shorter than his opponent, but as re-
CARDS breadth of shoulders, and proba-
bly, circumference Of biceps, he is not
far behind the antipodean.
The five rounds were characterized by
friendly sparripg, and served to show
nothing as to the ability OF either man,
beyond their quickness and the fact that
each was capable of hard work.
TALK WITH PETER.
Parson Davies and Peter jackson did
not chow themselves much on the street
yesterday. The conqueror of Slavin
kept his room, where he was visited
during the afternoon by number of
the sporting gentry. To those who
have only seen Jackson in training,
with those wonderfully tapered legs as
hard as iron, he presented an odd ap-
pearance. His weight is now about 2lS
pounds and he has a sort of indolent
look that is quite the reverse of his
character. jackson is not an Australian
by birth but was taken there when a
child by his father, who was steward on
a sailing vessel. His place of nativity
was one of the West India islands. One
thing is always to be said of Peter-his
language is always courteous and never
protane or vulgar. A man could meet
him daily for year and never hear
either a bossting word out of him or a
remark that might not be repeated in
the presence of lady. The reporter,
looking the big man over for minute,
said, "Well, jackson, you certainly can
not have any fighting engagements on
hand, judging by your shape. You look
as big as stack of corn2"
Two snowy white rows of ivory
cleaned through the colored mans lips
as be replied, "No, and L cannot say
that am sorry. l am nearly 32 years
of age, and that is pretty old for a
fighter, though not SO for people in
other walks of life. | have had some
hard fights in my time and l feel that
am entitled to rest. l shall fight no.
doesn't seem very anxious for it. 1t is
rather late in the day for him to be
drawing the color line after having
fought me once for over three hours
Had I been in the same condition as
when / met Slavn in England, that
fight might not have lasted so long"
"That was a pretty sharp fight, Peter"
said the reporter, ''and you must have
been in superb condition to have won it
as you did,"
81 never can remember to have felt as
we'll as l did that night" said Jackson.
"Slavin felt very well, too, for some of
his blows were terrific. But rushing
| fight, such as he made, was just into my
hand"
"Will you fight anybody but Cor
bett ?" asked the scribe.
"No, sir, not if have anything to say
about it, and think have. There is
no great money in fighting. Training
expenses and wages of attendants eat
up bushel of money. There is not so
much cost in exhibiting, and good deal
more amusement. | am anxious to
meet Corbett, but nobody else. 1t is
just as tell you, fighting and training
make pretty hard work. l feel / am en-
titled to rest about this time, and l am
going to have it."
"They say you are going to be an actor,
Peter, like Sullivan and Corbett," said
the reporter.
"Um-is that what they call it?''
asked Jackson, as his short upper lip
broke into smile of incredulity.
THAT'S what heard-that you we're
going to appear shortly as Othello," re-
piled the pencil-pusher.
The roar of laughter that came forth
from the big black man cannot be de-
ecribed. He threw open his black Prince
Albert coat and drew up his tall figure
in his chair as with eyes almost swim
ming with tears, he said:
"No, sir, none of your tragedy for me.
Uncle Toms Cabin, perhaps, but Othello,
never. You newspaper folks are sich
fellers to joke" And as the reporter
left the room, the black Hercules shook
his hand kindly and added 'I'm all