The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-23
POOR OLD JACKSON.
A Saloon Longer Now, Once
He Was Peter the Great.
DECAY OF A SPLENDID FIGHTER.
He Has Money, Dresses Like q swell
and speaks With an English Ac-
cent. but Has No Future.
]. ]. Eaksnx in New York World.

one of the greatest fighting men the world
has ever seen. AS the powerful Inquire
swings along. the massive shoulders tribe
stopped. the mighty hands hanging list
less, the eyes glazed and fixed straight
ahead the crowd parts respectfully, for he
Is one Of the most popular men IN I@onoon.
| look after him unit! he disappears ana
| then they shake their heads regretfuiiy
and mutter, Il say. but amt il a boom
| ing shame. poor old jackson
For nearly two years Jackson mas been
| buried in London Now and then rurnor
came that he had seen his best days but
| these were as often denied. He has not
| been seen in the ring since May 81. n.y.
when, after a terrific battle, he defeated
Slavsn He had tried 10 fight sullivan pre-
| viously and Sullivan. with a sagactiy- rare
| in him. had drawn the color line. Then ne
| sought Corbett, but battle ground could
not be agreed upon and the night Tell
| through.
| Aside from Corbett there was nobody
| left in Jackson's class for him to nght,
and after the failure to arrange battle
ground with the American champion, jack
| son became disheartened and disappear
| ed from public view in London fog. Now
and then some tenth-rate fellow Ike the
Coffee Cooler would seek TO gain a Ettle
! brief notoriety by challenging the black
| giant. but he invariably treated them with
dignffied contempt and even denied them
Jackson was always popular in Amerl-
| ca. He was quiet in his manner ana poilte
| IN his bearing. and even those who were
preiudiced against him because or ms coior,
admitted that he never attempted the
| slightest liberties. Many persons in Amer
| leo vii therefore be interested In know
| ing something about Jackson as well as Inc
men down at FL Paso.
With the exception Of his eyes AMI
certain fabhiaeSs and laxity OF movement,
Jacksons Lonlan life hss left siight MARKS
on him Alcon0l has not swollen his lace
and his checks maze SIN the ola iefh
drawn look, while the high cheek bones
which usually go wi.h the co1nb.tive tenn
nernent are as prominent as ever III IS
only when he talks or when he moves
around that the change IT. him is noticed
Sonstimes wnen he lifts his glass his h'S
hands shake 2 little. and there IS curl
Gus halt now and ten IN his speech as II
he were cropping for something ne couid
not find.
Although he has no occupation jackson
appa rently has plenty of money. lie
dresses In the very latest fashion and from
the crown Of his highly polished SIX nat
to the soies of his patent leather sEoes ne
is a model of correct attire. His clothes
are made by one of the best tailors IN Lon
don and his halter has the distinguished
bonor of making hats for Peter jackson
and the Prince of Wales.
Jackson makes his headquarters at a
saloon owned by a man named Fleming
| on the Strand Fleming IS also the pro,
nriator of the National Sporting Club, ana
| Jackson has the privilege of going there
when he wishes, a privilege not granted
IN ordinary prizehghters. who only pass
the doors when they are TO face eacn otner
| In the ring inside. He is also admitted
free 10 many of the tneaters ana IS mace
much of by the class of men, more numer-
o,ts and richer in England than in America
who consider Ii an honor to be In the COM
pany Of prizefghter
with the imitativeness Of his race. Jack
son has picked up the English accent. He
talks like the English gentleman, now
ever. and not like the cockney. To one
accus+nree5 TO the Southern negro Of the
| United States. there is something bizarre
in this faultIessiy-dresse black drawing
ont mis- views while a crowd OF white men
sit around in open mouthed admiration.
| A picture of Jackson in the private room
at FleIning's with his admirers about
him. would be regarded as libel on the
English nation either st New Orleans or
Charleston
one young Englishman is particularly
loyal and he was with Jackson the after
mon | saw him at his headquarters.
Jackson evidently disIikes Mitchell, al
though he carefully RETAINED from say
| ing anything against him, but his follower
was bold and bitter in denouncing him.
Jackson was also apparently skeptical
about Corbett's prosperity and success on
| the stage. for his friend was most violent
| in his disbelief
IT cahn't reawIly tell about my future"
Jackson drawled, when / asked him what
| he intended TO do. They say / am a has
been, and perhaps / am" he added, with
| just a touch of bitterness In his tone
But. reawlly, 1 have no plans. / never
| expect TO get on fight"
Il say, Mr.. Jackson his friend inter
rupted. eff you cared TO chance it you
| could put any of them TO sleep. Indeed
you could. Mr.. Jackson" Peter laughed
| heartily at this. and as his big mouth
opened and his teeth cleaned and the
| "Haw -haw-haw" rang out, the high silk
hat and the fine London clothes and the
| superfine London accent seemed to melt
away and the old familiar type Of the
| Southern darby stood revealed.
| Jackson was curious about the fate OF
| Sullivan. He evidently cared nothing
whatever about either Maher or Fitzsim-
mons. and he apparently preferred 10 dis
euss London 10 pugilism.
There is no place like London" he said.
II wouldn't want to live anywhere else.
| l never get tired of it. Every day here I
seen something new and strange, and /
| like the people"
In spite of his evident desire 10 make the
| best of his position, there is a certain look
of hopelessness and despair in his face
| that is pathetic. He is far and away above
| the average negro in intelligence and in
| sensihllity, and il II were not for his habits
he might amount to something aside from
7 the prizerng. He is said to be the de-
scendant of an African king, and IL his
lines had fallen differently he would have
made a superb barbarian. 1t would take
| little or no change--an absence OF clothes.
daub or two of paint. rings'in his ears
and nose and a war club--to make OF Peter
the finest African king that ever ate
missionary. I could not help thinking
that Jackson with his club and without
his clothes would have made much more
admirable figure than the Jackson Of
Flemings. with his mind and strength and
ambition dulled by alcohol.
on the ground floor Of the louvre there
IS a statue Of Spartacus. that wonderful
Thracian who. with handful OF gladia-
tors al his back. shook the Roman empire
10 its foundations He Is standing IN an
attitude or defiance, his broken weapon in
his hand. TIE statue is In a neglected cor
ner Of the Louvre and faces dusty win
dow through which the light comes grudg-
inrIv. with wonderful skill the sculptor
has brought ont the lines Of the powerful
neck and the deep chest and the marble
almost starts into life as you look at %.
on the face there is an undertone OF de-
Snair the shadow az an early doom. As
left Jackson staring out into The London
fag his tall figure looking gigantic in the
gathering gloom. something IN his face
and form and the turn Of his head sug-
easted the Roman gladiator in the Louvre.
Il may have been the twilight but on the
g.. - tha nea-o fhA~a seemed 20 be the