The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-11-04
JEFFRIES.

NEW YORK, Nov. 3.-James J. Jeffries
retains the championship of the world,
Referee George Siler giving him the de-
cision at the end of the twenty-fifth
round over Sailor Tom Sharkey, at the
Coney Island Sporting club tonight. 1t
was one Of the most marvellous battles
that has ever taken place, and the great
est crowd that ever gathered in the Coney
Island club house witnessed the desperate
struggle for supremacy.
In five rounds Jeffries had the better
of the fight, in the first two and in the
last three. During the other twenty
Sharkey forced the issue, and like a bull
terrier was at his man with both hands
increasingly. In these twenty rounds JEFF
fries great weight and Drawn helped
him to hold off the sailor, and in the
twenty-second round he swung a couple
of vicious upper-cuts that made Sharkey
groggy Tom came back again in the
twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth, but he
was weakened greatly by Jeffries vicious
blows One minute before the gong
sounded to end the fight Jeffries left
glove came off and practically the con-
test was over. The referee motioned JEFF
fries to his corner, an American flag was
swung around the champions shoulders,
and the crowd on that side of the arena
cheered wildly. The crowd on the oppo-
site side and in Sharkey's corner yelled
for Sharkey as the men were led to their
dressing rooms.
The thousands of spectators We're bank
ed fifty feet high in the building, the place
being packed from ringside to rafters'
and the aisles around the ring were lined.
The tremendous crowd sweated under the
glare of 4Oe arc lights. The heat was in
tense. The fighters were almost exhaust
ed. but the spectators shrieked themselves
hoarse.
1t seemed at first as though it would
be a short fight, for in the second round
Jeffries put the sailor to the ropes with
a left to the jaw, and the referee began
to call off the seconds as Sharkey knelt
on the floor.
But in the third round Sharkey, with
his vicious swings to the ribs and jaw
kept the crowd on its feet waiting for q
knockout Jeffries stood the terrible
punishment, and with his eye, ears and
nose cut, came back just as viciously II
the last three rounds and almost retrieved
himself. Then came the unsatisfactory
end of Jeffries' glove flying off, bringing
the fight to an end, although the crowd
urged Sharkey to rush in and end It,
This he tried to do, but Jeffries fought
him back, and Referee Siler rushed be-
tween them. 1t was noticeable that JET
fries used his weight to its best ad-
vantage, throwing himself on the sailor
but the latter did his share of the hug
ging, too, and both were warned repeat
edly.
TEN THOUSAND PRESENT.
Ten thousand spectators gathered
around the ringside. Though Coney ISL
and was swept by a gale the cars came
down crowded to the guards in a swiftly
moving line, and the throng made for
the narrow entrance leading to the arena
At S:45 there were $500 in the building
and later the boxes filled to overfowing
All manner of men were there, and
among those we'll known were James j.
Corbett and John L. Sullivan, former
champions; Kid Mccoy, Peter Maher
Tim Kearns, George Dixon, Senator Tim
Sullivan ard Assemblyman Timothy P
Sullivan, Jacob Schaefer and George
Slosson, Frank Hutchinson and Parsor
Davies, of Chicago; Gus Ruhlin, Dave
Gideon, Mike Donovan, Chief of Police
O'Mara, of Pittsburg; Police Commis-
sioner Sexton, Ed Delaney, of Salt Lake
City; Assemblyman Hamburger, registered
from Maine; Michael Dyer and Benny
Jacobs, of Detroit.
A preliminary event of ten rounds, at
12S pounds, preceded the big event, and
Kid Goulette. of Rochester, who looked
a great deal like Jeffries on a small
scale, was beaten by Tommy Moran, OF
Brooklyn.
Then, after half an hours delay, Tom
Sharkey courd be seen making his way
through the crowd. He was well re-
ceived, but Jeffries was cheered to the
echo Sharkey had on green trunks
with an American flag for a belt, and
the champion wore black Jeffries had
behind him Billy Delaney, Ernest Roeber
Tommy Ryan and his brother, Jack JEFF
fries
Sharkey was led to the southwest cor
ner by Tom O 'Rourke, and was attended
by George Dixon, Morris Kelly and Tim
McGrath, O'Rourke experimenting the
entire proceedings. George Siler ref
creed.
Jeffries weighed 212 pounds, and Shar-
key twenty-five pounds less, but the lat
ter rocked to be in better condition, the
Californian being sallow, and having
staring eyes, and giving other evidences
of not the best condition. The betting
at the start was 100 to 20 on Jeffries.
JEFFRIES STARTS WELL
They shook hands and shaped up we'll.
Jeffries led and landed several times,
but was generally over or under. On the