The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-07-16
BOYHOOD OF JEFFRIES
THE CHAMPION PUGILISTss FAITH
ER TELLS HOW HE TRAINED
HIM
HE USED TO BRUSH" JIM

When He Thought He Needed It
Early characteristics of the
Greatest Pugilist in America
How He Thrashed a Man Who In
suited His Preacher Father
Wants Him to he a Good Fighter.
Rev. Alexander Jeffries. of Los Ange-
les. father of the worlds champion
pugiIist. gives this account of "Jim's'
training:
Twenty years ago little thought that
1 was training the future champion heavy
weight of the world. AS I look back
now L can remember mainly two things
I asked of him-to. obey his parents and
to do what he did with all his might.
II used to brush Jim when 1 thought
he needed it. 1 remember one time 1
heard him singing an ugly song. He kept
me, and 1 told him to quit 1 always
made 1t rule to tell Jim only once what
I wanted him to do. So, too, with his
brothers. Well. the music went on. in
spite of my warning, and I went after
him. 1t was all over in the first round.
Jim never sang questionable songs after
that.
Whenever I told him anything he
knew 1 meant it. I always dealt firmly
with every one of the boys. and Mrs.
Jeffries also was reso:ute. While I rare
ly rcsorted to corporal punishment as a
means of discipline, 1 found a little strap
pretty wholesome once in a while.
never objected to the boys having their
fun, but sometimes they went too far
st remember one incident that made
me mighty proud of Jim when he was
lad In his teens, muscular and large for
his age. We were holding a revival in
big tent not far from Los Angeles. The
crowd had arrived and everything . ent
on smoothly till 1 began speaking. L do
not recall what I said, but it was con-
corning salvation and the means of
reaching it.
You're a liar, sir. and a hypocrite!
shouted a quarrelsome fellow in the back
part of the tent, glaring straight at me-
1.-THE next thing he knew my boy Jim
had taken him by the neck and pitched
him bodily out of the tent, and warned
him to be a little more decorous at fut-
ure meetings Jim often attended my
meetings after that.
LAS a boy he never bothered himself
much about the girls, and he would
have no foolishness.- You never saw
more earnest, determined fellow. His
cherished hope was to come to the front
honestly. In school he liked history.
If he ever had an enemy I never heard
of it. The champion of the world as
they call him now, was always quiet and
attended to his own business. When he
was twenty-one years old he said to me:
FEATHER, 1 have stayed at home up to
this time; today 1 must begin hustling
for myself
so Jim began hustling.
His temper was generally well under
control, but it was risky business TO go
too far with him. That is sure. of course,
with all men Of controllable tempers. L
love all my sons and daughters alike.
but 1 must say that Jim was an obedient
boy, and has worked hard for what he
now calls success.
Though I seldom whipped him, I never
every father should talk to his child.
Where did Jim get his fighting quail
ties? He inherited them. I never was
a fighter, but my father used to tell me
that some day 1 would do a man up
and get a rope about my neck. 1 was
always good natured until they got me
very angry. l could endure a great deal,
but when the breaking point came they
had to look out. I have never fought
a man and have always passed a peace
full life. When 1 came across bully or
a scOundrel who wanted to make trouble
I have always taken them by the slack
of their clothes and kicked them out.
would not hit them, but just kick them
away from me. AS 1 said, Jim generally
held his temper, but when he did get
angry he meant it.
Seventeen years ago we moved from
near the town of Lancaster. o.. to Los
Angeles. where l bought a little farm
of 100 acres. We still live on part of this
land and it was here that Jim learned
his trade. 1 think he was about fifteen
years old when the idea of winning the
championship belt first came tn his mind