The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-06-10
But the Big Californian Had All
the Best Of 1t.
His Man Down I'm Second Round
and Had Him Beaten i'm Tenth.

Coaey Island, NY, June 9.-James J.
Jefferies, another study young giant, has
come out of the West to whip Champion
pugilists. At the arena of the Coney ISL
and Athletic club tonight he defeated
Robert Fitzsimmons, worlds champion
in two classes-m s-middleweight and heavy
weight-in IL rounds of whirlwind fight
ing. He came to the ring a rank OUT
slider, and left 1t the acknowledged mas
ter OF the man he defeated.
He was never at any time in serious
er rounds of the contest took the lead
and was never headed. He had the Aus
tralian whipped from the ninth round,
and would have ended it in the tenth,
but for the lack of time. 1t was ack-
nowledged that Jeffries would have an
immense advantage In weight, height and
age, but the thousands who tipped and
backed his opponent to win were sure
that he was slow and that he would in
that respect be absolutely at the mercy
of the postmaster at the science of fight
ing that he was to meet. He proved on
the contrary that be was just as fast as
the man he met and he beat him down to
unconscious defeat in fair fight. He is
q veritable giant in stature and marvel
ously speedy for his immense size. Less
than year ago, he appeared in New
York q great, awkward, ungainly boy.
Today he is the 1.-THE, active, aleI t.
trained athlete. The men who prepared
him for his fight worked wonders with
him. They taught him a nearly per-
feet defense, improved his foot movement
and instructed him in the methods of
inflicting punishment. The transition
E-nce he appeared last has been little
short of miraculous. At "a. he has de-
feated Robert Fitzsimmons, Tom Sharkey
and Peter jackson, and If heScares for
himself he win probably be able to sue
cessfully defend the title for many years.
The defeated man was just as good as
when on the crispy morning on the
plains of 81 far away Nevada, he lowered
the colors of the then peerless Corbett.
He was just as active. just as claver, just
as tricky and just as fearless of punish
ment. He went unfalteriEgly To his de-
feat. He was the aggressor even at mo-
ments when he was blesding and un-
HtEdQy huu Wuou bbuuHCu Dy Vic biOW5 ho
received he reeled instinotively toward
his opponent. He was fighting all the
time and punished his opponent, but
found him a different opponent than any
he had met and difficult man to fight.
Jeffries fought from a crouching attitude
that was hard to get at. He held his
head low, his back was bent down and
his left arm WAS extended. he kent jab-
bing away with the left aud found no
trouble IN landing it. 1t was there that
his superior reach told. That giant arm
served as o sort OF human fender to ward
off danger. he showed an excellent de-
tense and the ability TO use both hands
shrank from punishment. ID was
great fight to watch and commenced and
ended amid scenes OF intense excite
ment. It was all very dramatic. The
men fought before a crowd OF 5000 persons
and stood up in a great beam or blind
ing white light. 1t WAS like thousand
calciums and at showed their great white
bodies in strange relief. When the blood
came 1t was OF an intenser red than
usual, There was not a suggestion of
Interference from the police. Chief
Deyerys occupied seat by the ring side.
but never entered the ring. When IL was
all over he sent Capt kenney in to clean
the ring. The contest was pulled off
without wrangle and was devoid of the
brutal elements that Chief Devery al
legged he feared. Neser was a crowd
handled with greater order and less fric-
tion. 1t was all perfectly orderly. There
was absolutely no confusion attendant up-
on the assem- blage The lateness of the
hour at which the contestants were an
nouuced to appear kept the crowd from
seeking the Coney Island club house very
early ana Coney with its merry go
rounds, Ferris wheels, Eiffel towers,
giided cafes. jugglers and bespangled
cancers furnished
| furnished ample amusement and enter.
tainment during the wait. Every ywhere
was the buzz of conversation freighted
with fight talk. Enthusiasts toutei
| their favoritas. Here Fitzsimmons would
win in walk; there Jeffries was a
sure victor. Through it all there was very
little betting. There was plenty of money
ready on both sides bat nobody liked the
| odds.
1 The Jeffries people wanted 2 for for
their collateral and the Fitzsimmons
people were slow IN give it. The great
mouse filled very slowly and 1t was after
nine before the police had TO bestir them,
selves and clear the aisles. Time seemed
TO drag and the absence of any prelimi
nary contests gave fha crowd a fiQht ap