Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1899-06-15


Julian was first and then came the
fighter. The seconds were next in line,
and then came two men bearing a
great floral piece that was almost
funereal in its appearance. 1t was
inscribed Good Luck to the Cham
pion,' but the flowers are wilted now.
Fitzsimmons bowed tremendously to it.
Jeffries came next into the arena.
and like his opponent, got a demon
strative reception. Fitzsimmons looked
lanky and thin, but his skin was clear,
his eye bright, and his step elastic.
He made great display of American
flags at his waist. Jeffries looked
sturdy and massive and seemed little
nervous. He got the worst of the
assignment of corners, for the great
lights shone into his face and he
blinked at them in nervous sort Of
way. Siler, too, looked colorless and
i'll at ease. r..-.,.... .......
There was no trying delay in the
ring and the gong sounded just as the
men had been presented and gloved.
When the squared off Jeffries looked
pounds to the good. The opening
round was tryout, pure and simple,
and not a single blow of an effective
nature was landed. First one was
the pacemaker and then the other es-
sayed the pressing. They were almost
equally active and the clever work
recompensed the crowd for the lack
of excitement. The second round be-
gan in abusiness like way with JEFF
fries trying his left. 4. FitZsimmons
then took turn, but was short. Just
as the round closed Jeffries downed
Fftzsimmons with a hard straight
left on the jaw. The champion came
up slowly in a dazed sort OF way and
reeled toward his man. The crowd
cheered Jeffries, but the gong ended
the round.
Fitzsimmons rallied in the rest, and
was aggressive again in the third.
The champion was bleeding, but fight
ing viciously. He made the pace, but
1t was the Californian's round. The
fourth was fast but not decisive.
Fitzsimmons made his best showing
in the fifth. He began the round
with punch that opened Jeffries' left
eye and sent little torrent of blood
coursing down his cheek. He forced
Jeffries against the ropes, but the Cab
ifornian slipped away from him. He
made Jeffries hug again, but then the
round ended and Jeffrias was back
and fighting. Fitzsimmons was the
aggressor in the sixth and that, too,
was his round. He tried all of his
tricks with left and right, but was
unable to place them right He closed
with a strong right uppercut, but that
too, was blocked. The seventh might
be said to have been Fitzsimmons'
but he dia no particular damage with
his punches.
The eighth saw the beginning of the
end. for FitZsimmons never regained
his balance after that round. Jefferies
began the round with straight left on
the face that again brought the blood
out of his opponents mouth. The
Cornishman staggered against the
ropes, but came back for another facer.
There was fear in the Fitzsimmons
corner and Julian yelled to Fitzsim-
mons to be careful. Fitzsimmons plant
ed one of his lefts on Jefferies' Jaw and
staggered him against the ropes. Fitz-
simmons looked like beaten man.
The ninth was all Jefferies' He sent
the Australians head back with a SER
les of lefts, put his right on the body
and avoided any serious punishment
FitzsimmOns kept pressing forward all
the time, but was unable to find his
opponent.
The tenth was in reality where the
fight ended. Jeffries rushed his op-
ponent and dOwned him with a left
swing. FitZsimmOns seemed out and
there was moment of the widest ex-
element. Julian ran along the side OF
the ring and sprinkled water on his
fallen idol. At the end of seven sec
onds Fitzsimmons staggered to his
feet, only to go down again. He was up
again and Jeffries poised himself for
the finish. He shot his left to the body
and tried for the head with his right.
He was calm and collected but the
time was too short. Again did the
gong come to the aid of the man who
was then going, staggering and dazed,
to certain defeat. There was a frantic
effort to revive the champion of cham
pionS, but he was clearly gone and his
seconds could not restore his energies.
The fate-like gong changed again and
the old fighter wabbled out to meet the
sturdy young Hercules who awaited
him. 1t was courageous and gritty, but
it was hopeless. 1t was a splendid mo-
ment and full of all that dramatic in
tensity that characteriZes a tragedy.
Jeffries was as fresh as at the start.
There was a moment of sparring and
the giant arms of the Californian shot
through the air. 1t was left and right
and over. FitZsimmons, limp and I'M
conscious, dropped to the floor.
Jeffries stepped back for he knew
the force that he had put behind his
terrible blows. The timers called out
the seconds that counted out an old
ring hero and heralded another, but
nobody heard them. The crowd was
on it's feet bowling. There was a rush
for the ring, but scores of blue-coats
barred the way. Ten seconds are short
and when the tenth had come there
was a new roar of excitement to well
come the victor.
Julian, Hickey, Henry and Ever
hardt gathered up the PROSTATE man.
He was still in trance. They carried
him to his corner and a little blood
ooZed from his mouth as his head fell
forward on his chest. The new hero
crossed the ring and shook the hand
of his rival, after which he was sur
rounded by his friends, who hustled
him from the ring and into his dress
ing room.
Jeffries had the good wishes of his
clergyman father out at Los Angeles,
Cal. This wire was placed in his hand
as he reached the ring:
Jim: We know you will win. Keep
good spirits; be confident of our bless
ing.
Father, Mother and Family"
The scenes enacted in the dressing
room OF Jeffries, which was only few
feet away from that occupied the de-
feated pugilist, were of the most joyful
character. Crowds of persons ham
mered at the door for admittance, all