The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-06-15
jim JEFFR|ES' FOLKS
And How They Take His Com
ing to Pugilistic Fame.
PARENTS | MIGHTY PI0US
But Proud of Their Big-Fisted
Son, Just the Same.

Two days after the fight the New York
World published the following dispatch
from Los Angeles:
1T was the Lords doing" Such IS the
simple verdict inspired by heartfelt faith.
that fell from the lips of the Rev. iona
than Jeffnes this morning as he listened 10
the tale of his sons proves. But he alb
hors the prize-ring as business. or says
he does.
The champions father stood beneath a
broad date palm on his ranch, near this
city.
Jefries, ST., Is a weird but imposing fig
ure. Clad in quasi-clerical garb, his long
locks, still raven black, curl over his
broad shoulders, his limbs are closely knit;
he is sturdy and erect although ne con-
fesses 10 three-score years.
For forty years ne titled the soil in Ohio,
and then, as he says, he had finished the
life of a natural man and turned his atten-
ton TO the cultivation of the spirit The
energy Of this simple but aggressive soul
has found a vent in an almost fanatical
religion. When ne is not hoeing his straw
berry beds or irrigating his orange trees
he is standing at the street corner exhert-
ing sinners TO repentance.
Jim is as yet but natural man." ne
said, as he stroked his patriarchal beard.
He may as we'll be following this devil
ment as any other devilment, but in the
fullness of time''-and he heaved a deep
sigh.
Jonathan Jeffries ia convinced that Of all
vanities the prize ring is the worst and
that Jins championship would be the key
to the gates of hell were it not that the
Lord had told him it is but a stepping
stone for his predestined career to succeed
his father in preaching the word and by
his pugilistlc fame to be stronger arm
on the Lords side in compelling the wick
ed to the narrow path.
And the Rev. Jonathan is much more
certain of this divine intention than he IS
that Fitzsimmons was whipped last night
by the son Of his body. He affects an in
difference to the Coney Island affair and
prefers to picture Jim's eventual diadems
within the pearly gates,
Lets see," began Mr.. Jeffries-"the old
lady will tell you if I'm wrOng-Jim was
rising seven when we left our old home
at Carroll, Fairfield county, Ohio, over
seventeen years ago, and a dapper little
fellow he was, the best of the bunch.
Well. I don't know; en-. Mother? The
Lord has given us ten and has taken two.
Seven of the eight are as hale and hearty
as any eyes could look upon, and the
other was born and bred right-aye! he
would have been finer man than jim till
the doctors spoiled his life, poor lad!
referring to Jims brother John, who
suffers from partial paralysis due, the
parents believe, to an overdose OF Gallo
meD.
yes. he comes Of a fighting stock,
though I'm man of peace. Mother there
is Just Pennsylvania Dutch. Her fathers
name was Boyer, and he was a scrapper.'
Now don't tell him that" interrupted
Mrs. Jeffries.
"But he was so, mother" resumed Pa
Jefries And don't they know it in Fair
| field county,"
.eWeu. I'm plain American of Scotch de-
scent. The Jeffries came TO Old Virginia
in the seventeenth century and lived IN
the Shenandoah Valley till my grandfath-
er migrated to Ohio. The Jeftries were
heard Of in the Revolutionary War and
| let me tell you, though we are quiet
and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS they never allow
ed themselves to be whipped.
eyes. I suppose Jim got his fighting
qualities from both sides Of the house.
Nv father has often told me tales OF
grandfather's mixing up in the musters OF
| old Virginia, and for purse, too and II 5
no use denying It, his grandfather Boye1
fought pitched battles IN Schuylkin coun-
". Pa. Ny mothers name was Bena-
dounn. plain Pennsylvania Dutch.
What kind Of a lad was jim? why ne
was always quiet and never quarrelsoHe.
remember ne did get into a couple OF
SCRAPS while at school-one with a boy
and the other with his master" and the
old man chuckled. Jim was never look
ing for trouble, but he could cope with II
when ne had to. remember his teilng
ne Of some boyish trouble az school when
the other fellow hit him. Jim didn't nit
hack al first. but Iisped (he's got over mat
now. Just hit me once more ana sel
mad The boy was rash enough 10 nj
our Jim again. The result 50 jim SAID.
Il
the boy Just rolled his eyes back Ike
sick calf as I brushed his back nair
| against the barn
.His row with his teacher on that
| wasn't much. Teacher thought he would
be funny. and was showing the boys ne"
20 plav ball. He took q special interest In
linn. and I guess wanted to see now much
ne would stand. 50 he hurried the bal! a.
/ inns head. i'm picked & Up and hurried y
hack right Into teachers face Only noca
harder than teacher had thrown u The
teacher said he had enough, AID Jeff jim
10 teach the other boys taA
He has always been clean straight
lad TIL ne took Up WIKI this devilu1eHi-
He has always worshlpped strsngfn. ard
some who think They're RS friends aave
aered him on. wasle the Lord de-igh-ein
70, in the strength q any mans legs
don't fuzt know how he first took 20 asai-
ing but he was always crazy 20 5EH
/ pair q boxing gloves He couldn't have
/ been more than fourteen years cd "aeH
ne we're walking down to7n ere Gay aial