The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-26
FITz WAS TRYING
TO PLEASE JULIA
Fought O'Brien to Rehabilitate
Himself in Chorus Girls
Affection.
journal Special Service.

Journal Special Service.
New York, Dec; 2e.-When Bob Fitzsimmons
fought Jack O'Brien at San Francisco last
Thursday night he knew, as he was beaten
down, that he Vas losing not only the fight, but
his wife The old warhorse Of the ring went
pose of winning additional fame and thru that
the love-or admiration-that his wife had held
for him when she first met him, and the gfamor
of victory that accompanied him wherever he
went. t.
Fitz knew whenever he entered the ring that
II he lost. his wife would desert him. From the
fact that she had sent him but one telegram
thru his weeks of training he inferred that
she not anxious for him to win. Neverthe-
less, he took a chance, and as he dropped in
punishment inflicted by O'Brien he saw in his
minds eye Julia Clifford Fitzsimmons packing
up and leaving the Portland hotel, where they
had boon living In this city.
A Quixotic Battle.
'It Is an actual fact" said one Of Fitzstm-
mons closest friends today, that the old man
sought a battle with O'Brien for the purpose Of
young wife. It is hard to associate anything
like sentiment with Bob F1tzsimmons, but he
went into that ring as much knight as any
helmeted and arrnored adventurer OF old to battle
for his lady fair.
'Ths marriage was a mistake anyhow. FitA's
wife, Rose Julian, had died about three months
before Bob met Miss Clifford. He was lone
some and he was attracted BY her pretty face
At that time he was In the height of his fame
money was coming 10 him in streams adulation
followed him from town to town. The girl
became infatuated with him and. after a Wild
lcoprtship in Chicago, they were married.
''Ha had been told that she had left her first
husband on his deathbed in Altoona, Pa, to
accept the attentions Of millionaire. But he
married Julia Clifford. and he entertained then,
and does now, a sincere affection for her. IN
der all his rough exterior Fitz has 4 childlika
simplicity that is pathetic at times.
Chorus Girl Bride.
''Bttzsimmons took his chorus-girl bride down
to Bensonhurst and placed her in the home with
his children BY his second wife, Rose Julian.
he had divorced his first. The lady Of the
footlights did not take kindly to life in Benson
hurst and caring for the boisterous F1tzsimmons
Children E1ts sent the little away to
school, but he soon saw that the fascination
he had aroused in the beginning disap-
''He took to giving his wife pieces Of jewelry
that had been left by Rose Julian Piece by
piece he handed over $4,000 worth. hoping thus
to fan into life the waning affection Of the
woman. He was not successful, and last sum-
1ner she ran away from him and went to
Paris.
tt would be extremely funny. You remember
that about that time F1tz bought toupee to
cover the bald spot on his head. Honestly he
love he had lost. He set off the wig with an
array Of clothes of the latest style, hurried
to Paris and did succeed in persuading his wife
to come back TO New York.
The Last Resort.
.'That was the beginning Of the end. They
were unhappy on the road with their show, and
when Fits closed and came back here It was with
the intention Of re-entering the ring and again
making himself hero In the eyes Of his
wife.
"If I can lick O'Brien,' he argued they'll
call me a wonder: it will show that not
old as I seem, and Julia will stand for me