Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-30
AEIL DROPS FROM
SIGHT SUDDENLY.
SEARCEERS FIND HIM CALMLY
FISHING
"Papa Jim" ls Given a Great Friaht
for About Thirty Minutes
While Frankie Is
Missing

Santa Monica was alive--for a few
minutes, at least-yesterday
When the report that frankie Neil
had disappeared circulated among the
residents of the seaside town there
was stir and hustle among the sand
dunes that has not been seen in many
- day. and the whole town shook itself
to get busy and join in the search for
the bantamweight champion.
After endless agony and much search
Ing the dwellers by the sea discov-
cred that they had been deceived and
the town resumed its normal stiffness.
The whole thing came about in this
way:
About o'clock yesterday morning
frankie started on his usual run to
the long wharf and back, being cheered
on his way by papa Jim and retinue
of trainers. The little champion started
out like a Marathon race winner, and
Jim Neil looked, at his watch with the
remark, Hell be back in thirty-two
minutes on this trip"
Jim went back into the bath house
and regaled the bunch with stories
of how he used to put them away at
Emeryville before the big shake-up,
and just what would have happened if
the referee hadn't stayed in the ring
when frankie fought Bowker in
London.
Makes Announcement
He was just winding up a story of
what would have happened when he
looked at his timepiece. Great Scottn
he hollered, THE kids been gone
thirty-eight minutes"
All hands at, once started for the
beach to hunt the missing one, but they
only strained their optics gazing up the
sands for the trim little fighter. There
was no frankie in sight
"Call out the police department. &"
said Jim.
"Get the Pinkertons on the telephone
wire" broke in another busy one.
There was con sternation on all sides,
not cool head in the party being able
to show its true worth and organize
anything that looked like a search ex-
pedition.
Finally the still Swede, the pride of
Santa Monica, broke into the glare of
the calcium as the real and only man
of brains,)
"Why not go toward the long wharf
and look for the lxid?" murmured the
Swede in Jim's ear, and the word to
proceed was given on the instant. 1t
took the entire bunch but eighteen min
utes by Jim Neil'S watch to make the
three odd miles to the wharf, and all
the way the various members of the
expedition were voicing conjectures as
to what had happened to the pride of
papa Jim's heart.
Arriving at the shore end Of the pier
there was no sign of the wayward
one.
The word to proceed was given and
with one accord the party pushed on
toward the coal bunkers.
Sees Son in Distance
At the sight of a figure clad in a
brown sweater and faded trousers papa
Jim left the rest of the bunch as though
it was standing still.
There he is he yelled. "Thank
heaven, he's safe!"
When the remainder of the group
from Santa Monica arrived at the spot
they found the bantamweight champion
pulling for dear life on the working
end of rod, rolling in and letting out
for all he was worth. All overtures
toward word with the little fellow
were of no avail, for he refused to be
distracted, and the party sat them
selves down to await his pleasure.
Finally, after frankie had debated
the question between the rod and reel
for twenty minutes or more, about six
pounds of yellowtail came to the surface
and allowed the gaff to be stuck under
its tired jaws. The fish was a game
one, and even on the way up from the
water to the pier tried to flop loose and
return to the briny, but its efforts were
useless
"Well for theN lands sake son." is
that what you've been spending your
valuable time over?" said Papa Neil,
when he saw what Franke's efforts as
an angler had produced.
"Sure thing, pop" said frankie, as
soon as he could get his breath.
Proud of Trophy
"One of these wise longsh oremen
around here told me it was a Jewish 1
had snagged. and it was cinch that
if let it get away from me it would
bring me bad luck next week. Anyway,
if it amt Abe Attells kind of a fish
It gave me an awful fight, and I'm glad
the referee gave me the decision
The fishing trip wasn't all frankie
did yesterday by a long ways. After he
got back to the bath house and had his
rub down he went through a course
with the bag and, for the first time
since he has been training for the com
ing fight, spared a few rounds with one
the camp attendants.
frankie is in the finest kind of fettle,
and unless it rs all bull, Abe Attell will
need all his cleverness to save himself
from knockout at the hands of the
bantam, who is determined to take his
measure next "Wednesday.