The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-23
JOHNSON FOOLED
BY JEFF THOMPSON.

New York, August AT last there is
a glimmer of hope that we shall yet see
James ]. Jeffries and Jack Johnson in
the ring, If only for few minutes. Jack
Johnson met Sam Berger, manager of the
retired champion, in Chicago, and a pre-
liminary agreement was drawn up and a
permanent stakeholder selected. But Mr..
Sam Berger had to use his wits to ac-
complish what he did. 1t will be remem-
bered that Mr. Johnson, while in Detroit,
loudly proclaimed that Jeffries must meet
him before he sailed for Europe and
come to some agreement. or say that he
was bluffing. Just then Mr.. johnson had
vaudeville engagement In Toronto, and
needed the advertising very badly. Mr..
Johnson knew that jeff was booked to
sail for Europe on August 5, and that he
Gohnson) would be in New York on the
same date But bless your heart, what
did l tell you last week? You couldn't
have induced the big negro to come with
in hundred miles of Jeffries for any
amount of money. The day that Jeffries
sailed Johnson was trying to explain to
a Canadian magistrate that he didn't
mean to run into an automobile with
his own car, but the magistrate had his
own idea of what Mr.. johnson meant
and remanded the negro to a Canadian
lookup until he could furnish bail. which
was later in the day put up so the negros
vaudeville engagement would not be in
terfered with.
According to all reports Mr.. Johnson
did not get very cordial reception in
the Canadian metropolis, and Torontos
music hall managers will be trifie wary
in the future about booking the big black,
unless he should whip Jeffries-which he
will never do.
But about the Berger-J ohnson meet
ing. Berger heard that Johnson intended
leaving for San Francisco on August IL
and wired a sporting man in Chicago
asking if Jack would not postpone his
coast trip for "A hours until he (Berger)
could get TO Chicago. Hours elapsed and
no reply, and Sam went to bed. About
O'Clock on the morning of August 10
Sam was awakened by a bellboy of the
Albany hotel, who handed him a mes
sage which said that Johnson would not
postpone his trip Sam sat down on the
bed and thought And then he thought
again. Then he called a messenger and
sent a message which said that he could
not possibly reach Chicago before Thurs
day, August T. Did Sam return to bed?
Not on your Samuel He dressed, went
down to the hotel office and instructed
the clerk to inform all callers that he
was i'll and unable to see anyone. Then
Samuel hurried to ticket office, got his
transportation and boarded a Twentieth
Century f1ier for Chicago. Mr.. Johnson
was seated in the most comfortable chair
in the lobby of his hotel in Chicago when
a bellboy handed him card, which read:
Samuel Berger New York, representing
James ]. Jeffries. champion heavyweight
pugilist OF the world Mr.. Johnson had
been fairly caught. There was no escape.
After hours of haggling, a tentative
agreement was drawn up which must be
ratified by the principals within so days,
the fight to take place within six months
after signing of the final papers.
Friends of Jeffries are wondering what
excuse johnson will invent for his fail
ure to meet Jeffries on the latters re-
| turn from Europe four weeks hence.