Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-29
JEFFR|ES POSTS A
FORFEIT OF $4,000
Ex-Champion Deposits Sum to
Bind Match With Jack
Johnson.

fries. who held the heavyweight cham
pionship so long as he wished, and Jack
I Johnson, the present champion, will meet
| in battle to decide the question OF
which is worlds champion within five
| months. Yesterday afternoon Jeffries de-
posted a five-thousand-dollar forfeit with
| Robert Edgren, sporting editor of the
| Evening World, binding himself to en-
gage in a match with the negro. He
stipulated that the fight be from twenty
| to 100 rounds; that Johnson make a ten
! thousand-dollar side bet. and that the
fight be'held before the club offering the
largest purse
From Jackson. Mich, where Johnson
| is staying en- route to Detroit, comes
word that he is ready to meet JEFF in
| the squared circle. Johnson says he
will leave Chicago Monday night for this
city and cover Jeffries' forfeit. and that
| he will deposit a certified check for
Of defending the title which he claims
| as a result of a victory over Tommy
/ Burns.
| Both Jeffries and Johnson seem sin
cerely anxious to complete arrangements
| for the bout. Jeffries at the Albany
Hotel said he hoped Johnson was In
earnest in his repeated declaration that
! he wanted the match. Johnson from
| way out in Michigan made the statement
| that he is ready to fight at any time, and
| that he is confident he can defeat Jen
| inside of fifteen rounds. Furthermore.
he characterized Jeffries action in post
Ing the forfeit as bluff"
Now Up to Johnson.
| And yet the majority Of well informed
sporting men are of the opinion that
Jeffries will surely enter the ring with
Johnson. They point to the fact that
! the -boilermaker has posted his for
! felt, named his terms and only awaits
| the action of Johnson in covering the
| forfeit and signing the articles of agree
| ment. Sporting men believe it Is dis
| tinctly up to Johnson to make the next
( shuttle of the championship pack of
| cards.
| Making good his announcement that
he would post the forfeit to meet john
| son for the championship OF the world
JEFF placed five Observation-Disclosures bills
| in the hands of Mr.. Edgren at The
Albany at / O'Clock yesterday afternoon.
| Jeffrles had hardly settled himself in
his room when he wrote out a check for
5000; Berger crossed the street to a
| bank, cashed the check, returned and
deposited the amount OF the forfeit which
binds the big fellow to meet the present
| title holder.
There was no hesitancy in the pro-
ceedings. Jeffries deliberately drew his
check as if big bout were an every
day occurrence with him and the matter
of posting a forfeit and imposing con-
ditions Of a ten-thousand-dollar side bet a
mere trivality. Then he made his state
ment to the newspaper men huddled
| around him that he was ready to meet
| Johnson.
Forfeit Stops Gossip.
The posting of the 5000 emphatically
puts an end to the suspicious of many
followers of pugilism that he had no
intention of challenging Johnson for a
championship battle. The Californian
looked the picture OF health yesterday
when he alighted from the train at the
| Grand Central station He went directly
| to The Albany. accompanied by his wife
| and Sam Berger, his sparring partner
and manager.
In making the arrangements for the
| fight Jeffries doesn't concede johnson
to be the champion JEFF said he was
going to defend the title with which he
retired against the negro, and stipu
lated the bout be any number of rounds
ranging from twenty to a hundred. APP
parentiy he is SO satisfied with his
physical condition he is anxious to give
johnson chance to prove his ability
as champion in fight of any distance
and leave the choice of the number of
rounds with the negro.
AS quickly and methodically as he
settled the question of posting a forfeit
Jeffries dissipated the idea that he de-
sired fabulous purse In order to induce
him to meet the negro. He labeled the
story of his holdiRg out for a one-hun-
dred-thousand-dollar purse ridiculous
and said Johnson would have his say In
arranging for terms.
JEFF Satisfied With Action.
After the money was posted and the
little throng gathered in Jeff's room had
shaken his hand he smiled broadly, as IL
satisfied with the result of few pen
scratches. He had not intended putting
up the forfeit until later in the week.
but he posted the 5000 almost on the
spur of the moment Then, still smiling
broadly, he left his room. And so, for
all intents and purposes, the preliminary
arrangements for an epoch-making
prize fight were concluded.
Jeffries will sail for Europe within
few days He will go to Carlsbad and do
some of his preliminary training there
In the meantime Sam Berger will attend
to the details of the fight and receive
bids from the clubs throughout the coun-
try. When jeff returns he will begin his
training in earnest, and, according to his
statement, be ready to meet Johnson in
five months.
Weighing at the present time 235
pounds, Jeffries to a critical observer ap-
pears fit to enter the ring at almost a
moments notice. He is as enthusiastic
over the prospect Of coaxing johnson
into match as a schoolboy with a new
sled. Should Johnson by any chance re-
fuse to meet Jeffries it is likely jeff Will
claim the championship and defend it
against all Corners uD until Specified