The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-07-02
JOHNSON HASKIC
Big Fighter Objects to Arrange
ment of Ring.
He Demands More Space out
side the Ropes.
WAS IN GOOD HUMOR.
Chatted Pleasantly With Crowd
Around Car.
Rickard Says He'll Be Glad
When It's Over.

and general souabble over the details
of the ring and arena took new an
gle this morning when JACK Johiison
motered into the city in search VI Ae1
Eicxard. Johnson declared he was not
satisfied with the overhanGing Oh the
platform outside the ropes. The roped
souare is % feet and the platform IT.
self q. little over % feet. Johnson want
ed more space beyond the ropes di5u al
was after Rickard to see tnat an gu gu
oitfouaI foot all round is addeo' slVlhS
the usual two feet OF PLATFORM DeS
the ropes. =, .-,,
The big negro's appearance In town
created much interest and rush OF
.ew-con1ers for his motor whlcn are"
I'D in front of Richards hotel Johnson
came in as the guest of Dick SneVnn
the vale athlete. in the latter'S car. NO
sooner had it stopped in front OIL the
hotel than a curious throng Jammed
about it, staring at the big blacK ltSnl-
er who sat in the tonneau Laughing
end joking, apparently with no mo ustlt
of the great battle but two days OIL
whenever he comes to town, he dress
es in a loose fitting square cut pldck
suit with soft shirt, open at the
throat, and a Panama hat. rms garD
accentuates his size and ne LOOKS
among the crowd, seemingly as big as
eny other two men in sight. While ne
sat in the car today his golden smile,
flashed continually on the picturesque
throng pressing around him.
Rickard Slips Away.
lRickard came down from his room
about o'clock. He looked as tnougn
he had spent a restful night in spite
of the worries, and ever-recurring OBJ
stacles that have confronted him at al
most every step.
Suppose you'll be glad when it's
all over, Tex" was suggested.
col
But 1 feel fine today. Slept all
A swarm OF war correspondents
had already gathered in the hotel
lobby. They began a flank move
ment on the promoter, but he evaded
the rush and slipped across the street
TO a cafe for breakfast.
While johnson waited. Rickard was
breakfasting in seclusion and was not
to be found. However the discussion
regarding the ring between the fighter
and promoter would be held later in
the day. One of the first matters to
which Rickard was booked to give his
attention today was the putting up of
the balance OF the $101,000 purse.
Stakeholder big" Tim Sullivan al
ready has $4,000 of the money in
hand. Twenty thousand was deposited
in New York when the articles were
signed and $4,000 more went into
San Francisco bank vault about two
months ago. This amount was
brought to Reno and today $4,000
was added to it in local bank before
noon.
Celebrities Coming In.
Every train going east and west to-
day left many additions to the crowd
of prospective fight sports here
number of ring celebrities were due to
arrive in the latter part of the day. in
cluding Rob Fitzsimmons and Tom
no
men from all parts of the country. and
largo additions to the army of sporting
writers and literary men already
modified were expected.
With early hours of the morning the
city began to show something of the
excited expectancy that will not pass
away until the Fourth Is over Here
tofore there have been few of the fight
followers abroad before 10 o'clock in
the forenoon, most of the gossiping
and before the prize fight arguments
being confined to the afternoon and
evening and lasting until the wee sna'
hours of the morning.
Today, however. the hotel lobbies
were crowded before 9 o'clock. Crowds
rushed to the depot to meet every trair
ard the clamor welcome resounded
along the platform as the cars disgorg-
ed the dusty travellers.
'Well. how does it look now?" was
the first greeting from every new ar
den changes in the fight situation the
last week, any one who has been out
of touch with Reno for two days OF
more, feared that something else might
have happened to bring about another
change.
Everything fine and lovely was thC
reassuring response to all their inuJir-
les. The fighters ready, arena ready
and crowds coming in every minute.
Mrs. Jeffries in Reno.
While her husband played cards al
his Moana Springs cottage, and talked
of Truckee river trout, Mrs. James ]
Jefries, in the interests of the family
spent most of the morning in Reno
saving money in attorneys fees Fol
more than an hour she was in the Of
nee or the lawyer who drafted the con
tract between JeffrieS and the movins
picture concern to which the former
champion recently sold his share in tn,
Eiograph films, effecting u material re-
duction in the size of the original IS.
600 fee claimed by the man of law fo-
mis- services.
Jeffries Plays Hearts.
Jeffries Training Camp. Moan,
Springs, New, July "A game n
hearts conducted with a great deal O.
noise and jollity, occupied Jeffries mi
morning to the exclusion of an,
thought or consideration of the bat
tie on July Fourth. Frank cotot
champion wrestler and close frien,
to Jeffries. Dick Adams of the train
ing staff, Eddie Leonard and Harr,
Monahan were Jeffries rivals in n,
game. It was carried on for severa
hours during the forenoon and LET
fries laughed and shouted like
school boy He is riotously amuse,
when he is winning, but looks inst n
gloomy when he loses, although fif+
cents per game was the creates
amount at stake
Jeffries piled out of bed this morn
ing at Z o'clock. He went to hreai[