Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-07-06
Jeffries' Mind Lost All
Control Over Body.
He Remembered Little That
Went on in Ring.
Campaign Begias Against exhibi'
ton Of Fight Pictures.


fries. whose great ring career came to
pitifu end when he fell yesterday
before Champion Jack Johnson, left
the scene of his defeat tonight, for his
Alfalfa ranch in southern California.
There is the quiet of his fields, sur
rounded by the hills the loves he Will
try to forget In the meantime he Will
spend few days in San Francisco.
on the way Strengthening out his bust
ness affairs.
The Jeffres car was hitched to the
regular evening train. He motored in
to Reno from his camp at Moana
Springs with Sam Berger and other
members of his party an hour before
train time and hid himself as soon as
possible from the curious gaze of the
crowd that still thrOnged the streets.
In his every stumbling movement. in
his bowed head, in the depths of his
sombre eyes in the nervous rubbing of
his swollen face and blackened eyes.
in his almost tmid shrinking from the
public. Jeffries showed that his defeat
had dealt him terrible blow.
There was silence as he passed
through the streets. Men rushed from
word of taunt or derision was thrown
at him. Those who saw that fight, and
that includes nearly everybody in
Reno, felt that Jeffries did his best.
AS Jeffries' train started West
somewhere in the desert to the East
a band of Negroes were journeying to
Chicago with Jack Johnson. with the
banner of the worlds championship
floating from the car window
Special trains left Reno all last night
and all today trying to get the 10000
visitors back home. Thousands stood
for hours. grips in hand. waiting to
chamber into the first available train.
Thousands gave it up and decided to
wait for lighter traffic.
AS consequence the gambling
houses We're running full blast tonight
and the main street presents the
aspect OF frontier mining camp at
the height of gold strike.
A determined effort was made by
losers in the fight betting to recoup
losses. The financial condition of hun
dreds was hit by the fight and the
game is desperate
Tho lack OF johnson money was Il
surprise. The largest individual loss on
record in the pool room was that suf-
fered by Clarence Berry, Il California
oil operator. He bet $4,000 on .teffries.
Among the sporting men left there Is
not a dissenting opinion as to the JUS
tice Of the fights end. Many have
nothing but their return tickets to
show for their judgment on the out
come. but no one says that Jeffries
ever had "A chance with the Negro, af-
ter the fight began Johnsons GOODNESS
in the ring. the terrible power of his
punches, his marvellous judgment OF
distances and his almost pncanny
auickness and boxing skill. are the talk
of the town. Men are living the fight
over. round by round. AS long as they
live they never will forget the pitiful
aspect of Jcffries at the mercy Of the
black panther in the 18th round.
What was the matter with JEFF
fries ," some asked. A Well-knoWn
sporting authority who talked with
Jeffrles this morning. answered the
question
He was whipped before he left Mo
ana Springs for the ringside," said this
man He felt that he was to fall be-
fore the Negro and it was too much
for him to face. AS the hour approach
ed his nervous condition became such
that his mind lost all control over his
body. It began Saturday and indicat-
ed itself in various ways
SUNDAY night he did not sleep ii
wink. but walked about his room and
looked out of the windows. Yesterday
morning he ate little breakfast When
he sat in the corner in the ring. Choyn-
ski, as he wrapped his hands. exclaim-
ed Why. Jim. your hands are as cold
as ice and clammy.' His seconds
thought even then that he was only
little nervous. and that he would get
over it in the fight
when I asked him today what he
remembered from the time he entered
the ring, he replied: Well. I remem-
Der sitting in the corner and getting
up and not being able to get my arms
up right really don't remember
much about what I did.