The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-05-09
Big Fellow Loosens Up Following
the Charge of Commercialism
by the Papers.
NEWSPAPER REPORTERS
RESENTED TREATMENT
Wrote Numerous Stories Connect
ing Camp With Gambling
Club That Was Establish
ed Nearby.

CAMP ROWARDENNAN. BEN
LOMOND, CAL. May s.--lf YOU are
anxious to talk or to listen to talk
about the coming pugilisue contro-
versy which is expected to settle the
tbstic supremacy as between the eau
casion and the African races, this Is
no place for you. Anomalous as II
may appear TO the gentle reader, 1t
Is fact that one may hear more
fight talk ia almost any American
rendezvous of a Young Mems Chris
tian Association than passes current
right here in the innermost sanctuary
of the James j. Jeffries training camp.
The palpable reason Ia that the i'm
perious JEFF won't have it he VIII
neither discuss the fight himself nor
will he permit its discussion in ms
presence. The big fellow is not much
OF conversational artist at best, but
III he feels in good humor and to
have forgotten for the moment what
most of his acquaintance have come
to regard as chronic crouch about
nobody knows what, he will chat on
any topic within the rather narrow
range OF his mental gamut---tnat Is
to say. any topic except the fight
That particular subject Is positively
tabooed.
Many OF the newspaper men who
have come here with the iaudabie
hope of fathoming Jeffries' innermost
thought on the ene theme over which
tistiana will continue to be convulseu
with until next Independence bay have
gone home sadder but wiser men.
One such, whom the burly fighter
described not inaptly as "a cub re-
porter" sailed into camp breeziiy
enough q few days ago and thus
hailed the mighty one as the tighter
stretched his limbs and raised ms
huge torso from the outdoor couch
on the porch, where ne sleeps by pref
erence in good weather:
Hello. Jeff. How do You feel ?
How many rounds do you think Ii will
take 10 whip the nigger?"
He who must be obeyed simply
snorted and turned over upon the
postprandiai couch. Narrating the
incident afterward. when the crest
, fallen cub had returned to San fran
cisco with an empty news basket.
Jenries said with a grunt OF disgust;
II am her to train and not to an
swer fool questions. If l could tell
the idiot to-day how long it would
take me to whip johnson, what would
be here fer sweating and working
like horse from sunrise to dark
~. SonS au0 hoAtus pS1oFe the
fight?"
The Comnercialism,
This type of reportorial running
amuek has done much to make Jefr
ana his training associates gruffiy i'm
tolerant OF all journalistic agents, III
eiadinE the newspaper photographers
VINO have beset his waking hours ana
have respected his hours OF sleeu
only because night lights are not good
for photography Some of the San
Francisco newspapers have bitterly
resented what they regarded az caya.
lier treatment anad, as a result, tbs
Rowardennan camp has come In for 9
lot or eartcaturtng and warm roast
Ing. There were charges that q GER.
tain local photographer. who appear.
ed to enjoy unusual facilities, hao
been granted pictorial monopoly. A
circular latter sent cut ipnr-aat,-tt
the newspapers OF the country. with
the apparent sanction Of Sam Berger
Jeffries manager, was made the foun-
dation for like charges OF an attempt
to monopolize news reports from the
training camp. OF course. both Jeff
| fries and Berger have Indignantly
repudiated all interest in any attempt
ed news and picture trust. but charges
OF rank eommercialism have been rife
here, nevertheless.
On the very day the training camp
was opened there arrived, one from
/ Frisco and tne other from Omaha, q
| pair OF accomplished professional
gamblers. who promptly took posses
sion of one OF the most commodious
of the rustic cottages which com
prises the Rowardennan colony and
soon had Installed therein a beautiful
aggregation of faro. roulette. crap and
poker lay-outs Evenings were rather
dull In the camp. They undertook
to provide some diversion. and for q
night or two they did. Az a resul,
of the first innings 4 San Francisco
wine agent and German count, who
wRs DING America. were retired to
the players bench In short order, and
certain California scfibes and photo
| graphers had three baxgers batted
! Through their expense accounts,
Then there were more accusations
OF commercfalism. JefYrfes and Der.
ger again repudiated and prots sted
They had nothing to do with the gen
tlemen who provided the evening
entertainment. they said. The hotel
Imanager--that L.. II the rustic bunga-
low may be called hotel and IL /,
may be said to have been managed
also did some repudlAtiug. And when
1.-The Frisco newspapers continued theis
roastx and made them more venomcus
| the n1AnAgeks who y giffed ~ ~
Ipaytea rolnnrked: n WITH III