The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-07-11
JOHNSON WOULD
NOT LAY DOWN.

From Salt Lake comes the rumor
that the 6ig fight held on the Fourth
at Reno. New. which resulted so dis
astrously to one James j Jeffries
was a gigantic swirdle In which JEFF
fries. his managers and trainers
were parties.
A Salt Lake newspaper says that
the story appears to have ample
verl1cat!on that an offer had been
made to Jack Johnson by q syndicate
to throw the fight TO Jeffries for big
monetary consideration. but was
iurued down by the fighter who would
rather be champion than king OF
ZulWland
The story goes on to say that at
the last minute when IL was founo
that the fight could not be "nxed."
.Jeffries realizing that his physical
condition was unfit to win him the
fight became nervous and he with
the members OF the alleged syndicate
wired their friends to get from un-
der and not to bet on the white
man. That Jeffries and his managers
knew he could not win the fight but
had hoped to arrange for the negro
to lay dom is the charge which is
made
While there may be nothing more
in the story, than that which Jeffries
admitted in,-hls statement after the
fight when he declared that he lack
ed steam which he attributed to
age and FIVE years OF idleness TO-.
lowing his retirement from the ring
yet there are many circumstances
NriEh hn oh n hi haI =
tie which have an element OF mys.
terry and which may or may not In
the course of time be satisfactorily
explained
To those who sat In the arena IN
der the glaring desert sun on July
18th and watched Jearies act as a
punching bag for. the negro fighter
during fifteen rounds there must
have been feeling that the public
had been imposed upon regarding the
white mans true physical condition.
For weeks preceding the fight the
newspaper correspondents sent out
the encouraging reports from Jeffries'
training camp at .loana Springs near
Reno He was described as being
better physically than he had ever
been before any of his other fights.
There was nothing to II but Jeffries.
A bet on his chances to win the
fight looked like lead pipe cinch.
He had not been In the ring more
than two rounds when 1t was noticed
by the thousands who were studying
his every movement, that he was fall
Ing far short OF the reports which had
been sent out regarding his condition.
From then until he was dropped like
log by right and left uppercuts
delivered by the negro fighter. he
staggered around the ring pitiful
spectacle TO behold.
Rumors have been ilying thick and
fast since the fight, Some say the
white man was "doped" Others say
he was on the verge OF nervous col.
lapse Either could be easily be-
lieved by those who saw him potter
ing around the ring like an old wo-
man shooing chickens from her lawn.
Did Jeffries know his real condition
and did he hope to have the fight
fixed for him to win? Was he
"doped' voluntarily or without his
knowledge before he entered the ring?
Did he and his managers make over
lures to Johnson and his managers to
throw the fight? These and thous'
and other questions are surging
through the minds of the fight fans
They may never be answered to the
entire satisfaction OF the public. but
there Is a chance that some additional
light may be thrown on the Reno af-
fair since Sam Berger, Jeffries' man
ager. announced significantly a few
days ago that there would probably
be a statement Issued by him and JEFF
fries In a short time.