The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-31
NATIONALS END WEEK WINNING THREE OUT OF SEVEN
PATRICK O'CONNOR SAYS
NEGRO FOULED JEFFRIES
Well Known Washington Referee Tells Interesting
Story of Trip to Reno and Journey TO the Coast
By WINFIELD H. SCOTT.

2. r. O'Conner, Of 6l7 D street, the
well-known referee, who has recently
arrived from the scene Of the Jeffr:es-
Johnson fight at Reno. New, has the
following 10 say: Il arrived in Reno
in ample time 10 witness the hght, and
lost no time IN beating il for the train
ing camp Of Jeffries. at Monah, a short
distance from the city. Jen was work
ing away for dear life when I arrived;
in fact he was so busy that didn't
even have the opportunity TO talk with
him. This was one week previous 70 the
fight. Jens physical condition was up
10 the news reports \in every respect.
he was as near perfect as one could
wish. 7 dropped in 70 watch him at
work again the Sunday before the fight.
II ever a person was surprised, II was
I I had to pinch myself TO see if I was
awake. Surely thss man before me
was not the same had seen one week
ago. JEFF appeared drawn, there was no
snap to his work: IN short he was not in
condition. / didn't have an opportunity
10 witness Johnson in training, nor was
I able 70 meet him until after the fight
ION one Of my daily visits 10 Jeffries'
quarters a little incident occurred which
set me thinking. II was the day before
the bout and I was sitting out on the
porch OF Jefries' house talking with
sam Berger, Jenries' manager, when a
note was thrust into his hands.
JeH and Berger Disappear.
The contents were evidently not
pleasing TO Berger. and must have cor
cerned Jeffries. for ne beckoned for Jim
10 come over 10 him. The two walked
of q little. and Immediately entered into
a heated discussion. which lasted fifteen
minutes. after which they entered an
automobile and were gone for two hours.
The contents OF that note must have
been very important 20 have forced JEFF
into dropping his training duties for two
hours on the eve Of the fight. Il looked
very much 10 me as If Jehries' hackers
had banked upon buying Johnson Of.
and upon being unable 10 cough up the
/ necessary Bribe az the last minute, had
! endeavored 70 persuade Johnson 10 wait
until the day of the fight 10 be paid.
whereCpon the black simply worked the
double cross.
lust after the fight 7 saw Jeffries ana
/ asked him the reason for his being in
such poor condition. His answer was
this I never was in condition. and
upon being pressed further for an expla-
I nation OF his defeat. he said: II viii ali
come out in the wash.
Everybody knows that the regulation
prize ring should be inclosed with three
ropes. The ring at Reno, nevertheless,
had only two. which explains Jeffries be-
/ ing knocked over into the crowd. When
JEFF stepped into the ring I felt in nv
heart that he was going 10 lose. One had
only 10 compare the facial expressions Of
the fighters 10 be convinced that some
thing was wrong with Jeffries. JEFF stood
with his legs apart. his head cast down.
and a look on his face which was pitiful
20 behold. whereas johnson looked as gay
as q lord
-Jeffries was really beaten before he
entered the ring; and goodness knows he
didn't have a chance in the worh after
once starting. Jim looked more Ike a
/ case for doctor instead Of about 10 do
battle for the championship title Of The
world.
Speaking Of the fight. why. there was
no fighting until after the fifth round,
and even then there was not much 70
speak OF. I witnessed several iour-TOund
bouts while in san Francisco at Dream
land Rink, every one Of which had this
fight beat ffty-seven different ways.
Plenty OF wrestling.
The first round was pretty good in1t-
tation Of a wrestling match. the two men
being continually in a clinch. Johnson
delivered some Of his most deadly and
telling blows while in the ciinches.
The first time Jen was knocked down
he rose slowly to his knee. and while in
the act Of rising from this position john
son struck him. committing a plain foul.
but the crowd. as well as the referee.
were way UP in the clouds somewhere and
II escaped their notice. Jeffries was
really put down for the count three times
by the big black, but the referee couldD' {
see II that way.
Jack Johnson's wife attended the fight.
occupying a seat only a short distance
from me. She went up on the platform
10 see Johnson after the fight was over.
'Jenries sought to slip away unseen
J after the battle but friend Of mine put
me wise. and I managed 10 catch up
! with him while he was in the act OF
boarding the train. expressed my SYM
pathy and wished him the best luck in
the world. but he remained mute, only
shaking his head and muttering TO him
self under his breath. / was told on
good authority that Corbett. on the
night before the fight, telegraphed his
friends in New York. telling them 10
! put all the money they could dig up on
Johnson
The day before the fight Bob Fitzsim-
mons was tenderedSthe warmest and big
gest reception by his friends that was
ever paid to any fighter IN the history
of the game. The blowout was held al
the Golden Hotel, where all Of JEFF S
Continued on Page 3, Column 6.