The Washington herald., 1910-07-05
r0Wds her Long Before
Honr for Fight.
BOTH SEXES AND ALL AGES
Very Little Humor Is Manifested and
Interest Grows Intense ms Each
Roand Is Reported, Showing the
Uncertainty Of the Resuft-NegrO
supporters of johnson Delighted.


in the crowd gathered. Venturesome boys
perched on the window-sills OF the Hibbs
Building and other structures across the
way. and By the time the men entered
IN ering at Reno, Fifteenth street above
New York avenue was practically impass-
able.
The original megaphone man was at
his best-and throatiest. With nineteen
cylinder lung power behind the big mega
phone which hung suspended from win
dow in the editorial rooms, his voice rang
out as clear as an opera singer
distinct. if not so melodious-so that Il
could he heard block away. AS soon as
the megaphone began 10 announce that
the fighters were entering the ring people
driving by in their carriages and auto
mobiles drew up TO the curb and there
remained until the result of the fifteenth
round was proclaimed.
NOtabies Eager Listeners.
It was, too. in all respects a cookbook
ing crowd. It Is not necessary 70 men
ton any names. but in the crowd were
many prominent business and profess
sional men and not few members Of
Congress whom business has so far de-
tanned at the Capital.
From building line to building line they
were wedged. good-humored, well-be-
haved, and expectant throng of humanity,
absorbing eagerly all the news and re
warding the megaphone man with a
cheer every once in awhile to keep him
in spirits
1t was a Jeffries crowd. although from
; the very beginning the Reno dispatches
from The washington Herald's corps Of
experts had indicated that Johnson would
be returned the victor. Frequently one
could hear the expression Of hope that
Jeffries might win, but nearly always
there was some one TO quote from The
Washington Herald to the effect that the
white pugiiist was not in condition and
did not have a chance.
Make Way for Ambulance.
It was when the excitement was at its
height-about the seventh round-that
the changing of a bell was heard. and
the old reliable megaphone man shouted:
Look out for the ambulance
With good-natured laugh the crowd
separated, leaving lane in the center Of
the street just wide enough for the am
bulanee 70 pass. and at full speed it
dashed through the opening on its err
rand of mercy. Two seconds afterward
the street was again so packed with hu-
manity that no one could have passed
There was applause throughout the
reading Of the returns, chiefly when JEFF
fries landed. The news was one-sided in
the main. The crowd was mostly COM
posed of white people As the returns
showed the marvellous exhibition of skill
the negro was giving there were cheers.
BY the time the news of the tenth
round had been given out. there seemed
To be a general feeling among the throng
that the end was in sight
Just as Mike Murphy said 1t would
be"
"Jehries didn't train"
Youth will be served"
He couldn't come back"
As the Battle Went On.
Those were some Of the expressions
you could hear as the rounds came in
and the megaphone man, his husky voice
as loud and resonant as ever, reeled off
the story Of the white mans disaster.
1t was while the megaphone man was
reading the ending Of the twelfth round
that the flash" came over the wire tell
ing the world that it was all over and
that the negro was still champion heavy
weight Of the world There was no DELAY
in announcing the news. The megaphone
man at once stopped the detailed story
he was giving and in a bit louder voice
than he had yet used, cried:
The fight is over. Johnson wins In
the fifteenth round"
To most Of the crowd in front Of The
Washington Herald the end was a dis.
= appointment, but with the true Amer.
Jean spirit Of fair play a rOusing cheer
went up fer the victor. and in ten min
utes the big crowd. thoroughly satisfied
with the quick and efficient service OF
the one newspaper in Washington thai
had never waVered in its prediction OF
the result, melted away.
Within a remarkably brief SPACE OF
time after the announcement OF the result
the sea Of faces disappeared and the bic
crowds dispersed.
The crowds began TO gather before 400
the hour when the first preliminary bull
letins were expected from Reno. There
was the usual forecast on the number OF
/ rounds, and with the majority much
seemed to hinge on how long the negro
1cOuld last.
Some were evidently affected by Mike
Herald that Jeffries would lose while
others were OF the opinion that the re-
ports Of the bOilermaker's condition had
been overdrawn and were made TO draw
out the reluctant Johnson money
Women In the Crowds,
It was wholly a summer crowd too
Straw hats predominated everywhere
Men in shirtwaists irritably stuffed
handkerchiefs down the neckBands Of
their shirts, pulled up their sleeves. mon.
ped their brows, for the humidity of the
July day contributed TO the nervous
strain
. The preliminary bulletins announcing
the entrance from time to time of the
ring celebrities, the trainers, the seconds
and the principals, with detail Of the
fighters traps and physical condition
We're received with only quiet interest
There were two excepuons-when .Ief.
fries entrance was announced. and wher
II was bulletined that the white man
wore an American flag for belt. Both
reports evoked vociferous and repeated
cheering and expressions Of approval
YelIS When Time Is Called.
The climax arrived when these prelinni.
naries gave way 10 the cry of "Time,s
Every sound settled down to a tense
hush, and the crowds listened intentIy
Round one. was called The long.
awaited and crucial moment had come.
The frst announcement that the ner
ahad squared of without the custonar,
shaking Of hands and other friendly
manifestations was quickly noted. and
there was a chorus OF approving ,sIls
and a wave Of appreciation SWEPT ove,
the crowd This further added to ths
tenseness and signifed 70 the throngs
more than ANYTHING else the deterrnlna.