The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-07-07

Hope had lived in Thousands OF breasts
until The last minute and now their
idol had crumbled, and now this
black men stood peerless. They
could not help but admire him and
there was little animosity shown to-
ward him. For the most part the peo-
pie were silent, just readjusting
things in their minds. Hunreds
swallowed the bitter pill of heavy
financial loss.
Little Enthusiasm.
Prior to the fight little enthusiasm
was shown for anything until Jack
Johnson and his crew were seen
stringing down the aisle. Then the
crowd stood up and cheered, as much
from pentup excitement as anything
else. Four minutes later Jeffries
loomed up in the crowd on the otner
side OF the arena and then the cheer
ing broke loose again.
The ring was quickly crowded with
trainers and seconds. Jeffries laugh
ed as he jumped upu and down on The
platform to satisfy himself that j.
was strong enough. He wore his old
soft cap and an old suit of clothes
and chewed gum. Johnson wore a
bathrobe with violet lining.
Johnson Didn't Care
Berger walked up to Johnson and
asked him to toss for corners. Take
any corner you want" said Johnson.
Its all the same to me-"
Berger took the southwest corner
and gave Johnson the northeast. This
With no preliminary handshaking or
picture posing the men faced each
other at 2:45 o'clock. johnson wore
blue tights and an American flag as
his belt. Jeffries in his purple trunks
stood out as a hairy giant.
There was no open attempt on the
part of Jeffries and his men to
brighten the negro. They figured he
would be trembling with fear at
the sight of the white monster
Negro Plainly Nervous
When the men stood up at last to
fight it out it was plain that the
negro was very nervous.
Now, you will get it you black
coward" yelled Jeffries admirers.
Don't talk to them. Give them a
square DEAL said the majority of
the men at the ringside.
The men smiled at each other.
Jeffries tented, Johnson glided
away and they smiled again. John
son tried a straight left and tapped
Jeff's face They clinched and
worked cautiously for body blows,
ibut there was little snap in either
and they were still Waiting when
the round ended
Cut out the motion pictures
yelled the crowd. Johnson turned and
tapped Jeffries lightly on the should
er as he went TO his corner, and
smiled.
Resumed Old Style.
At the opening of the second
round, Jeffries came up with his old
crouch and his left arm stuck out like
a scantling. This was the blow and
the attitude that carried him to glory
in the early days of his fighting
sareer.
But there was a change in the
negro. He had found himself. This
was no terror of the mountains to
I'be afraid of. Here was a simple
boxer and in his heart of hearts
Jack Johnson believed he was mas
ter. Six years ago when Johnson
whipped Jack Jeffries, he walked up
to Jim who was in his brothers cor
ner, and said Il can whip you, too"
And this conviction was upper
most in him when the second round
began. The slight INDIGESTION and
trembling of Johnson's mouth and the
CLINT OF trouble in his eyes was gone.
He forced the fighting and in a clinch
made his first attempt at his care
fully developed right uppercut.
Jeffries took it without finching
He tried another but missed. The men
wrestled and Johnson showed that
he was as strong as Jeffries.
All right Jim, I'll love you if you
want me to-" said Johnson as they
clinched lust after the gong rang.
Between rounds Delaney poured
into Johnson's ear his words of
golden advice
Jeffries Had His Chance.
In the seconu, tnird and fourth
rounds, Jeffries had his chance if he
ever had one. The fight showed that
he could not stay long.
Friends claim that if he sarted in
with his entire force he could have
reached Johnson with the knockout
blow. On the other hand, men whose
opinions are honored in these mat
tiers, say Johnson could have beaten
Jeffries at any time in his career. At
any rate Jeffries passed by his chance.
Jeffries kept walking in and missing
body blows and taking face punish
ment. The bout was slow, the men
refused to break in clinches and at