The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-07-05
,.ffrles Apparently Had no Chance
Whatever Against johnson
in the Prize Fight Of
Yesterday.
GAVE UP THE FIGHT
Was Not Knocked Out But surren.
dered Rather Than
Meet the Final
Blow.

RENO. New, July 5.-John Arthur
johnson, q Texas negro, son Of q slave,
is the undisputed heavyweight cham
pion Of the world.
James ]. Jeffries of California, win
ner OF twenty-five champ pionship fights,
man who was never brought to his
knees before by q blow, last night
passed into history as a broken idol.
He met utter defeat at the hands OF
tie black champion
While Jeffries was not actually
counted out, he was saved only from
this crowning shame by friends plead
hg with Johnson not to hit the fallen
nan again, and towel was brought
into the ring from his corner. At the
end Of the fifteenth round. Referee
Rickard raised the blacks arm and
the great crowd filed out glum and
silent.
Jeffries was dragged to his corner,
bleeding from the nose and mouth, and
a dozen cuts on the face. He had a
closed eye, swollen features, and held
his head in his hands, dazed and In
coherent.
Johnson walked out Of the ring
with hardly mark Ring experts
agreed it was not even championship
fight. Jeffries had chance in the
second round, perhaps. but after the
eighth it was plain he was outclassed
IN every point and after the eleventh
round It was hopeless.
1t was the greatest demons tration
the ring has ever seen Of the failure
Of fighter to come back after
years OF retirement. TIE youth and
science of the black man made JEFF
look like a green man. The great JEFF
fries was like log. The reviled John
son was like black panther, beautiful
in alertness and defensive tactics.
Jeffries fought by instinct, It
seemed, showing gameness and his
great fighting heart, but he was only
shell Of his old self
After the third round Johnson treat
ed his opponent almost as joke. He
Imiled and blocked playfully, warding
off his bear-like rushes with marvellous
science. now tucking a blow under his
arm, again plucking it out of the air
as man stops baseball
The end was swift and terrible JEFF
fries had lost his power of defense.
Johnson tore loose and before the
spectators we're prepared for the finish
ne had sent Jeffries down with light
ning-like left and right blows to the
. Jaw. Jeff fell. Those near him saw
he had lost his sense of the surround.
ings.
Corbett ran forward with out
stretched arms, crying: "Oh, go back!'
Jeffries painfully raised himself to
his feet His jaws lad dropped and
his eyes were nearly shut; his face
vas covered with blood. With trem
bling legs and weakened arms he tried
to put up a defense. After ten terrific
right smashes to the jaw, followed by
two left hooks. he went down again
leffries' physicians and others Jumped
Into the ring.
Stop it," they cried. Don't put
the old fellow out!'
Sam Berger ran along the ring, call
ing to Bob Armstrong: Bring the
lowell; you know what l mean: don
let him get hit"
The referee declared Johnson, the
winner Soothing liquids were applied
% the fallen champions bruises on hi
lace. but his heart was something tina
could not be reached AS soon as h,
fesained his senses he took his heat
N his hands and groaned and said:
was too old to come back"