The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-07-01
The BIG FIGHTERS
READY FOR BELL

Reno, New, July flames J. JEFF
fries and John Arthur Johnson are
ready to fight. Both men completed
long training work and will merely dc
light exercises through the three days
that will elapse before they face each
other in twenty-five foot ring to
fight out the heavyweight champion
ship Of the world.
II am ready. My training is finished
With the exception of sprint now and
then to keep myself in shape, I will
no no more work"
This was the assertion of James J
Jeffries late today. When he made
it, he was seated at a card table, where
he had been all afternoon. A big heap
of silver was piled before him, CLEANED
from the pockets of other players, and
the man who hopes to wrest the heavy
weight championship from Jack John
son next Monday afternoon was laugh
ing like boy over his luck.
While Jeffries lolled away the hours
with trout rod or cards, John Arthur
Johnson worked faithfully. Under the
eye of the moving picture camera
he toiled through a day Of gymnasium
stunts, boxing and posing. For the
day the spot light of public attention
was his, and he basked in it's rays
with apparent enjoyment.
The only event of the day to mar
his happiness was the clash with Joe
Woodman. Johnson's conduct In that
matter was dubbed "Chesterfieldian''
by those who saw it, and by his courte-
Gus demeanor toward the man whom
he deemed his enemy the champion
won new friends
Johnson encountered Woodman on
morning and asked Langford's manager
to leave the camp It was quietly
done on both sides without any dis
play of temper or exchange of person
alities.
John L. Sullivan was on hand to
watch the fun. He was persuaded to
hammer away at the bag for few
minutes and the wallops he delivered
were of sledge hammer force, The
old-time champion is not In training
these days, however, and he soon stop
ped, putting and gasping after a mo-
ment's work.
Johnson went after the bag again.
Almost the first blow drove it from
it's moorings over the crowd.
Come on" he called, reaching out
his hands for the boxing gloves.
Al. Kaufman responded and in a
moment the pair were at It, Al. Dor.
ing in as though he was trying to
knock the champion out. Kaufman
tried all his tricks to make the cham
pion open up, but Jack stopped every
thing that came. They kept 1t up for
four rounds. Johnson's defense SEEM
ed impregnable. His elbows. shoulders
and arms formed barricade that
nothing Kaufman had seemed fast
enough to pass. He stopped most OF
Ais leads without apparent exertion.
When Kaufman retired, kid" Cot
ton plunged in. Jack went back at
Cotton with some snap. In the second
round, the blood spurted from Cot
tons lips from one of Jacks jabs.
A little later the champion ducked a
swing and the sparring partner sprawl
ed on the floor from the force of his
blow. They went four rounds before
Johnson signalled the end of the
show.
Governor Dickerson again visited
the Johnson camp. He seemed fas-
cinated by the cleverness of the negro
and watched every move with admira-
ton.
Jeffries today directed Manager Sam
Berger to make a trip to the arena
49, a. ,Ixv
Sam also will endeavor to arrange
with Tom Flanagan to toss for corners
on Sunday. The choice is most i'm
portant, as the eyes of one of the
fighters will be subjected to the glare
Of the sun between rounds
Although the fight is but two days
off, the local betting continues light.
Tom Corbett, official betting commits
sioner is now on the ground and al
though he has secured quarters in one
of the largest uptown gambling halls,
and has placarded the walls with
faring signs stating he is prepared to
transact business, there was little be-
sides those mural decorations to in
dictate that the local sportdom is plac-
ing its money on the outcome of the
battle. An independent pool room.
close to the commissioners head
quarters is showing little more acti-
witty. Big bets were placed by mem
bers of the Johnson camp today.
Wagers of $1,000 to $4,000 that john
son would win, and $500 at even money
that Jeffries would not put the quietus
on the champion In eighteen rounds
were placed. "A San Francisco bust
ness man is reported to have made
bet Of $1,000 to 5000 on Jeffries.
Change in Odds.
New York, July 1.-The unqualified
declaration OF Jas. Coffroth that Jim
Jeffries will blow up when he finds
he cannot lay glove on Johnson has
suddenly stimulated betting here on
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