The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-02-06
rs TIRED OF DENYING
Made Decision Months Ago and Has
Not Changed Il, Despite the
Many Rumors to the
Contrary.
[By Jas. ]. Jeffries.]

Copyrighted 1911, by United Press
Association.
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 6.--For some
time have debated with myself the
question of whether such an article
as this could accomplish the purpose
desire that it should. have decid-
ed affirmatively.
| intend that what is written here
shall be an ultimatum in every sense
of the meaning of that word; one, the
tenor of which cannot be misinterpre-
ted. 1t is my hope that the public at
large will consider this my final word
on the subject that has caused me
more personal inconvenience than can
! be imagined. / refer to the question
of whether ever shall enter the
ring.
| shall not attempt to say how many
times l have answered that question
during the last six months. Hardly a
day has gone by in that period with
out the question being put to me. Day
after day, have answered it seriously
and sincerely. l have stated that !
shall never enter another ring. But
the newspapers and the public have
refused to accept my word. At least,
4 must believe they have. in view OF
| the fact that after answering as def.
nitely as I know how. question as to
I the possibility of my reenter,ng the
\ ring I have, in the next hour, perhaps
I been asked identically the same ques
tion
1t has come to the point where and
4 the members of my household respond
to the door bell ring and the tele
phone calls with the same reply to
4 the question on our lip. If some one
were to attempt to test your pa
j tience by asking you a certain ques
tion. say, for instance. "how old are
! you?" day in and day out, how long dc
you think you could go to the door OF
to the telephone, hear the question
asked and answered without losin.
your piece of mind?
For half a year. do you think? Il
would be difficult to ascertain. In
my case it has been far more provok
4 cited above for the reason that in
stead of one person putting the ques
ton to me, the question has come from
innumerable sources. Excepting news
papers and reporters, the individual:
making the queries but once, maybe
twice, and to them, the question was
new one and apparently real de
cent topic for discussion. What
want to say is that, while the ques
tion of whether | ever would fight an
other ring battle has been asked ant
asked by hundreds of different per
sons upon hundreds of different oc
casions, have been compelled to lister
to each inquirer separately, hear thu
same monotonous words, perhap
framed bit differently. but, directl.
. or indirectly, making the same ques
tions that I have answered counties
times before.
Do you realize how tiresome thi
constant replying to query to a NAL
in my position, could become? Ever,
, conceivable opportunity to ask thi
, question he's been seized upon by th
|, public and the newspapers. My pur
pose in writing this article Is to Civ
to the United Press the last answe
shall make to the question of wheth
er shall ever return to the ring Un
. der no circumstances shall | eve
again participate in public priz
| ring contest or exhibition. I have re
tired from the ring for all time.
This is the decision ] made month
ago. 1t is a decision | shall abid
by.
In effect, it is the answer hav
given so often to the question, aske
I in one form or the other. Of whethe
would ever be seen in ring agair
At the risk of being considered a.
bitrary, peevish, call it what yo
! will, I shall refuse to answer an
/ query bearing upon the possibility {
e my ever re-entering the fightin
v game.
u Full Rehearsal Held