El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-03-09
SPECULATION ON
SGOME-BACK
Wonder if Los Angeles Pug
Has Nerve to Want to
Meet johnson.
(BY W. w. NAUGHTON)

San Francisco, Cal, March 9.-There
was a rumor a few days agO-a fairly
we'll defined rumor, 1t may be stated
that IN Jeffrfes is becoming FESTIVE in
his retirement, that his hat is in the
ring, as it were, and that he is con-
sunled with a desire TO wipe out the
indignlties thrust upon him by Jack
Johnson at Reno a year and a half ago.
As ar. Jeffries refused either to con-
for deny the report, IL created
small ripple Of excitement It's just as
well. IN fact, that Jeffries kept MS lips
closed and thereby gave the rumor an
air of instability. II he had confirmed
the story without further ado. it might
have grieved MIN to discover how little
the public is interested in his pugilisuc
ambitions.
1t serves to show the changes year
or two bring about. Not 50 very long
ago, when JetIries, AFTER mucA nanS
ing back, announced his READINESS %
box Johnson, the news created NOLLSi
wide connection Now that ne Is serl-
ously suspected Of q similar design al
that is heard is an occasional shlcAe-.
Has the IaclinatiOn.
Yet they say its true mat the nope
of bringing ABOUT another cldsh NLtH
the negro springs eternal IN the e.
fries breast. ana that the only reason
big Jim has not been more definite IN
reSard 10 his purpose is that he is
maintaining his old policy of unDosom-
some kind friend has broken the Ice
for him, IL is prOphesled InaL otAlcla1
confirmation of the rumOr viii snot ~
be forthcoming and that Jefrrles VIII
devote himself 10 the turtnerance OF
his scheme irrespective OF sneefs anu
jeers from the sporting BODY
Here's the way OF u, sald WeH
known wine man who is friendly with
Jeffries and was in the old days Inls
new notion of Jef1ries is not oased on
the expectation OF making money jim
has told me not once but a dozen times
that. II Il hadn't been Tor the Ilnanelal
aspect OF that first night with John-
son, he might never have come out or
retirement but this is different pIopo-
sfrion To begin with. Jeffries believes
he was dOped that July DAY when he
faced Johnson at Reno y on know WnaE
not reveal the source Of his inIOrma-
ton, but he says he has become pos
sessed OF convincing lntormauon thar
his suspicious were well founded he
knows and everyone VINO saw the fight
knows, that ne was not himself that
day. He believes that. il he had Ielt as
training days, he could have licked
Johnson he has been taking good
care Of himself-has been training
quietly in fact-and he Is going 10
Why Shouldn't johnson Bet
AS Johnson is perfectly willing to
oblige, fl seems that the only thing
needed now is some definite declara-
ton Of his intention from Jeffrtes him
self If that were forthcoming, II Is
reasonable to suppose that a purse and
a battle-ground could soon be located.
Personally the writer has no eNpec-
tatiOn OF seeing the thing come 10
head IndecisiOn was always one Of JET
fries's characteristics and he Is likely
20 abandon this new prOject on some
pretense al an tustants notice But II
he comes out Of his shell and decides TO
go right through with tIe thing, II ls
interesting TO speculate on the kind OF
fellow Jeffries viii appear when ne
has pitched camp and IS in full swing
To begin with, he win probably be
more tolerant Of and more approach
able by neWspapermen- Time was when
timtd correspondents dared not ap-
preach the awful presence Of the cham
piOn unless conveyed by Bill Delaney
or some other soft-voiced. kindhearted
mediator Those were the days when
Door ratified photographers used to get
their legs entangled with their tripods
while endeaVoring to make the most OF
a rev minutes granted by the big
fighter.
There may not be any Jim Corbetts
or Joe ChOynsl1ts around Jeffries's next
strong croazing eternally dis man
dOhnsiDE hah no idea what he is gOln
against; no idea" There viii be less
understandable enthusiasm and more
work In all probability.
Might Bring Back Prestige.
One thing that viii increase Jeffries's
stock Of determination viii be the idea
that If he can overthrow Johnson, he
VIII not only revenge himself and re-
gain the championship. but restore all
the credit that was his before he fought
Johnson first and which he was de-
prived Of when Johnson laid him low
The knowledge that he lost his all
in the shape of prestige through the
defeat by Johnson must be one of the
bitterest pills Jeffries was forced to
swallow. Before that day at Reno he
was the Jeffries who licked Jim Cor
hett. Bob FitZsimmOns. Gus Rubin and
all the rest of them
After that day he was simply the
Jeffries who was licked by Johnson