The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-04-12
JESS Willard ENJOYS
HAPPY DAY BY THE Sea
Great Demonstration. Grccts New
worlds Champion at Atlantic City
Gives No Performance on sun
Dayton Jones Gives Talk

Atlantic City, April 1a.-Jess Will
lard, the new worlds heavyweight
champion, the great cowboy from
Kansas, was the central figure at the
resort yesterday Thousands of visit
ors, with the united resident popula-
tion. paid him homage, dodging his ev-
cry footstep to shake his hand. pat him
on the back, offer their comment and
generally make things miserable for the
bashful fighter. Never before has the
seashore experienced like demonstra-
tion, although two years ago it enter
tanned Presidents, Taft Roosevelt and
Wilson.
Willard was slated to make two ap-
pearanees with exhibitions at one of
the local playhouses. The reform fac,
tion. however. robbed thousands of his
admirers of the pleasure of witnessing
him in action by aequainting the police
that such a performance would be un-
lawful under the resurreeted old Blue
Laws and that it was their duty to
stop the bout.
The crowds, in consequence, had to
be satisfied with view of his physique
and 1o-minute talk by Tom Jones on
"How 1t Was Done. The popular
champion greeted the crowd with =
rather ungraceful bow, and was about
to retire. when the yells forced him to
make Acknowledgements TO the reeep-
tion. Cries for speech Were an
swered with. IF l were speech
maker l wouldn' be ighting.H
Willard was swayed into holding a
public reception BY the tremendous
a. .hAa hA
aisle 10 ''look him over Jones pro-
hihited handshaking, but still there
were those who would not be denied,
and virtually tore the champion s
vlasped hands apart.
Children were gwen special privl-
leges by Willard, the indignities of the
little folk in their eager curiosity be-
ing taken with laughter. This made
Willard even more popular, and evi-
ienced the side which tends to make
him even further lionized. The wom-
en- persisted in shaking hands, too,
which further embarrassed the Kansas
cowboy. Willard plainly showed real,
unadulterated agony in its progress.
He WAS heard TO say on finally evading
his visitors. "Never again, Tom. =
Willard spoke of the mueh-antieipated
run with his family in Los Angeles.
He is homesiek ''f0r the kiddies and
his best girl. {" He expects to get in
Los Angeles by July, and will appear
at the Panama Exposition, in San
Francisco. late in the summer. Jones
will then follow with trip to England,
and likewise expects to tour the world.
Willard Yesterday showed plain re
lief in finally slngling out friend
from his home town" in Henry A.
Martens. who was one of the cowboy s
rails in Oklahoma City. They talked
fully three.quarters of an hour in ex-
changing fluctuations and talking of
old times.
Tom Jones answered 4 hroadside OF
questions as TO when his protege would
again appear in the ring with: ''Wil-
lard viii meet any white man in six
weeks or six years. if the money is
there. He is only getting what is
coming 10 him now, and certainly would
be foolish to fight for $4,000 next
Labor Day. when II takes six mouths
10 train and he has made $4,000 in the
last three davs. Now do you see the
logice'' Willard and Jones left at 3
o Clock last night for New York.