The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-06-26
JACK JOHNSON
is A TOREADOR
!. IN old SPAIN
Fighting Bulls Now the Vo-
= cation of Once Heavy
4. weight Champ.
lis BIG FAVORITE
~ WITH SPANIARDS
Ikt
Has Forsaken United States
Il. and Never Intends to
Ii. Return

Barcelona. Spain. June 26.-"I
should worry" is the motif of Jack
Johnson's life here as he enters on
his second year in Spain. with the
Hpickings" every bit as good as they
were when he first arrived. For moth
ing worries Jack now, since he Ia re-
tired from the ring. Fat, the bugaboo
Of all pugilists, holds no fear for the
bulky negro, and war Is to him only
a. subject Of conversation. Money.
the source of chief anxiety to most
prize fighters in their after years, is
the least Of Johnson's worries, as he
has plenty, and is adding daily to his
pile. 49,
diverse. In the first place he 10 .
toFeador, working steadily three times
a1week and on holidays, and rapidly
earning a place of endearnent in the
hearts of the tender Spaniards, who
delight in seeing wornout horses dis
ellaboweled by maddened bulls.
v5Recently Johnson has added anoth-
err string to his bow by becoming an
editor. He has purchased an interest
III a periodical published weekly in
Spanish and devoted to Socialism and
sports-strange bedfellows, but forced
into contiguity by the merging OF two
publications. Long screeds in Span
tRi are printed in every issue over
dohnson's fourishing signature, but
Ne betrays intense modesty in dis
Sussing these articles, due, according
to some doubters, to the fact that he
does not know what they contain.
Is Prime Favorite.
SJohnson is a prime favorite with the
Barcelona people, who never weary OF
watching him in the bull ring. ana
deyotees of bull fighting assert he has
attained considerable skill as a
tereador. Also he continues a prime
drawing card as q boxer and shadow
boxer. Although he has not appeared
IA the squared ring for couple or
years, and declares to his friends he
never will appear therein again, he
Continues to give training exhibit
tons" q couple of times week,
when, for a. few pesos, the wild-eyed
credulous Spaniards can watch him
SMorking himself into condition" for
the match they implicitly believe he
IL training for.
1.-THE former champion skips the rope
and punches the bag, causing great
establishment at the finale when he
pulls his old trick Of striking a
CHANGING blow and tearing the pigskin
loose from the rope and sending 1t
bouncing among the crowd, just as he
did at Reno before the Jeffries con-
test. IHGu ne WTGSJISS a. "Il1lC zlAA
finally he boxes a couple of 2-minute
rounds. His opponent is either one
of the negroes who are in his retinne
here or some husky Spaniard who be-
lieves he is a boxer anad wants a
chance to prove it. Johnson has dis
sipated the hopes Of q good many OF
this class, and his continued ability
10 put these gentry away with q
punch causes the people to think he
81 still championship timber.
Doesn't Intend 20 Return.
:. johnson and his white wife live in
a handsome house in the best and
most exclusive part of Barcelona. and
recently when, he was having his home
renovated and redecorated they lived
fer month at the best hotel in Bar
celona. They are often there for dim
ner and Johnson is familiar figure
in the supper room, where tango is
the sport until daybreak. He never
attempts to dance, however, and he
limits his liquid refreshment to few
glasses Of champagne.
Back to American echoed John
son, in answer to an inquiry. Never
for mine! I've done all the fighting
want to do, and fighting in the army
doesn't appeal to me at all. Bar
celona is good enough for me-.