The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-06-07

looking for a sparring partner to &c
out with him on the road in a show,
he hired John Lester Johnson, and
he has that same John Lester with
him today in his training camp at
sey has a.pretty high opinion of John
Testers ability, anyway.
John the Barber gave it out
that he was going to pay $1,000 or
25 per cent Of the gate for the first
mixed bout after the lifting of the
ban" says Dempsey. "He gave me
with me to act as my manager, He
told me he would dress me in fine
clothes and diamonds, and I'll say he
sounded good.
II was in worse shape than /
! thought after my fight with John
Lester, however" Jack continues. my
pretty sick, John the Barber wanted
me to fight Gunboat Smith, but the
gunner broke a hand or something else
happened to him, and the match didn't
come off, couldn't have fought him
anyway in my condition.
Il signed a contract with John
the Barber for him to look after my
affairs, but that contract would never
have held good, because | wasn't OF
age. When | got laid up he didn't come
near me or do anything for me, and
| was pretty much disguised and dis
couraged. Finally, ! had t. wire my
mother for money, and she sent me
enough to get home. So l went back
to- Salt Lake City"
IN listening to Jack on his relations
with John the Barber" the reader will
bear In mind that 1t is the Dempsey
side only. There is probably a John
the Barber. side, which doubtless Diff
fers materially from this. In fact, !
have a yaQII reppllaptiop ~ Iohs,n a..
course at length on the general topic Of
how sharper than a serpent's tooth is
an. u~ngrateful fist-swinger.
don't pretend to say which side
tells the correct version. But one
tning even Dempsey will probably give
old John the Barber credit for. and
that Is his o~lairvoyancy With reference
to Dempsey's future. John must have
seen something in Dempsey, even when
he was getting his pasting from John
Lester, to cause him to sign Jack to a
contract.
The only trouble seems to be that
John didn't see far enough ahead. He
apparently felt that Jack was coins
to be something, but had he visualjzed
how much, John the Barber wouJd
doubtless have been sitting at J.. Demp-
sec's bedside night and day while he
was laid up with those shattered ribs.
Back in Salt Lake City again, lack
remained under his mothers care until
that fall. Then his ribs healed. and
he was matched with Young Hector. al
Murray. Utah, a suburb Of Salt lake,
He knocked out Young Hector In the
fifth round and got $500 for his trouble
Hector come from Salida, Col. a
thriving tow up above the historic
Royal Gorge, and he returned there
after being flattened by Dempsey. He
got to thinking the matter over and
decided that his defeat was all wrong
ard that he would like another chance
against his smuggling fellow Coloradan,
He interested the Sslida sports, and
they went for Dempsey.
Jack a now acquired a new pal
or rather had renewed an old palship
Long before he had knocked around
Colorado with A. B. Fisher, nicknamed
Liz a railroad fireman whose home
was In Pueblo, and meeting him agar
In Salt Lake. he took Liz with him
to Salida. The last heard of Liz hi
was in France.
They went to Salida in some STYLE
as befitted a puglilist successful to the
extent OF $500, and In a skimpily at.
tended bout Dempsey again stopped
Young Hector, this time in two rounds
But he got only 500 for the effort,
Copyright, 1919. by Damon Runyon.l