The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-04-25

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. MMN1@M|6Y DAMON
WHAT'S IN
Before | got or on that tangent slug
gested by the name Of Jack McNennd,
| had escorted William Harrison pemp-
sey by a devious llugual route up to
the n in which he acquired the
title Jack"
As ] was saying, William Harrtson's
brother, Bernard, did q bit Of fighting
as Jack Dempsey, but 1t seems Bernard
was no great shucks as a Tingman.
Give him a nice little comfortable free
for-all, with plenty Of space and no
holds barred, and Bernard could step
with the best OF them, but gloves and
ropes and the like hampered his style.
lie fought some around the mining !
camps of Colorado Tor several years and
finally withdrew from the ring In favor
Of mining. Meantime hts brother, VII
liam Harrison, was commencing TO
swing his fists around quite loosely, and
William Harrison picked up the name
OF Jack.
l doubt II he had at that time heard
a great deal OF Jack Dempsey, the
"NonpareIl," Now. OF course, he knows
all about him, and Ia very proud Of the
fact that he bears the name of one or
the greatest champions the ring has
ever known. incidentally, the name
has peer quite an asset to him,
His Career Begins.
Hiram Dempsey disposed of his San
Luis farm when Jack was pretty young
around l0-and moved to the western
slope of Colorado, a great farming
fruit raising region. He secured an
other farm at Uncomphagre, In the Ute
Indian country, and Jack continued the
process Of growing w there, and in the
town OF Montrose. This Is one OF the
principal towns Of the western part OF
Colorado, and it was there Dempsey
began his fighting career,
incidentally, 1t was there Dempsey
began emulating Jack London and
All" and all the other celebrated
boxcar tourists,
It would sound most romantic to say
Dempsey spent much Of his hoyhood
among the picturesque Ute Indians, hut
as a matter Of fact ho did nothing OF
the kind. He doesn't know any more
| about Indians than you do, and cares
Nearly every hoy who is raised in
| Colorado might be said TO have been
| raised among the Indians II you wanted
to make his raising sound colortuI, FOR
| there are Indians all over the Colorado
premises, But mainly they nre Indians
who are kept cooped up on reserva-
lions, and the youth OF Colorado does
| not af'oct r~nso~vat'ons to any extent,
No Wild Men There.
And I don't know that a raised
among-t the Indians fellow would have
much 10 brag about, anyway. So let's
| not raise Dempsey among the Indians.
| Let's raise him In Montrose, a busting
little city Of homes, which Ia well West,
but by no manner Of wild W est,
A wild man would have a tough time
making n living In Montrose, Col.
II is no hick town, mark you. II - q
progressive, up-to-date community,
center Of a great agricultural and hor-
| ticultural district. Folks have plenty
OF money out there, An acre OF land
Is worth something In that region,
I have no detailed information con.
corning Dempsey's boyhood, but
gather that he early showed n bent to-
ward the career on which No Is now
fully embarked. That is to say, |
gather he was yer a likely lad with
his dukes. He could lick n lot Of the
young mon Of his time around Mon
trose, and did 1t.
fights" disclaima Jack, modestlY. but
it Is my impression that he did not
duck flstio conflict when It came his
wav.
From the time hc was very young he
did n lot Of boxing and rouFht-and-
tumble s%crapplnE with his brothers. a
family Of six boys Ia apt to get snarIeH
up now and then. Most Of the pemp,
eey boys could Jolly we'll take care OF
themselves In fist %swinglnEs.
My little brother Johnny. was
quite n fighter" a Jack, He was
the best Of us all"
Then Bernard turned thoughtful
eyes TO the roped arena, as tho old,
time sporting writer's called It, and
naturally his example was mn inspira-
ton to his brothers, All In all. the
Dempsey boys were, | iddEe. a broot
to be let severely alone by anyone com
b~attvely Inclined.
themselves, but they wrestled anc
played baseball and football together
The boys Of the western slope Of Colo
RADIO work and play and live outdoors
a lot, and tho breath OF the greaI
mountains 10 mingled with their moth
er's milk. They are strong and hea ny
because they can not help being tina
way. .
Dempsoy's magnificent physique II
due not only to the sturdy strain %
Dempsey Smoot. hut to his youth OF
the western slopo OF Colorado, 1T en-
ahled him to withstand the hobo hard
ahips thai generally break q man Ions
before his time. Life on the road (,
not conducive to good health or old age
incidentally Hiram Dempsey require
hard work OF his sons, Hc made thew
helm out on tho farm. lie raised alfalft
and some fruit; he had some live stock
and all the boys had to do their shar,
~ the heavy lifting.
I'm q good all-rOund farmer boast
Jack Dempsey. II can do anything ~
= farm from milking a COW TO handlin.
the crons"
But. Of course, he didn't like to farm
show me a farm-raised boy who real
~ --l Iht .IA-, V-t HI
elephant with two trunks, The back
to-the-land chap Is generally hrouGh
up down by the gas house.
Jack went to school to some eNtCn
in the country. and also in Mnntros'
The family moved to that town ate
awhile. and the fighter seems to reEar
|, IL In tho light OF his home town-tha
and Salt Lake city. lie really has n
set base Of origin, az you might say
I but his memory dwells rather loving
| on Montrose.
He was growing into "A husky hob
bIedehoy. Also he was continuing hi
practice with hIs fists by taking par
In such arguments as might come hi
way. His brother. Bernard, had 10
, come an out-and-out fighter, and b
this time It is apparent that WlllIat
Harrison Dempsey's immature min
, was likewise turnirT IN tho ring
! ! His Start at Globe Trotting
. ~ you see he IL not a fighter by ac
cident. He Is a fighter largely by nat
ural bent.
In Montrose, Col, as in every sma
I. town where there In q railroad, III
I untramme led youth OF the communit
. f~rsouently ~adTentures to nearby port
a1,er the manner OF the genus DO,
n. " u bs-Sn tsay tho boxcar or "blin
= ahoarN q rnoA
X train bound ssan easy matter to stro
~ 49, railroad yards, and x,
tng freight or passeng,
hmewhsre or ether, tt
HI unklnaiy disposed 4