| Show JEffRiES HEARS i fRO FROM 1 LAGI ACK llAN HANn Writer Tells Jeff He Must Fight Johnson or Ol Meet Trouble JEFFRIES IS NOT ALARMED i iI I Declares Once More That He I Has Retired From I the Ring BY JA JAMES rES J. J JEFFRIES I Retired and Un Undefeated Heavyweight Champion of ot the World WorM I have have- received some queer odds an anen and en ends s of or mail mall matter recently Cranks beggars speculators inventors and prospectors of all descriptions pester me mo with their wants I only see a few of tho the lett letters rs that are arc addressed tome tome to tome me for tor the simple reason that if it I attempted to read them all aU I wouldn't have time for an anything else I What I started to tell teU you was the Black Hand letter lotter that turn turned l i up at my breakfast fast table during thelast tho the last day of or my m recent stay In San I Francisco now How it got sot there I 1 dont don't know lut but it all right nn and it looked looke to be he the real thing 1 Tho The letter went on to say that if I didn't como come out and say that I was goIng goIng going go- go Ing to fight Jack Johnson soon that I would woul receive c a personal call caU from the tho gentleman with the black hand the inference being that said gentleman would have something in his han hand besides besides be ho- sides his palm It also recited at great length the tho dangers clan gels gel's to which I would bo be subjected during my coming Eastern Eastern East East- em ern vaudeville tour unless I acknowledged edged e ged that I was going to meet John John- son Can you ou beat heat that for impudence dence Tho The letter was probably written written written writ writ- ten by some porter or bootblack Meets Old OKI l Friends I anticipate a great reat deal cleal of lIea 1 11 In meeting many of or my old friends when whon 1 I visit re Chicago New York an another and other eastern cities s soon on It t has as be been quite a while since I strolled up old Broadway and down State street and andI I am run wondering how my former torm r friends and acquaintances will receive in mo 0 Here In California the public has seen rue rno lay day b by da day and consequently has hn not noticed the growing change In m my appearance Back Bacle east they remember re ro 10 I member mo ITIC as I looked when I loft them theta several years ago They will take tako ono one look 1001 at nt mo mc and then I will beable beable be bo boto able to tell by tho expression on their I faces whether or not they Uley are disappointed disappointed pointed In me They will notice the tho change o quicker than the people who after aCter day clay cia and have o been with mo mc day ay their decision is going to carry great greal weight with me As everybody knows I am nm going out outon outon outon on a a. long theatrical tour an and I am going goIng go go- go ing to be well pal paid for lor my services I am simp simply taking advantage of ot the tho opportunities that aro uro presenting themselves and I want to call attention atten atten- Uon tion once more moro that 1 am not a advantage antage of oC tho the public b by hinting or insinuating that I Intend to return to the ring Hits Hils 1 front from fling Un I say now as I havo have said all along t C. C ii i. i n lit I ring rini lut ami that I Intend to stay retired Now If It the press agents want to put any other I construction on my movements thai tha their business not mine My conscience conscience conscience con con- science Is cl clear r I am dealing above tho the board to tho the public A laughable item was brought to tom niN notice recently In this article Jack Jaek Johnson was made ma e to say sa that If It he fought me ho he would demand deman a negro referee as he lie was champion of the world and would take no chances of ot ofa ofa ota a prejudiced whIto white man officiating Now as a plain matter of ot fact tact Jack Johnson would not be tho heavyweight champion were I to re enter tho the ring and declare myself I would bo ho the champion and Johnson would woul bo be the tho challenger As such he would be pretty small potatoes when it St came camo to swinging swinging swing swing- ing Ins in a colored man as referee Can CanI I i- i Mi-ks Mi 11 t In the ring with two colored men I havo received private cablegrams to tho the effect that Johnson has signed up for several weeks of theatrical work worl In England so that it appears that tho the big fellow tellow is not anxious to fight lIe He Heis lIeIs lieis is entitled to make male all nil the money he can as Johnson was compelled to chase Tommy Burns over half halt way across the tho world before he could got gut tho the chance chanco to elevate himself to his present pi position Tho less that Johnson Johnson Johnson John John- son has hns to do with Sam Langford tho the hotter better it will be for the tho former Langford Lang Lang- Lansford Langford ford might make maleo such a showing as asto asto asto to greatly cheapen Johnsons Johnson's prestige |
