The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-01-10

The Tiger. .rrr. 4. +.
JOHN MoRRIssKY AND HIS GAMBLING ESTABLISH
MENT.

MKNT.
j The New York Mercury IL writing up the gam
piers and gambling houses of New York. Here /.
sketch Of John Morrissey and his "den:"
| vi the Hon. John Morrissey's life and antece
dents, as the public are already familiar with
them. but little need be said in this connection
bis birth at Troy, his humble parentage, his early
sbors In an iron foundry his pugilistic tendencies
ms California experience his hstc encounters with
sullivan and Heenan ct al, all these are recorded
IN biographies and fistisna; but although Norris.
sey's history is well known to New Workers. as il
bis personal appearance, yet the man himself, his
character and habits, are really familiar to only q
comparatively small circle, to widen which Is our
intention in this portion Of the present article.
John Morrissey is man of strong domestic at
tachments, to begin with his wife IS stout plea.
santfaced woman, and is devoted to him while
bis love for his son, lad OF some thirteen or four
teen years of age, is one of the leading emotions
| OF bis nature. His spouse. the daughter of Capt.
| Smith, of the Troy steamers, dashes along the
avenue, or al Saratoga, In an elegant vehicle,
while bis son is at present undergoing course Of
| education at Montreal. The mother of Morrissey
is dead, but his father is still living, q hale aud
| hearty countryman.
That Mr.. Morrissey has no educational excel.
lencies, that his classical knowledge is deficient,
and his powers of language limited, must be con.
fessed but, on the other hand, he is gifted with
keenness of perception, and q strength of com.
mon sense, which is as it Is to its possessor
invaluable. His address is not pleasing, and his
4
ness and sincerity about his likes and diskes
which atone for any lack of ceremony. he has
sharp eye for his own interests, and is yet syste
matte In all his business habits, as keen as razor
and does not hesitate TO avail himself of any
weakness or mistake on the part of those with
| whom he operates; but then his honor is nrover.
bal, and his word and his note would be eagerly
received at Wall street or anywhere else, as good
| security at any time, for any amount Of money
| for which be gave it. In his Wall street opera.
| tons he affects little Erie and great deal Of
| Hudson and Harlem River Railroad, and he is ma
| terially assisted by Commodore Vanderbilt who,
of late years. ever since Morrissey shrewdly pre-.
sented him with fast horse to which the Com
modore had taken fancy, has conceived cor.
responding fancy for the giver. Morrissey, in his
operations on the street, does not always depend
upon his own capital or influence, but is often
backed by the money of various gamblers whose
interest he is intrusted to represent. He is on the
most intimate terms with Walsh the sport, and
has been personal and political friend Of the
friendly with Leonard W. Jerome, but q misun-
Outstanding has arisen Of late with that gentle.
man, owing to some turf matters.
Among the intimates of Mr.. Morrissey must also
be included Congressman Randall. of Pennsylva-
via; Tom Florence, of Washington, and Captain
John Young and the whole detective squad of
New York city. He has recently quarrelled with
several of the lottery men Of New York, Simmons
ct al but still retains large interest in the lot
teries themselves.
The great enemy of John Morrissey for many
years has been Samuel Mclaughlin. The feud be.
tween these two notorious men is illustrative of
the poets line
. "Ihere is wrath like love to hatred turned
Samuel and John were originally chums, and in
the fullness of his heart, one day the former in.
troduced the latter to Commodore Vanderbilt,
thus laying the foundation of Morrisseys fnan.
cial fortune. Now Morrissey and Mclaughlin
were both Of them horsemen in fact, Samuel
was Johns trainer; but Morrissey having taken
an important step IN some horsematter against
McLoughlln's wishes, quarrel ensued, and from
being brothers the two men became foes. sam.
ual used to cay that " Morrissey had been brought
up on scrap Ton," and that when he (Morrissey)
was sick, the doctor could only fetch him BY
giving him horse-balls." Morrissey would retail.
late in kind, and high words would be exchanged
whenever the parties met az the Fifth Avenue
Hotel and elsewhere. But recently the battle of
words had ended old wounds are healed, and the
ancient friendship is revived. John and Samuel
are friends once more. as persons having such
in business. We trust that this determination may
be perpetual. Let Us have peace.
Morrissey is himself good horseman is inter
ested in the Saratoga meeting, and owns the cele.
brated trottiDg horse Rockingham. He has a
stock of diamonds, embracing well known pin
with large stone with flaw in it, and Is always
neatly, though never carefully dressed. He drinks
sparingly, as a rule but smokes constantly. His
physical health lately failed him in fact he was
afflicted with disease generally pronounced in
curable-Bright's disease of the kidneys 1.-THE
same affection which threatens Napoleon Ill., but
with the energy and determination peculiar to the
tors and he did so. He visited the Hot Springs
Of Arkansas, and carried out with the utmost
rigor series of regimen and self denial, which
few would have the courage to attempt. One of
the cardinal principles of his treatment was the
avoidance of liquids, water included; and it is
related of Morrissey that when nearly on fire with
thirst he would rush to his room, lock the door,
and throw the key out of the window lest he
should be tempted to natural but under the cir
cumstances an injudcious indulgence. The re.
suit of his effort has been that at the present mo.
ment Mr.. Morrissey is in the enjoyment of perfect
physical and mental health and is q medical won
der. IL is even limited that the emperor Of the |
French has written to the Honorable John In ref. |
erence to his method of cure though we doubt |
whether the modern sphinx will have the courage |
TO adopt the system in full.
The house occupied by Mr.. Morrissey No. s |
West Twenty fourth street, Is brown stone of. |
fair, elegant though not pretentious; and hand. |
somely though not deliberately furnished. The |
lower floor is devoted TO play-that Is, business
the upper portion being occupied for domestic |
purposes. The play room is back Of the supper |
room, and Immediately faces the house FORMERLY
occupied and now owned by the celebrated, ire
sponsible, shrewd. gentlemanly "free lanceu |
and former foe of John Morrissey- Marcus Cicero /
Stanly. The suppers at Morrissey's are q good /
tial than artistic; the cooking being fair to mid.
ding, and the service tastefully but by no means
splendid.
Morrissey g game has several partners. Charles
Read, Albert Spencer, and Benjamin Scrbner are |
among the number. These gentlemen demand q
share of attention.
Albert Spencer, is q small, thin parsonage, q
worthy individual, well.spoken Of by all his as.
sociates. He was formerly connected with RAN
som in enother game, and Is a shrewd player,
.hough liberal gentleman. He Is an experienced
leaer and a good caterer, in both of which func.
ions he ofiicatee. he has family to which he
8 devotedy attached.
AS for Charles Read, he Is Hercules and |
Weighs 2l0 pounds, or whereabouts. Having plenty |
If flesh 10 carry, he wears as.ltte and as loosely.
lifting clothes as possible. Like all big men he is
big hearted and brave, though good natured and
no6ensye when let alone.n He is general
,artner in Morrissey's game, and also conducts a
lay game In Fulton street.
: Benjamin Scribner Is also a general partner of |
his game-this gentleman, unlike the preceding |
5 cold. FLOODED and calculating. though honorabie
md fair dealing. Like lxon. he is the man at the
Wheel.
The patrons Of Morrissey embrace almost all the
eading politicians of New York and two-thirds of
be politicians who visit the metropolis. He is
listed almost nightly by his personal friends, else
where alluded TO, and by nest of Wall street
zen who. as the Honorable John CANDLES with |
n ina Nasn /