The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-11-11
THE CREAM OF THE PRESS.
HEMINIsCENCEs or SENATOR JOHN
MORRISsEY'S CAREER.
lie Great strength and Indomitabie Piuck as
q Bov His Fistic Encounters Making =
Costly Present to Commodore Vanderbilt.

Costly Present to Commodore Vanderbilt.
from ne cincinnati Commercial
John Morrissey's career shows ConClu-
sively what iudoniitable pluck energy, and fair
dealing will do for man, even wnen htndicap-
ped with such fearful weights as obscure birth,
profession Born Of poor peasant y rents in
ireland, he was brought by them TO this coun-
Morrs ss located eds IN rov New YorR and EARN
ed prccarious living for his family by the COM
monest laborlng work, he being man Of the
commonest education and without trade.
MorrissoS' + mother was also deficient In educ =
tion and appreciation Of its advantages, and
amount II "hook larnln :" when a boy. when
but strippliRg he attracted the attention OF a
dog fighter named Patsey Mccormick, who took
him under sort Of patronage, and, though he
was not blessed With an over supply OF ths
worlds goods ne oiten found means "i assss u.s.
valuable indeed.
This OLD inh bitants Of Troy tel some very
queer stories about the hardshps Of MorrisseNs
cary life, md II certainly was strcwn 18th moro
hard ki ocks than roses. The prnci 1al INDUSTRY
OF Troy ~ iron manufacturing, and the men em-
ployed IN It's works have long been celebrated
Tor the reflection II their physique aud their
proves. Though IA well behaved IA the gen ".
alty Of men Of theiI class. hey are fond OF tue
manly art. and the Younger y 'rlion OF them are
adopts IN its mysteries. This was ESPECIALLY the
Gaze when the suuJec. ~ our sketch was boy,
aud he was one Of ihe sort that didn't take
has had with them just TO set at rest the yexcd
question, who was tue best man. IL Is related
sn' ne was r eli ,d, n rhnrc were re
dozens OF the luds in his dav who could make
his face look like a raw beeisteik in ton min
utos, but Ist about the tine that he ought TO
have cried euOn gh. he would turn upon his IN
taeonist with such fury that he would soon be
compelled to at knowledge himself wnipped
man. An old competitor ~ his once remarke I'D
"JOhn didn't never aCcm to know when he was
licked. and just as you got tired thumping him,
he Wind o. got his second wind. an then you
might as well tackle the devil himself ~ try TO
make any headwav AGAINST him. Of the iron
industries OF lroy, stove moulding Is tho most
tmnortunt, and IN the days OF Morrissey's boy
hood every monldcr had hls helper. or " Bcrk-
shie,' MS h was called and when he was about
nineteen years old lc became Berkshire In the
Clinton stove Works the largest at IN time
In the world, lie soon became a valuable man
in tue shop. hi, gre 1t strength enabling him to
d. great deal Of what is called JACK S. work
with case. Among otner incidents OF his shop
life " ~ related that he would of'en, for u
small wager, stand harefooted aud NJ ladle Of
molten iron at arms length Droast high, an
achievement never before or since accom-
After the SteInway Hall tragedy, Morrissey
settled down somewhat, and won the affections
OF Miss sally smith ~ Troy, daughter Of n prom
inent ste mbo { capt .inL ind the bels.of her ma
tive city. Tns was the most fuitun lie step Of
his life, for he now beg n to THINK OF making
money. with this object In VI ", he started a
barrOOm In Troy. Selling whiskey was not
profitable enough. huwever, and Ire borrowed
$500 OF Johnny Iianklin OF thus city, and en-
thus engaged. he { lund time to patfonile other
forms II snort, and he developed quito uassion
for cock lighting. one night. wniie attending u
hsht, he got into quarrel with a man named
Heeuan and his son lin, which resulted IN lis
whipping the pair. Hcenfn had "a son IN Gait
1Jrnia " no had acq nred the sOuiTtgud OF the
Benica Boy, ana considerable reputation ~ =
prize hghier. NIen Zoe Heiicii BOY learned ut
The ms az e. his Gin he determined to return
home and thrash the man VINO had struck his
father. when lac reached New York he soon
found Fri mus to PIT him against Morrissey, and
thr wife Of the latter, HAVING given her con
sent, match was mode for the champlon-hip
OF Amerirf. The hattie WIS fought In Canada,
and was orc ~ the most terrible IN the annals
Of the rins In the nrst round ieenan broke
Morrisseys nose with blow that would have
taken the ngh, out 4 hplf tire sluggers In the
country: but Mornssey bided his time, aud ON
Hecn MS smashing bis hand against "A stake IN
the MIN round, he sailed in nd ut the "boy"
70 sleep with ease. This ended Moriissey's ca
ree III the ring.
About TINS time he learned that Commodore
Vanderbilt had his eye upon q fast horse IN New
York, but that he hated pay the price asked
eented It To- the Commodore Vanderbilt &c
cepied the GIFT, aud tork Morri.scy mt bis
confidence, dvi tug him to 20 into the street
and specui te IN stocks. John took the .dVce,
and from the points furnished Nv Nander, ilt.
he soon und himself On the wy tOa cumpe-
ten'V. About ihis time hc thought seriously 81
taking up his residence for good IN Troy, and
with thut OBJECT ~ view, lie made ovcaturrs for
tho zurich 81 u a d. Hing that .ces private
park In that city. IuC ais oCratiC den Zcns OF
the hel-hut9hund became alarmed AZ the
threa'eucd " ximliy OF piize lighter, ana
cumblncd togcih and pufch sed the residence
before he could comple'e hts arrangements,
Wnen Morris.ey found tits out, he determined
oil revenge. aud through a friend he purchased
lot Immediately IN the rear OF the most Gle.
giant art OF the afistocratic locality. and on n
ne erected a lJud-snc.iing soap factory. The
outraged rist Gratis .pplied to tie courts, tut
Morrissey's attorneys were clever, and avuled
themselves Of eacn trick Of the law u pfocras-
tinate the case. ana the result Was the soap faC-
tory was bought by the ar!stoura IS at "A price
that made m, IN paw dearly fur their excl, sN g.
ness Morissey then moved pcrm .neniiy to
New Yo l. CITY. and hs his wealth Increased he
became anxious for politi al power ana ON Sc.
Possibl, the rel. II was the avowed motive
for this desire, was the fact that Morrissey
sired t. leave his only son u recollection OF hri
parent that would embrace something more
than the histnri Of successful prize Gghter and
gambler. lie bis cot jet what It may, his anbi-
tion was graiined, and he was elected TO Con-
Gress, aud II j. only TAR 10 tia' hts car er n-
amCmher Of the National Legislature was
marked hy honesty and good sense, qualitis IS
not altogether undesirable IN this class ol pub
when Vanderbilt took possession OF the New
York tentr !, " became desirable TO get an idea
OF his policy refore the pubic. and at the same
time l. We ths lbl &c believe tnat the Informal
tiun Was obtained incidentally and not made
known with purp -. win tnat object In
view, Il rep r er OF Jnurn whose editor was
In the cr,t was detailed TO Interview Morris
sew, AMI cXtort, II possible, lhe eva from him
Tho srriDe IVES Glazed over his commission. and
succeeded beyond his widest hopes. When the
Interview was about at an end, he SAID to TAI;
MIR. Morris ev. what is the secret OF your
success In lifef It cant be because you were
prize heh er, 10y better pugilists than you have
died In the pOOrhOuse.
norrsscy canned his intcrroeator closely, ant
thens ID:
"Certain, not" was the response.
then laid Morris y, my word Is M
bphu loNfl ltlANc ~ Hrlp ultl tinc VINO ash
for uid, If II h In ny power. II mud MAI
disposed to lc ny friend tie to tim with hook
Of steel, andi ind a man going out 81 lbs wa
20 do me or NINE uirt, 20 for him until ho eoe
In the hole hose VINO know MOrri-sey ties
can best appreciate TINS creed, ana 1t portray
him out ana out. lie won't lo, he won't steal
and ne never turns his back on frond or foe
is II any wonder ia Al he carried the masses witt
him ia square agn against hypocrisy aud de
ceitf There will DO ualy Senator Ia AlDan
this winter that might well Initiate his example
WRECKS on THE CUBAN COAST.