Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-10-19
A Pair Of Gamblers.

try undoubtedly are John Morrissey
and John Chamberlain. The one is
at his gambling house at |
Saratoga, and the other at his "club'
1T Long Branch. These men have sur.
passing influence and enjoy certain
kind of popularity among their social |
superiors which can be only accounted |
for by the intimacy of their business |
relations across the board Of green |
cloth.
Morrissey, State Senator, and ex.pu. |
gilist, seems to be acquainted with
everybody at Saratoga, except the
ladies, and he cares as little for them
as they care for him. He never says
very blilliant. but men of /
five times his ability look up to him as
an oracle. Gambler though he is, he
is said to be fair in all his business
dealings, and his word is considered as
good as his bond. He allows no swind.
ling on his race.c0urse and his gam.
bling house, or ''club- house, as some
of the newspapers gingerly term it, is
the resort not only Of fast men and
mer about town, but of leaders in both
political parties. Morrissey and Cham.
berlain, once partners, have been for
years not only rivals, but personal en-
emies, and openly profess the lnost un.
bounded contempt for each other.
Morrissey is q domestic man, strongly
attached to his wife and family. He
cares little for theatres. and less for
display. His New York Office is in the
open air, outside the Hoffman House,
where he holds levee every fine af-
ternoon when he is in town. In per-
son he is far from handsome, although
he is six feet high and large in proper.
tion. His forehead is low, his short,
black hair and beard are thick and
bristly, and his nose is battered down
in the middle almost to a level with the
rest of his face, one of the results of
one of his great pugilistic contests.
His voice is a hoarse, unmusical whis-
per, which, however, has much power
when its owner is moved to excite.
ment, as he not infrequently is the
! night before any important horse race,
when he is generally to be seen direct.
ing the business of his betting room IN
Broadway.
His rival, John Chamberlain, is 4
combination Of contradic ctions: shrewd
and careless, rough and polished, wise
and foolish, good and bad. He, looks
fat and unwieldy; he is supple, active
and strong. His face is dull in repose,
but under excitement has the keen
look Of the Yankee and the passion Of
an angry Italian. Chamberlain never
does anything, yet is never idle. lie
pays little attention to what is passing
around him, yet notes everything and
forgets nothing. Above all things, hi
can smile. Schuyler Colfax is not 8
circumstance to him. He dresse.
richly and dashily. He is most fastid
ious in eating and drinking. His cool
is the best In the country, and hi,
taste in wine is unsurpassed. He il
said to be = good Judge Of pictures
has an ear for music, commands q TAI
stock Of miscellaneous knowledge
tells good story, and knows how t
listen to one. Chamberlain has mos
& of the professional gamblers good an
bad qualities. As is natural with
man who has lived such life as b
/; has lived, he has no belief in religto
or in human nature. It Is his businea
to be liberal, and he is 90, to the e1
! tent Of furnishing refreshments to th
Victims who may find their way int
his gambling den. He Is generou
and faithful to his friends and open
his disikes; his, physique, original
8 magni6c Is well preserved, no
{ lwithstanding his irregular habits, an
3 The is probably good for tWent