Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-06-08
A Brief but not very Flattering History
OF the Man who Testified against
Speaker Kerr.
An Industrious Reporter Haunts him In
the Slums and Low Dens Of
New York.
A "Check- -Charmer," a Loafer," a
Oulder.Hitter," and "Hench.
man of TWeed's"-Assumed
Nsmes-Etcs

The following excerpts are from the
New York Herald, in which one Of Its
reporters shows up "the man who
claims to have seduced Speaker Kerr"
and squelched the Democratic party:
Since the publication in yesterdays
Herald of the principal career Of Law.
renee Harney, the witness against
| Speaker Kerr, the detectives, who have
for week past been diligently engaged
in ferretiDg out his history, have almost
| completed their IabOrs.
Harney sWore before the coDgressiOn-
al committee that he was born In West
chester county. This is now openly de-
MED in this city by persons who claim
to know that he was born in the town
of Ksnturk, county Cork, Ireland, and
that he was brought here when child.
Certain it is that none OF his early asso-
ciates in this city ever met either OF his
parents, or any relative of his, and he
never spcks Cf his family. He first be-
| came known in the thirteenth ward,
and residedin Essex street, near Hester
street. He was known to the men on
the Bowery as "statue" or "lover," one
of those miserable creatures having the
form of man who find their only society
women. He made his headquarters at
the Westchester house, corner of BoWery
and Broome streets, and had for associ-
ates George Davis and Tom Reynolds,
since dead, young Charley Matthews,
and Jimmy Dodd. 1t was seldom that
8 woman could pass by without being
insulted by this gang of blackguards.
Whenever woman stopped to speak
to them, either from curiosity or CAFE
lessness, Harney was introduced to her
as Captain WillOughby. Among the
many lodges worked by the party to
exc out a precsrious living was the
printing Of bogus tickets for disreputable
picnlcs, which they sold to foolish young
men in liquor saloons. 1t was mistake
to class Harvey as sporting man or q
gambler. He WAS regarded by them
only as a man to bring Ia pigeon to be
piucked, or
A "CHECK CHARMER,"
to borrow from a successful player. He
was well known in this regard by the
ho6ttttes of the "Old Smoks House faro
game" kept by Chss. Randall, and af-
terWard by Frank Brown, at No. 116
BOWery, and also in the Crystal and
Gotham saloons. The war bIoke out,
and Harney went into the enlistment
business, putting immigrants through
and poe ksting their boUnties. The close
Of the war found him sgain faro
bank steeTer and a clover" in the
BoWery. at that time the Davis girls
lived in the tenth ward. Mary was mar
ried to Carl Heinrich Newman, better
known ss Dutch HEINRICH" the bank
robber; Henrietta was the wife of "5hee-
Eo i'll nd Coll "
had lover named Fraser. Harney held
at this time q siDecure position Is COL
lector of market rates, and was hench-
man of Tweed. He was removed by
Comptroller Brennan, and the man who
served the notice of removal found Hsr-
ney living with his real wife and two
| children in house in Fifty second street.
| This was in 1866. Shortly after, Sally
| Davis told Fraser that she was going to
leave him. He said: "What foI?" She
| replied: 'I am going to be married to
| Captain Wil!Oughby, wealthy army
officer, who resides in Washington
| and is
| A PARTICULAR FRIEND OF Mr.. WILL
LIAM A. DARLING"
"AI right" said Fraser; "if yo1can
better yourself do so." A few nights
| AlLGE pIhS6E luGI
| Davis walking in Broome street and
stopped them. He said: sis this your
husband?" She answered, "Yes." Fra
ser said: "Why, you -, how did you
come to be Captain WillOughby ?" Har-
ney ran away. At this time, which was
the date Of the alleged payment Of the
ftuc hundred and fifty dollars, Harvey
bought Sally q silk dress and jewelry
He took her to Washington, registered
her there as his wife and introduced bel
as his wife. She is now in this city.
WHAT SPORTING MEN THINK OF
"LARRYn HARNEY.
Mr.. Thos. P. Walsh, otherwise tFat
ty,n was found in his shirt sleeves, ,seat.
cd in chair, at Worth street and Cha
than Square, fauning himself with hi
broad-leaved Panama hat. "What,
said he, "do / sknow him? or course
/ do, the dirty loafeT. He never wei
any good. I wonder how he came bJ
his Irish nameW
Old Mr.. John Lying was found a
Broadway and Thirtieth street. HI
smiled sardonicaily when HaMey'i
name was mentioned, and remarked
"What he couIdn'tcstch he would bav'
to let run. Anything left over for Ker
after Harney had hold Of it, wouIdn'
buy 8 wooden toothpick."
George Wymsn, better known a.
"CalIfOrnia George" arose from his
table and smilingly awaited the objec
Of the reporters visit, on being inform
ed he lost his cOmpOsure, and hastily
calling the colored man, said, "In
half crazy with being asked about tina
vagsbond. Bring me some soda.water
| 10
OF him, and il you can find any one tina
did I'll open basket"
"Gentleman George" " M'ClOud said
''I don't known anything about tn
man. He was q 'cheek-chsrmer,' and
would not allow him or any one lik
him to come into my rooms"
Pat Hares was found at Fourteenth
street and Fourth avenue. He said
"He's loafer and 3 no-account man
any how. had no acquaintance with
him beyond knowing him IS one of
gang ofrowdies and 1overs' that hans
out at Broome and BoWery.n
Mr.. Harry Washburne said: "Ihav
known Harney for years. He wal
never q gambler. We always REGARDED
him as q check-stealer."
Such are q few OF the definitions O
Harney's character from the men VIII
knew him we'll.
HOW GREEN WAS REALLY APPOINTED
A Herald reporter called upo6A gen
tIeman in this city yesterday, who wa
an assistant dooIkeeper in the house O
representatives with "Larry." The stoT
tcld by this party is substantially as TO
lows: "Just after the close of the wsr
, large number Of commissions In the reg
uIar army were issued by the war d(
I pertinent This man Green, who is sal
, to have furnished the money whic
passed into Hsrney's hands, was a war;
friend of William A. Darling, then
representative in congress. Green wan
ed an appointment and applied to Nj
Darling for 1t, but Darling was unaEl
to assist him diEectly, as he had but r,
Gently secured a commission for anOtht
! friend. He was, however, very friendl
! to Mr.. Strauss, Of Philadelphia, and |
+ Mr.. Kerr, and, as he desired to hel
Green, he went to these gentlemen an
reque, ted them to use their ibfiuenC
with Mr.. Stanton. Mr.. Strsu,s Wi
first applied to, but IL soon tran
!, pired that he had little or no il fiuen,
9 with the secretary. Then Mr.. Kerr ",
| souoht Harnav pnin0 with D.,IInU