Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-08-31


PROSPERITY SHORT AND nLusoRY-How THEY
HAvE FALLEN FROM WEALTH TO POVERTY.
From the New York Tribune, August i3,
The tragical death of j. F. Murphy. who
shot himself last week in the elegant parlors
of Murrays notorious gambling house, at
No. l3 West Twenty eighth street, Is one OF
the many examples showing that the lives OF
gamblers generally end in wretchedness and
gloom. A glance over the past 30 years dis
closes the fact that comparatively few OF the
prominent gamblers who have appeared In
the sporting circles of New York have re-
tanned their ill-gotten riches and enjoyed
life to the last Most of them sooner or later
sink into misery and abject poverty. Matt
Danser's continued prosperity was a notable
exception, and almost without precedent.
look into the circumstances of the New York
gamblers of to-day does not find many indi-
cations that their last days will be much hap
pier than those of their predecessors.
Among the most conspicuous OF the me-
tropolitan gamblers was Reuben Parsons,
who, from lS40 until his recent death, had
at various times accumulated much money,
which he invested in real estate. But at
length he went into Wall street and lost his
fortune His old partner, Henry Cotton, was
believed until recently to be wealthy, but
legal proceedings have shown that he has
trasferred all his property to his wife In the
interests of his children. Cotton and Par
sons and the late Matthew Danser were con-
sidered for years to be the richest men OF
their disreputable class.
From time to time men from distant cities,
attracted by the inviting field for their opera
tions presented by New York, have sought to
make this city their home. Such men were
the elegant Pendleton of Washington, and
oil H.. hA Eatat I'D Inn
house for many years in Broadway, one door
below the Chemical bank Moore for a time
was prosperous but desire to force his
family into n circle of society closed TO them,
in spite of his wealth and the familys educa-
ton, led him into extravagance that proved
his ruin. Another notorious gambler was
Patrick Hearne, an Irishman, ofgreat shrewd
ness and of polished afiability OF manner. In
company with Schuyler Halsey, be establish
ed and conducted a gambling house for
many years opposite the Metropolitan hotel.
Hearne, perhaps, was the most interesting
man of his class. He bad a good education,
and his personal attractions allured into his
society such men as the Livingstones, the
Jameses, of Albany, and the Costers, Of New
York, from whom he won not less than half
million dollars. But he loved play for his
own sake, and WAS addicted to high living
and dissipation and extravaganza generally
He died almost penniless Halsey passed off
the stage two years ago, leaving, out of
an immense amount of ill-gotten gains, only
$4,000. A man named Joseph Hail. origin
ally house painter, also tried his fortune in
New York. He was handsome man, but
pompous, overbearing and presuming Hav-
ing succeeded in gambling he invested in
trotting horses, and once owned the celebra-
ted trotting stallion Lantern, afterward pur
I'LL
for his suppers, and knew how to cater for
his guests better than any other gambler-host
in New York. A story is told to show his
extravaganza, in effect that after Lantern had
won an important race, Hall had silver
bucket made for the horse TO drink out of.
few years ago, worn-out and crippled,
Hall was soliciting aims to keep him from
starving.
John Harrison was popular sporting II an.
He was convicted and imprisoned for keeping
gambling g-saloon-almost the only case Of
the kind that can be remembered by the old
est gamblers of to-day. Strange it may
seem, Harrison was called an honest gambler
who played fair game. His low instincts
finally led him into an alliance with woman
notorious as Julia Brown. This ruined him.
and he died in poverty. Harrison had, how
ever, given fine education to the woman's
daughter ut one of the converts of the Sacred
Heart She has since married New York
lawyer, and resides at present in Westchest-
er county.
Harrison had a son, TO whom Mrs. Brown
left considerable property in Westchester,
and whose life after leaving New York was of
most extraordinary and varied character.
He went to California in the flush times Of
1851, and became such noted desperado
that the vigilance committee drove him from
L. L af,,ara
where he was renowned for his crimes, and
where he added two or three to the number
of persons whom he had killed in California.
When passing through Leayenworth one day,
in conversation with fellow-desperado, he
enumerated on his fingers ii persons whom
he had killed. Suddenly drawing his revolver,
he swote he would have IL men of his own
killing in the internal regions as q jury to try
him when he reached his home there, and
shot an inoffensive German shoemaker who
was sitting on the opposite side of the street
at work The citizens of Deavenworth drove
him away, and he took refuge in another part
of Kansas. In 1861, when the war broke
out, Harrison with 20 or 80 men of like des-
perate character, joined the second Kansas
cavalry which WAS being raised at that time
by Col. A. c. Davis. formerly United States
district attorney OF Kansas. Davis yery re-
luctantly admitted Harrison into the regi-
ment, and only after promise that he would
control his men and behave himself. After
two or three months in camp, Harrison and
his fellow ruffians one night crossed the river
into Missouri and sacked little town oppo-
site the camp. Harrison was arrested by
Davis and tried by court martial, but he es-
capped and went into the Indian territory,
near the place where the confederate army
lay. He raised company of half breeds,
who, passing into Arkansas, committed dep
relations on friend and foe alike. After a
time he was captured by the citizens of a
town which he had previously robbed. They
hanged him and cut off his head, and stuck
it on a pole in one of the streets. The sec
ond Kansas cavalry moved into this town
shortly afterward, and the officers found the
head of their former associate. Years later,
in suit for the possession Of the property
which Julia Brown had left Harrison in West
chester county, Col. Davis, who had mean
while removed to New York to practice law,