Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-05-04
THE GREAT FIGHT With KEENAN,.


rived here from California. Cu>ick accom-
panied him, and they gave sparring exhihi-
lions, in which Heenan Showed mastery skill.
While boys in Troy, MorriSey always looked
upon Heenan as having no lighting ability.
Within four months a match between them
was proposed. Neither gave offence, but the
and kindied pueilisFic flame that lasted for
years. Heenan had secured a place in the
custom house through the influence Of the Hon.
initial as long as possible, 10th TO throw away
an assured emOlumenl and easy labor for the
alternative Of hard NOR, work and possible loss
prudence cowardice and his partislns
openly sneered and fonted him: He sent Nor;
ch hadnbs i, Two tbs had passed
MorrisSey determined to enter the ring for TIL,
last time: The fight was for s2.5c0 a site and
the belt that Morrissey had Won from Yankee
Sullivan. 1t took place at Long Point. Cana
da Oct. 20, 1853. MOrrissey's friends, as uSu Il.
were in strong force. The ring was pi ched in
the sand, and as a strict construction of the
English rules required turf, several spectators
found some blades of grass at distance, and
planted them in the ring. 1t was the only
| fight ever fought with two referees. Morris
liam Kelly; Heenan s, Aaron Jones and John
Mackey. AS Morrissev was being stripped, he
said. 1000 to $500 l win: This is my fight"
Heenan was out of condition, and rushed the
fighting. Morrssey delivered telling body
blows, and, after the most terrific struggle in
the prize ring. Won the fight in eleven rounds
witnessed this battle.
OWNING SIXTEEN FARO BANKS.
John Morrissey was now thirty,two years
o qsh His har had to the front
ing spirit detbrOned the pugilistic instinct thar
had thus far controlled him. But. like bull
dog tnggng at its cha the old feeling
champagne, the man at times did things re-
gretted in sober moments. When proved
wrong he was ready to apologize, but excited
tTn pSSi ya.o nd dom
The war flooded the country with money, and
shrewd gameSters became rich very rapidly
Morlissey took advantage OF the situation. In
1862 he became interested with old Matt. Dan
ser and Petrie in the great game in Barclay
street. He owned game at IL West Houston
street: He was also a partner in a faro bank
the organization of what was called the com
bination game at SIS Broadway. He had been
interested in similar game at SIC Broadw way,
and made considerable money. 1t was joint
stock association of gameS,erS. who opened a
house on a square basis, and divided the net
proceeds monthly. MOrriSSey extended hi
sphere OF operations until in 1861 he was a
partner in no less than sixteen faro banks.
| These institutions dotted The city like mash
| rooms, and millions were won and lost in them
during the closing years of the war.
In January, 1864, MOrrisSey opened his fla
nous saloon in west 24th street, opposite the
Fifth avenue Hotel. His associates we're Price
McGrath;. blue grass turtman. and John
| Chamberlin. 1t was the most successful game
| ever established in the city. Prominent turf
men from the south and west made it their
| headquarters, and thousands of dollars were
H The sTsPr S ddeS s IN Hs
| then quarreled, and dissolved business rela-
tons. MorriSsey became an inveterate pri-
vate gameSter He had long bouts at BOS-
| ton, poker, and similar games with Ben Wood.
| James OBrien, and other celebrated men, and
| the sporting fraternity We're in continual
flutter OF excitement over reports of the large
| ting OF twenty-fOur hours. it is said that Ben
Wood arose with $780, in his pockets. AS a
gamester Morrissey always bore good rep
utation He conducted his business honestly,
and was never interested in skin game
| Indeed, several police raids were made upon
Skin houses" at his instigation. He declared
they cast Odum upon honest gameSters. and
| interfered with what he was pleased to term
his legitimate business. His political influence
was so powerful that the police department
| crosby, under his improved circumstances be-
| came proverbial When his old rival, Heenan,
| turned up bankrupt, he was placed on his feet
through Morrissey's aid. A thousand stories
are atloat concerning his benevolence at this
| period, and it is said that he gave away over
5000 year. About this time he was taken
proved fatal. For days he laid on the verge
of the grave. but his superb physique tri-
| umphed, and, in pugi iStic parlance, he caught
his second wind once more, and won fight
Morrissey's wonderful success in gaming
opened new paths to fortune, and he boldly
| ne SIdSPeu Illc DfduCnpS OF
the "policy'' business, shook them strongly
and was rewarded with a shower of golden
fruit; The well, known Simmons brothers and
| the Hon. Benz Wood were his partners and
| fortunes were divided be ween them. DSSan,
siens arose, Morrissey sold out, and a round IF
| lawsuits followed, traces OF them still appear
| ing in our courts.
| IN WALL STREET WITH LIFE PREsERyER
| Flushed with fortune, the Troy boy entered
| that paradise for gamblers, Wall street. John
J. Tebin, one OF his friends. had preceded him
| do ,>>;l
Vanderbilt was said to have been his sponsor
and MOrrissey wanted the same godfather
The Trojan owned the horse Rockingham
modore Jealous Of Rober B ST sta abe
was on the lookout for trotting prodigies. II
took fancy to Rockingham and Morrissey
sent the horse over to his stables with his
rissey had been offered $1,000 for the trotter.
Vanderbilt was not ungrateful MOrrisSav
entered Wall street under his tutelage., H.
| got his first points on Lake Shore, and the
Commodore boosted him along in Harlem,
Hudson River and New York Central as Oppor'
tunity served, until within eighteen months
$780, 200: He made $4,000 in one day. At that
stock Of Harlem and 4 Hudson ' River for i in
trail until the death Of Dean Richmond. MOI
rissey drifted away from him, and is said to
have lost heavily in Harlem. The Commo-
and he recovered his losses when Central
stock was first watered. His friend Tobin
afterward went out of sight, but Morrissey was
strong swimmer, and, with the Vanderbilt
cork Jacket, kept himself afOat during the
great Erie tempests, but suffered severely in
the terrible typhOOn of Black Friday. When
the Tammany Ring went to the bottom in the
| Hannibal and St. 10. Squall, he rode the waves
| like duck, and landed safe and sound. His
financial operations in Wall street were ruin
| Gus. A friend who had charge of his business
says that MOrrisSey one day computed his
| wealth at 100000. He proposed to 60 to Eu-
| rope with his wife and child, and enter upon
course of study. He keenly regretted his lack
| of education. With four years constant ap-
| plicatiOn in Europe, he thought he might re-
| turn and make name for himself in the pO-
liIical annals of the country, He had decided
| upon this course, when one day. he met Com
mOdOre Vanderbilt. He laid the matter be-
| fore the Commodore, and asked his advice.
| The Shrewd old veteran advised him not to
| leave Wall street, and gave him few points.
| MOrrissey again entered the street, but retired
| within month entirely cleaned out. He not
only lost his $780, O0 but was fully 500 900 In
| debt He squared himself by a manly strug-
| gle, and never again placed himself in the
| power of the bulls and bears
| HIS CAREER ON THE TURF.
Under the weight Of stock operations, the
| lottery business and faro banks, MOrrissey
| appeared on the turf. He developed a taste
| for horses before his fight with Keenan,, and
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