Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-05-30
JOHN MORRISSEY.
SOME INTERESTING "REMINISCENCES OF TIL
cAMpI I'D pI1cII IsT AND poi 1rIc,I AN

JOHN MORRISSEY.
SOME INTERESTING "REMINISCENCES OF THE
GAMBLER, PUGILIsT AND POLITICIAN.
Last evening a number of gentlemen sat
together in leading hotel here, and talked
about John Morrissey until bedtime. All
except one of them had been his personal
friends, and that one was no less person
than the venerable, but still hale and hearty,
Simon Cameron. One after another they
told their little story of the dead mans life,
and the "old senator" listened in silence and
with much attention. At last, when the rest
had apparently finished, he broke the silence
he had kept so long by exclaiming suddenly
and in his own quick, nervous way II never
had much personal knowledge of Mr.. Nor
risey, but heard one story of him which al
ways impressed me very deeply" "What
was it What was it?" asked the others in
breath, and in reply Mr.. Cameron related
the following incident:
give his own words as nearly as possible,
only omitting names at his request He
said: "When Morrissey first came to Wash
ington, I must confess that I was not favora-
bly, impressed with him. He had bad rec
ord, of course, and somehow or other most
people in this world have mean habit of re-
nembering all the bad things man does and
forgetting all the good ones At all events, I
had never heard anything good of Morrissey.
For this reason [ was very much surprised
one day to hear my friend (Senator Cameron
named one of the best known Republican
leaders in New York; speak in terms of great
kindness of him. gave expression to this
surprise, when my friend told me that / was
very much mistaken in Morrissey's character,
and to prove what he said, related the story to
which I allude. 1t was Ito the effect that a
young man of great promise, a resident of
New York City, and a clerk in large busi-
ness house, had found his way into Morris.
sey's gambling saloon, and while there had
lost in play $4,000, which was, for the mo-
ment, in his possession, but which belonged to
the firm in whose employ he was. The next
morning, the young man, fully realizing his
position, went to his mother and told her the
whole story. She, almost wild with grief,
went to her husband and repeated it to him.
The old man was so stunned by the informa-
tion of his boys dishonor, that he could sug-
gest no plan by which he might escape public
disgrace and punishment. In fact" contin.
ued Mr.. Cameron, "they were all in mighty
bad way but, as usual, the old woman was the
first to get her wits about her, and she sug
gested to the boys father to 60 to his friend
-, (the Republican leader already alluded
to,) and to get him to 60 to Morrissey and see
if he would not help them out of their trouble.
He went to the gambler, told him the whole
story and assured him that disgrace and ruin
would be brought upon an estimable family
if the money lost by the young man was not
returned. Morrissey listened quietly to all
that was told him, and then said: We'll,
that's all very well, but the young fellow lost
the money fair; and as for him bein' poor,
innocent young dove that didn't know moth
ing of the world, that's all stuff; he's been in
our place often, and won many pile, but for
Come to my house tomorrow morning. and
like as not can make the thing all right
The next morning the gentleman came as he
was directed, and with the simple words:
Tell the old woman to keep her boy away
from sportin' houses Morrssey handed him
the exact sum that the young clerk had lost.
If such an action" said Mr.. Cameron, in con-
clusion, 'does not cover multitude of sins,
my seventy. nine years of life have taught me
no lessons and brought me no knowledge"
AS he said this there was a suspicious moist
ure in the old campaigners eye, and at least
one of his auditors was ready to cry with him
in sympathy.
Shortly after he came to the capital, Mr..
Morrissey learned that Colfax, who was then
the Speaker of the House, was an inveterate
smoker. Acting upon this knowledge, he
went to him, and presenting neatly papered
parcel said: "Mr. Speaker want to talk to
you about my place on the committees, but,
before l say word, let me give you the best
box of cigars in America" "Ah! yes," said
Mr.. Colfax, very much embarrassed, "but
you know-that is to say-all the important
places belong by right to the old members"
Certainly" said Morrissey in his own blunt,
hearty way, "that's just what 1 thought, and
what want you to do for me is to put nae at
the tail end of some committee that never
does any work" "Oh that's easy enough"
said Colfax, evidently much relieved "Ill
do just what you want" He kept his word,
and Mr.. Morrissey was appointed to the COM
mittee on Revolutionary pensions, which
meets about once in five years.
How kind-hearted John Morrissey was to
people in distress, is known only to those who
were familiar with him. He made no display
of his generosity, but did his good work in
secret. If am not misinformet, his nearest
approach to an act of kindness which could
be seen of all men, was on one of the Albany
boats. 1t was two years ago, in the middle of
the season. and the vessel was crowded with
passengers on their way to Saratoga and 9TH
er summer resorts. John Morrissey and
number of his personal friends and associates
were among the number. Suddenly, while
the band was playing its liveliest air, and the
crowd in the saloon was at the height of its
enjoyment, woman's voice, evidently good
and cultivated woHan's voice, was heard la
menting some misfortune. Immediately the
people gathered around, and it was found
that a lady, alone and unprotected had lost
or been robbed of her purse. Big, noble.
hearted John Morrissey was the first to push
his way through the throng, and going up to
the woman, who was obviously in needy cir
cumstances, he asked, with drectness which
in any other man would have been rude:
"How much was there ir that there pocket
book2" "Seventy.three dollars" replied the
lady with almost painful exactness. "That
amt much of a pile" D." said the senator. Then
he put his hand in his pocket, and, taking out
twenty-dollar bill, turned to some of his
friends, who stood by, and said simply, "Chip
in, gentlemen" They did as they were d.
rected, and in three minutes the poor woman
had her money back again, and her benefactor
was on the forward deck quietly smoking
cigar John Morrisey has now "chipped in"
for the last time, but his memory will long be
kept green in many friendly hearts, Wash