The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1878-05-17
Gorrlssey IS a Gambler
Washington C0Tfr-pondence or the New
York Times

Washington C3Er..p2ndence OF the New
York Times.
Last evening number Of gentle
men sat together in Il leading hotel
hero and talked about Morrissev until
bedtime. Nll except one OF them had
heCn hls personal friends, and that one
was no less person than the Vencra-
hlc but still hale and hearty Simon
Cameron. One after another they
told their little story Of the dead mans
life, and "thC old senator listened in
silence and with much attention. At
last, when the rest had apparently
finished, he broke the silence he had
kept 50 long by cXclaim,ns suddenly
and in his own quick, nervous way:
81 never had much personal knOwl-
edge Of Mr.. MOrrissey, but heard one
story Of him which alWaYs Impressed
What Was it?i' asked the others in "A
breath, and in reply Mr.. Cameron re-
lated the following incident. ! give
his own words as nearly as possible,
only emitting names NJ hiA request.
He sAid. t.When MuFrisscy first
came to Washington must confess
that was not faVOrably impressed
with him. He had bad record, of
course, and somehow or other most
people in this world have ;. mean
habit of remembewin.s all the bad
things mar. Csoes and forgetting all
the suOd ones. At all events, ] had
never heard anything good of Morris
sey. For this reason ! wa very much
surprised aae IaY ~ hear my friend
SeuatQE cameron named one Of the
hest known Republican leaders Of
New NOTk-speak in terms Of great
kindness Of him. / gave expression to
this surprise, when my friend told me
I was very much mistaken in Morris
sey's character, and to prove what he
said related the story to which Al
luded, 1t was 10 the effe"t that a
young man Of great promise, a resi-
dent 0I NJ ! ork City, and clerk III
.. large business house, had found his
way into MOrrissey's gambling sa-
loon, and while there had lost in play
81 UtM which was for the moment 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 10
his mother and told her the whole
story. She, almost wild with grief,
went to her husband and repeated it 10
him. The old man was so stunned by
the information of his boys dishOnOr
that he could suggest no plan by
which he might escape public dis
grace and punishment. In fact, =" con-
tinued Mr.. Cameron, "they were all
in Al mighty bad way, but, as usual,
the old woman was the first to get her
wits about her, and she suggested to
the boys father to 90 TO his friend
-, (the Republican leader already
nII Il, d -, la IN 10
Morrissey and see if he would not help
them out of their trouble. The friend
consented, much against his will. He
went to the gambler, told him the
whole story, and assured him that
disgrace and ruin would be brought
upon an cstimable family if the mon
ey lost by the young man was not re-
turned. MorrisSey listened quietly to
all that was told him, and then said;
We'll, that's all very Vol, hut the
young fellow !4st tile mOney lairi and
i,Iid as fOr nina bCin' = poor innocent
young dove that didn't know any
thing of the world, that's all stuff he's
been in our place often, and won
many a pile, bat snr the old wOman's
safe I'll see what ! can do. Come 20
my house tomorrow morning and
like as not | can mak" the thing all
right. Th" next morning the gentle
:.ssiiam came as he was directed, and
with the simple words, Tell the old
woman to keep her boy away from
sportiu' houses MorTissey handed
him the exact sum that the young
clerk had lost. If such an action,
said Mr.. Cameron in conclusion, "dOes
not cover a multitude Of sins, my ~
years Of life have taught me no les
sons and brought me no knowledge"
As he said this there was a suspicious
moisture in the old campaigncr's
eyes, and at least one Of his auditors
was ready to cry with him i'll sympa-
thy,