Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-05-04
Some I,sctdsnts IN Hts Career.

Some Inctdsnts ~ Hts Career.
ION the night that John Morissey reached
the saloons and sporting houses, as there had
been prize-fght during the day between
| George Thompson, known in the pugilistic
circles as Pete Crawley's Big 'Un,' and man
named Howard, and Thompson, who had won
tho fight, had challenged any man in Calfornia
to fight Kim. On hearing of Morissey's arrival,
his friends at once entered into negotiations for
q match, and the following day match was
arranged between the two men for 81 900 .
side The fight took place on Mare Island on
| the - of August, 1852 and Morissey won after
fighting 10 minutes. The following November
Morissey returned East, and coming to New
York, was matched to fight Tom Hyer, the
chompion of America, for $4,000 side. This
match however, fell through Hyer claimed
that his friends had taken M
Morissey's challenge to fight any
man in America without his knowledge or
sanction: He declined to fight and paid for
her, 1858, Morrissey fought Yankee Sullivan
for 81 600 side. The battle took place at Chat
ham Four Corners, and was won by Morrissey
in 81 minutes. Sullivan displayed great skill
and courage, and punished his burly antago-
mist fearfully. But as he himself is reported
might as we'll hit a brick wall as hit that man
on the head At this time Morrissey was
keeping sporting house on Broadway, known
as the Gem, near the old Broadway theatre, but
he soon after removed to Leonard street, where
he opened public house, and which he kept
house. 1t was while keeping this house that
his serious difficulty with Bill Poole arose. An
alteration, having its Origin in some dispute
about the native American party, in which
Poole was q prominent man, resulted in
Poole and Morrissey agreeing to fight a
which Poole was unsurpassed) on the dock at
the foot of Amos street. Morrissey went to
the rendezvous unattended; Poole had his
gang with him. The fight began, and the men
were soon on the ground, the Poole men taking
advantage of Morrissey's being down to kick
him in a most brutal and cowardly manner.
Poole would never fight Morrissey again or offer
any satisfaction for the unfair conduct of his
friends. He was shot and killed in the same
year by Lew Baker. in the Stanwix hall,
Broadway. In 1866 Morrissey sold his place in
Leonard street, and did nothing till 1857.
HIS FIGHT WITH KEENAN,.
THAT year John Q. Heenan came on from
California, and his friends were very anxious
to make match for him with Morrissey. Nor
rissey, however, was tired of fighting, and his
family, who were very averse to his again en-.
tering the ring, persuaded. him to go to Troy.
Heenan's friends followed, and at last sue
ceeded in making match for %, 500 side and
the championship of America. The battle was
fought at Long Point, Canada, in October, 1858,
and resulted in the defeat of Heenan in twenty
one minutes. On entering tho ring Morrissey
declared that, win or lose, it was the last time
he would ever enter prize-ring. He kept his
word. After the fight he returned to New York,
and in the spring of 1850 he opened sporting
house on Broadway, where he made a good
deal of money. In 1860 he went to
England to witness the great
fight between Sayers and Heenan. He also
paid q visit to Ireland in the same year. In
1861 when the war broke out, he began to dab
BILE in Wall street. During the great rise of
Harlem in 1868, when the common council on
New York thought to corner Vanderbilt by re-
scinding the city ordinance authorizing him to
extend the Hudson River freight line from
Thirty -frst street to st. Johns park, Morrissey
was caught with the rest, and lost $50, O0O-
every dollar he had. In tho summer no bor-
rowed some money and went down to Saratoga,
where he had clubhouse which he had built
in Matilda street in 1862. He made Some
money there, and also was successful in Wall
street, ard was soon on his pecuniary legs
again. In 1864, 1865, and 1866 his operations
in Wall street were very heavy, and he realized
large sums of money.
POLITICS AND SPECULATION.
I'm 1866 he was elected to Congress from the
Fifth district of New York city. Though not
ambitious of Legislative honors, he always said
that he was determined to accept the nomina-
ton and get elected if possible, simply because
people said that he was not proper person to
60 to Congress. In 1866 he was elected by
2,70O majority. In 1868 his majority amounted
to $4,000. He always spoke with warmth and
gratitude of the kindness and consideration
with which he was treated in Congress, and he
used to say that in no one instance was he re-
f,,oo hat hc. tod at Nv,
the President or by any of his cabinet officers.
He never attempted any great speech, being
fully aware of his own capabilities. On the
ever-memorable Black Friday, Morrissey
was caught very heavily in New York Central,
his losses on that day alone amounting to
own ready money, but necessitated his borrow
ing little to make up the amount. But he
settled every Wall street difference without
favor. During the season Of 1870 ho ope2ed
his new clubhouse at Saratoga, which he had
just finished at cost of $3.50, 1000. 1t is I'M
especial purposes, in the world. On New
Years day, 1871, at his house in West Twenty
fourth street, he organized the political move
ment known the young Democracy, for
which, after the passing of the Tweed charter
at Albany in the ensuing spring, he was
feat of Tweed and the overthrow of the ring in
the fall of 1871, the reorganization of Tam
many hall was carried out, Mr. Morrissoy was
included in the new roll of members, and soon
began to take very active part in the manage
ment of its affairs, till, in the fall elections of
1873, he shared with Mr.. Kelly the leadership
of Tammany. At that time he boosted that
though he had always been actively interested
in politics. and had spent 5000, 900 in politics,
still he had never held office in New York, had
never had any contract with the city, had
never had warrant or draft upon tho city
treasury, and had never, either honestly or dis
honestly, made ono dollar out of the city of
New York.
In 1875 Morrisey again became candidate
for State honors, and defeated John Fox, Tam
many candidate, in the Fourth Senatorial dis
trict, by over 1000 majority. He served with
credit, opposing Tammany measures effectual-
ly. Last fall he might have been easily re-
elected in the Fourth district, but chose to
fight John Kelly in the Seventh comprising
the most aristocratic portion of the city. His
victory will be remembered as the feature of
the State campaign. 1t cost him his life.
From the day of his election to that of his
death he was seeking to escape the conse-
quences of doing political work night and
day, when he should have been in bed. Nor