, 1884-06-21
JOHN MoRRIssEY.
Career of the Sporting Man Who
Wont to Congress-
How He Came to Hob-Nob with
the BETTER Iass--- Why Ho
ante to go to
Congress-,



Did | know him wellI / knew him before
the war; long enough before he or anybody
Else thought he would die worth nearly half q
million. He used tolkeep a liquor place in
Troy; got broke and came to New York. The
first thing he did here was to get a crowd to-
Gether TO fight on the side of law and order.
These were the days Of the roughs and short
boys. and they adored John. He was taken
up by a fow prominent politicians, got some
money and started his career as a gambler.
He was long-headed, though, was John: and
If he'd been an educated man would have
figured prominently in public life. You
mustn't think that all gamblers are rogues,
you know. Morrissey saw that gambling, TO
be respectable must nave its haunts In ele-
gance and be conducted as scrupulously as a
prayer7meoting. So he fixed up his house,
made money, and followed the tide Of fashion
at Saratoga, which he made the Monte
Carlo of America Myi What gay times
those werel' aud the professionals eyes be-
came moist with tears, and had a PARKWAY,
wistful look IN them. Hrt .v
you used to visit Morrissey's place fire.
quentlyF'
ooh, yes, quite often. One could meet SEN
ators and assemblymen, and even congress
men t~bere-aye, and some Of the biggest men
in the state government, too. Everything
was gotten up in the most expensive style.
This cards were shuflled in a silver case, the
cue-box, layout table, and parapbernalia
generally were works OF art-the finest that
money could buy. Mnny a cool hundred
thousand passed over Morrissey's tables.
John was the king of the carnival and the
center of attraction as he sat or lounged
about, attired in u white flannel suit, his
fingers blazing with diamond rings, and his
shirt-bosom illuminated by a headlight dia-
mond pin, the biggest l ever saw except Boss
Tweed's famous solitaire. When he came to
town, however, he discarded all THAT, and, in
stead of the loud Saratoga swell, you would
meet a stout fellow in a suit Of clerical cut,
generally black. But l have seen him when
he looked rough enough"
70 How did Morrissey get his startf'
well, it was in this way. When old man
Kennedy was superintendent of police, he
sent for John and asked him TO organize n
force of watchers to take charge of the polls
up town in u local election. They expected
a big fight, so Morrissey got together about
thirty fellows as rough and ready as himself,
and gave the order that any man who at
tempted to interfere at the polls was to nave
his head broken. About noon Bill Poole's
crowd came along. 1t was composed of
roughs from the bloody Sixth, short boys,
Fourth warriors aud plug uglies- Poole,
when no saw Morrissey and his gang in
charge, concluded to back out, and SO he
did, That was the first meeting of the two
old timers, but it wasn't their last by any
means. Wen, Morrissey's success in that
affair brought him into notice and gave him
a boost. He swore off drinking
and cumming and became a sport.
He soon hob-nobbed both across
tho dinner-table and card-table with
judges, senators, bankers, merchants, and
even m~illionaires He patronized the turf,
allH d. Ia-N "A U.ual - -a-$ - Is. "a 4
be Il patron of any sport or calling which ad-
mitted of n bet. He even went so far as to
make his debut in Wall street as the protege
of the biggest gambler on earth-Commodore
Vanderbilt. Together Morrissey and the
commodore-tho former operating with the
latter's money-paralyzed the stock ex-
change They taught the brokers how to
gamble in the millions. John made a pile by
this partnership, but thousands who had
sold Harlem railroad stock short were ruined
by the stroke. But Morrissey's biggest single
scoop was at cards, when he won S03, 900
from Ben Wood. Everybody knows the
story, which created II big sensation at the
time"
"Do You recall his career afterwardf'
"Well, it was in politics chiefly after these
events. In 1890, soon after the arm-and-arm
convention was held in Philadelphia, and the
campaign opened for members OF congress
here, n friend of mine, interested in the sue
cess OF the movement inaugurated at Phila-
delphia, visited New York to consult with the
state committee, and found some apprehen.
sion OF losing votes in consequence of the de-
termination OF tho friends OF Morrissey to
nominate him for congress. His friends
claimed that he had fairly earned the honor,
but the fears increased that his namo on tho
ticket would be very detrimental. My friend
was requested to SEQ Morrissey and ask the
sacrifice Of his political ambition for a time.
He met Morrissey for the first time, and told
him frankly his mission. Morrissey as
frankly said: If l do not convince you, Mr..
-, in an hours ride round the district that
cannot only carry it, but get more votes
thnn any man that may be nominated, l will
at your suggestion withdraw
"1ney took n carriage and drove around.
The ride convinced my friend that John was
as good as his word, and, like a veteran sport,
knew exactly what the chances were and
how he must play to win. He ran-and won.
Morrissey, though he had led a rough life,
was good at bottom. On that occasion he
told my friend; Il ave no personal ambition
in thus seeking this place, for every one
knows me, but there is Tom growing up, aud
| want to leave to him n record OF something
else of his father than that of a gambler and
prIze-fghter. That is tho only reason l d
sure 10 be nOLlllhIeds
ain The Intelligencer on the day that Nor
rissey took his seat appeared a curious thing.
II was an article on Joseph Gulley, n prize
fighter, who sat in the British parliament for
twenty years, respected and honored by his
colleagues and countrymen- 1t was a hearty
and timely service to Morrisssy. But he
made many rienls for himself afterward.
While Morrissey was at Washington he had
an interest in n gambling-house which was
kept by n Baltimorean named Byrnes.
The house wa the rendezvous OF all
the distinguished strangers and resi-
dents then in Washington. The dinners
and suppers ut Byrne'A were as
famous us those of ante-bellum days, when
senators and members OF congress thronged
the tables where TINT prince OF sporting men,
Pendleton, presided. No one WINS ever heard
to say that Morrissey induced or invited them
to gamble. An incident occurred at Wash
ington which will illustrate the man. A
gentleman afflicted with a mania for faro, at
which he had laid down a large fortune, was
one night, after receiving a considerable sum,
seated in front of the bankand losing heavilyof
funds nothll his own. Morrissey came in, and,
after a few minutes, called a mutual friend
and said, Keep n memorandum of how much
Col - loses aud let mo know The friend
did 50, and Morrissey placed the amount the
next day in the hands of a frsnd to give t.
the c~olonel's wite.n
6 The GREAT GERMAN