The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-06-02
ESTABLISHED 1910.
JOHN BELLY DEAD.

teIdAy az his reeldence IN THAT CITY
after a lingering illness, the fnt ef-
iects of which vera felt as far back
as 1870. Mr.. Kelly was born
in New York April 20, 1922,
OF Irish parents and was educated at
the public schools, attending az
night as we'll as day, and was
known for a close and diligent stu
dent. His first venture tor himself,
made necessary by the death Of his
father, was as a messenger boy in the
New York Herald Office, where
be won the good wishes
of the elder Bennett, an excellent
Judge Of character, and found in him a
friend who always sustained him.
But he was not willing to remain a
messenger 10y with the prospect OF
becoming a reporter and eventual y,
perhaps, a journalist, and SO he
apprenticed himself to q CRATE
setter and soapstone-cutter, and
learned a trade at which he
continued for some yeas to earn a
good living, helping to sup }ort his
mother and educate her FIVE ether
children. When he reached man
hoods estate ne joined the Montgom-
CIV Guards, then celebrated military
company, being at the same time a
member OF one Of the volunteer fire
companies OF New York. He attained
to prominence in both these organisa-
tions and by that means found himse'f
ellisted in politics, in the pursuit of
which he was felt as hard
and fesr'e:s hitter ON the first,
especially in the days of Kuow-Noth-
ipQism. To those who remember
New York at that time, when brutal
Bill Poole and such characters were
upheld by all OF the culture of the
great city outside Of the Demo-
cratic party, the value OF a
brave spirit will readily be sp.
preciated. 1t was in some wards, in
deed in most Of them outside OF the
Sixth, as much as mans life was
worth to declare himself Democrat,
AID to be foreigner was to be telf-
condemned and worthy the vile3t
and mort brutal treatment. John
Kelly not only led Democrats
through aud through the wards where
the Know. Nothings were strongest, but
he was Of the guard that protected that
Catholic Cathedral from the bigoted
and brutalized church burners who
were anxious to make a bonfire Of the
seat aud stronghold OF Cstholicity in
America. He stood by the brave
Archbishop HugheF, a churchman
modelled after ST. Paul, as testy
and as fearless, and proved him
self good son of church 10 the
discipline Of which he always yielded
himself as little child. q But. amid all
this excitement. an excitement only
paralleled by that OF the Civil War,
he continued to be a student and to
fit himself for the leadership to which
he attained and which he held up to
the time OF his death, no one being
found willing to take his place
during this long tiegs OF sickness, to
which he succumbed SOON after Mr..
C!eveland's election. His first service
in official life was ss a member OF the
Board Of Aldermen, his next as a
member Of Congress, where he was q
coadjutor with Henry A. Wise Of Vir-
ginia, and Alexander H. Ste
vens OF Georgia in destroy
ing the Know-Nothipg party.
He took an active part in trying to de-
feat Banks, the Know-Nothing Wing
candidate for Speaker, and in the
Charleston Convention was conspicu-
Gus in an endeavor to prevent the
breach that divided the party,
made way for the Repub.
licans to triumph, aud brought
on the civil war. This result
he largely attributed to whisky, as
sorting that not only were drunk
en- men prominent therein, but
also in Congress during the two terms
he served. Mr.. Kelly was p sober
man and consistent member Of the
church, to whose ordinances he al
ways closely adhered. After the war
he served as Sheriff and Comptroller,
of the city and county Of New York,
both lucrative positions, and he man.
aged to save 6 comfortable com
petsnCe, which enabled him
to devote himself to the leader.
ship Of Tamma1y, by which
he is better known TO the people
generally of the Union. At the st.
Louis Convention that nominated
Tilden he was a conspicuous advocate
of that astute ststelman, and in the
Cincinnati Convention of 1880, man
aged in spite of much opposition
to force the Tammany delegation
into seats and secure their recog-
milton as possessing a ons-fourth-
vote in the delegation. At Chicago,
in 1881, he again headed the rebellious
Tammany faction, but was defeated Of
his purpose to prevent the nomina-
ton of Mr.. Cleveland by TIE admiIa-
BILE and airoit management OF Mr..
Thompson and Mr.. Manning, now
Secretary of the Treasury, This was
his last venture. A victim of
insomnia, ne vainly sought
relief through well known ply
sicians in New York and finally