New-York tribune., 1886-06-02

nd often when the augn anu kose'P '""s
p,cnic or some social relaxation ran Tounu inc
-. ,o ,,o,,d ali silent "That is Johns way" his
mother once remarked TO visitor. who commented OF
ths contrast with tho vivscity OF the o'ner chure"
He THINKS groa deal moro than he talks ont Do su'o
he ia not dumb" The characteristic OF the noy was
carried by him into his manhood days Young krlbs
c,,a,ion was necessarily limited by his cary ,oVerl
He attended for two or three years '"T pa,rick's
eal school ,acnsd IN, tT When is 0 only eight years
OF age the death OF his fai- forced nim 10 seA wro
help support the homo Whom sVehins S,lirert
est.hlishrd few years later, however, ne was ~ 80
attendant after his business hours endej, an, avn
in the world AMI was able 10 control more oi III ~wS,cs
time. he pursued systematic course q" % who had
equipped hi,a To meet on 'heir owH srouo " or
erioy a far better opportunities OF mental t
IL lecame eooi Freuch scholar and ms ,Iincv of
speeches later life. while displaying no ,e'tj
Sraso OF his subject and CONSCIENTIOUS Study OF details
Tesiying to his thoronghness oI ,I'n thc,n and
eaid that he mastered suoJe0t'oS '
H. u,ro,s was IN ,s infancy when young Kelly
after mauv unsuccessful trials to obtain work. cav %
elder James Gordon Bennett ana go, pace az .So 500
conies Of the paper which brought down 10 the
business Office wheeibsrrow and then dlVnieu sn"ns
the few carriers needed to distribute them The cyou"
tinn of ne Herald Increased fast, however. that
new clerk was hired by Mr. Bcruot the next year out
Young Kelly was looking ahead to going INTO business
on bs account aud he seized the opportunity 10 APP
prentice himself to Jacob b. Creamcr gra' setter aa
soapsone cutter at Broome and Elizabeth sts DrNV N -,
to hts business and displaying inechancs shn i.Sx S
considerable extent the young man MAJ snd
progress saved money by his thrift ana
in 1872 although still boy. he went into the ousinos
f.r hltuSe
tended his custom and was able IN short umo 70 "a
IalIlsh a Crate ana soapstone factory al u"ona ~.
At next door to church over which the hcv; Df. VI
Maclay that time presided During se VS. " occess
business career John Kelly ATTENDED with success
and he belped to swell his fortune by investments III
Harlem real estate. which subsequently geS"s @
euhapced In value. At time Lls DToiher uusu "as
in partnership with him. but all of the family except
John and Que sister MIS- ~lhonas, ~ ~no ,a for many
Mexico oswego County NJ f ha'o been ao'u i'' ''"''
years.
INCIDENTS OF THE YOUNG MANS PUGNAcITf.
The youthfu days OF John Kelly were not lacking IN
the excitement and sport which are sought by most
voung man and his social surroundings were OF theknu
70 throw him in with men who were ever ready
for tumble fuu, Lot 10 say adventures oi
ruder character there no records that ne ever
plunged any reprehens!be dissipsllohs "nu tHo
testnony of friends is nons against what was
sometimes charged against him by his political enemies
namely that he what is vulgary known as "a
"rounder." Mr.. Kelly never himself denied Una. Una.
lie had often seen some oil the low pnasss
of New-Yora NE. but in pnhhc interview
some wear. ago he declared he had oGy once been
IN A Gambling place and then WAS on private BUSINESS
i"ncrifin% rmrced constitution yonng KellYs trade
klni to develop H. and he brought 10 mshhoo"
fun o muscular stgengl WhiIe utterly arNoa
OF quagrelsonr dIpOsition ne lonhu ho, , 80
sOns bis prowess "a hltier cane properly h'o
play Possessed oi courage AMI high srr,t ae or""R
DO in position from his companions. While he wor"e
with his e:nploy CreaEie follow workman SEVERN
talion Of "bdly." struck him once In iit OF anger
Kelly replied with bow but The other men sepaTAtrd
GA
mn 1nJ ' ,s "' wi,h ns;icu0s Tie older youth
brought his antagonist down several times =, but but
without compelling nun 10 cry qu,.s. ir iA,r4n
weak spot Ia MS opponents noiy. he bent his energies
to repeated assaults Ia that place The hsht then be-
OF force axSns strategy ana tAe result was
that The younger and weaker y0uih hnsip Game ous
victor Keiys nerve and strength sto0l MN ~ Eoga %
sicad in the later exciting times when Tue an t'ho
spirit the city went TO the extreme OF atacA'
some cAeeurG o,Sis i.,,,,,io,. 9nd When herc were
few elections at which violence was not rampant ~
Which Mr' Kelly sail taught him tho need Of usag ms
unusual muscular sire gth WIN tle ulnp,
He wa-a meub- Of the old Volunteer flre Depart,
mcnL Whlle once ElarcAns In a D",~de OF the
nlemen bury uueknan sought to drive through the
ranks. Kelly happened ~ he the horses aud Nc
hale The attempt OF the driver The latter eaed from
he car and nTisu.y attacked the young laddie.
terrible blow from K"lys fist stretched Tie ieo" IN
sensible tbe grOHui anl. after belug rerlFeh WIN
G,0ruIIv In a phy sicia oce II was three days
before tie tracSuan ciud return tn work Nj. Kelly
otier,var stated that before this occurrence lie had no
NJ iG s OF I fba m r~Sv"d aH sca to
strike a Win tne tu ioFcc oi MS arm. -
The reputation acquired by the younS EtA.e-ssltef
through hs occasional encounters shielded an rom
trouble with the noted "shouldei- hiiters OF tne Day
tbodgh many oil them were "a no ~ Ivy ,r
III Em-st. and tie Comet, IN hottest, two tAVeh~ ina
ward pouticians aud their friends. and where Kelly
often Went after business hours TO indulge IN politics III
"a social way. In al aheiio sports young hriiy TOOK
keen zes. speut good paFi Of his iesare time on
tie and proved himself TO be good oai sinan'
tary companies III those days became nIst lieutenant
aud succeeded Captain James MoGTa ID ths command
iz,iion tnrougy ami did not resign his position until
he was elected Alderman wAen tlrty-one years Oli.
lie was one OF the organizers OF amateur dramatic
associaiOn which hal its rooms IN nall AT J. III ana
canal SIS and which included several we-known cit
7ens ia its mcmbrrsnIp and which graduated
several professional actors VINO ache'ed SUCCESS on 1o
stage.
HIS FIRST POLITICAL ACHIEVEMENT
II wa. through no prcmediacd design hut rather as
natural evolution OF his character anl surroundings
that John Kelly became su oacehoider His business
career hal been succestu. and he WAS well Known as a
prosperous when lie first received place by the
votes OF his meighbOrs lis strong mental traits, his
shrrw mess his posveness and dogsed persistence,
his physical force AMI unfaing courage. combined
with his ia his trade early gave his views OF
public questions weight with his fri nds and associates
the respectful attention Of Older ana more
prominent msi. To him moro than 10 any Other man
perhaps was due the overthrow oI u, Fo.''dSal
opposition TO his party in III" Fourteenth ward lDe
reputation of ihs wart largely composrd OF the
IsA and nent and their natural lAChdtl dtlOhs
were toward lac Democratic party bat tae Know Moth
inx pty errorzci of tue election districts of tne
CITY. John Kelly, al public mecunE acc area ciphal
oaliy that woald attend the next PRIMARY
eertIon Ihs mean. lroub and some of ms inends
vay 30 iurn hn from bis purpose Iao election
was 20 he held ID Id" al I'll ana ana SIS, os
wiei ou' III The many changes "hleA nave m@Ihed
the progress of he city. high pstttoE screened the
seals 81 the INSPECTORS the 'o'er apfoHcne~
LarsJw ratings whicR allowed only one at a nhie sc
the polls and his vote was handed III through
email wadow IL tae psrt.Ilon. Every opportunity ex-
is.ei Coz The Inspectors 1" oon.ht u"sls
john Kelly gathered a stroOg body OF ms hehchluen
forced his into thy room snd SMASHED the ration'
which as up violation OF the law. When the hIo~-
Noblss from their sarpfisc AT this sud
den attack they the assating party but after
eh.r >ctle left control OF Tie
place kccrdIt9g their rauss from the mechanics al
sip carpenters quarters at the 'oOI OF De-
lsnc,ys the opponents OF tho Democrats retained 10
Ia. hall Grid.st. but after desperate encounter
with a,Is tie Kelly party cleared tine room agan or
the r ices Outside the building tue defeated party
raised cries Of burn ein down! Smoke EN- out :! and
th>fc mob nug all the neiEhbOring streets
k-y, had also we'd reinOrcements divided MS
men Of fierce sortie Was n.ie Oy the
D-aocrais and they succeeded IN driving their
ems every direction. Ihls battle ended
tAs reign OF the Know -Nothnzs. TbcnccfOrth the
fo voters held supremacy and John Kelly was the
hero Of tho Democrats. In November. l~03. hs was
elected member OF the Board OF Aldermen, receiving
1907 out OF total OF 1888 votes cast
PROM ALDERMAN TO CONGRESSMAN.
glanco al OF the names OF Mr. heilys col
leagues iu the Boari OF Aldermen will tell palmer than
words the different of tho sent by tie cit
izes city represent them Ia their local conu