The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-06-03

JOHN KELLY.
New YORK, June 2-The announcement
Of the death OF John Kelly at SO Tuesday
afternoon startled the town The pro-
rracted illness of the veteran Tammany
leader had become familiar story. On
Sunday Mr.. Kelly complained OF not feel
Ing so well as he had of late. Toward
evening be had fainting spell, and his
physician was hastily summoned. During
the night he grew rapidly worse, and at
O'Clock Monday morning, Father Meagher,
Dominican priest, was summoned to the
patient bedside, in the belief that the end
was near. At 10 O'Clock Father Meagher
administered the last sacraments
of the Catholic church to the dy
ing man Although sinking rapidly,
Mr. Kelly retained all his faculties
bright and clear To his wife be talked
cheerfully. Tuesday morning.he rallied
trife, and his attendant INDUCED in brief
hone that he would again live over the crisis
as he had so often done before, but the hope
was fleeting; the patient continued to sink
gradually until the end came at twenty min
utes past O'Clock Tuesday afternoon. Mr..
Kelly's death was painless and peaceful
Grouped about him were his wife and two
young children, Miss Mullen, his wife's sis
ter, a niece and Fathers Meagher and
Clarkson, of the Dominican church His
last words were: II have tried to live the
life of good Catholic, and die in the COM
fort of that faith He held the hand of
his wife until his hold relaxed in death
Mr.. Kelly leaves two children, Josephine,
aged 9, and John, aged :. His widow is
niece OF the late Cardinal McCloskey. Mrs
Kelley is conn letely Frustrated by the
death of her huSband-
Grape hung in long folds Wednesday
n orring from the bel knob on the door of
the brown stone mansion A East Sixty
ninth street, the home of the late Tammany
chief John Kelly Very few persons
calel at the house Wednesday morning, but
those who did were warm and sincere per
sonal friends of the deceased. Mrs. Kelly
is still confined to her room utterly pros
trated with grief by her bereavement. The
dead body OF the late Tammany leader lay
! in a box OF ice in the front room on the
second floor 1t hal been greatly wasted
by the long sickness, weighing not more
than 100 pounds The once round and full
| face was emacatel and in fact life blood
| and flesh had so wasted away that embalm
| ing was out of the question. 1t is under
| stood that the funeral will take place on
| Sunday morning next at 1890 o'clock The
remains will be conveyed to the cathedral,
where solemn requiem high mass will be
said although Mr.. Kelly requested that the
ceremonies should be transformations. The
Catholic societies and political clubs that
owe allegiance to Tammany intend to turn
out The flags on the city hall are displayed
at half mast out OF respect for the deceased.
John Kelly was born in New York city
April 20, 1922. His father died when he
was years old. When the New York Her.
aid was in its infancy young Kelly walked
| into the office one day and asked the elder
Bennett if he wanted an Office boy. Ben.
nett was a good judge of character and
quick in deciding. He talked with the
| youth a few minutes, then told him to 60 tc
work He became a great favorite with
Bennett, and when at length he grew older
and determined on learning trade, so as
to better support the large family that was
depending on him. Mr.. Bennett offered him
strong inducements to remain, and on part
ing with him predicted that he would sue
coed any where. The elder Bennett was as
strong friend of Kellys as the present Ben
nett was bitter enemy. Kelly learned the
trade of soapstone cutting and grate-setting
at which be afterward made considerable
fortune. He proved to be a remarkably
shrewd business man, and his faith in tn
future Of New York city was 30 great tina
with every 500 or $500 he would get h
bought lot uptown these lots are wortl
to-day from s., 900 to SO, 900, and Mr.. Kelly
has died millionaire Though his charity
was distributed most secretly, it Is estimate,
that he dispensed $50 600 in that way
When a young man John was notable as al
athlete The notorious John Morrison sait
OF Kelly that he had the build of an idea
pugilist Though the cartoons have Away
represented him as a dumpy man, b.
was nearly six feet in height and weighet
about $50 pounds He ran with the fir
laddies" In his early days and made host
OF friends, who elected him alderman il
1853 Tweed, of ring fame, afterward SAT-
this body: There was never time befor
that you could not buy the board of alder
men, and il it was not for John Kelly's Sc
verify you could buy it now"
In 1854 he was elected to the Thirty fiftl
congress. He resigned his seat before hi
J last term was completed to take the office O
sheriff. to which he had been elected.
was while in congress that Gen. GAS, Pres
! dent Buchanan's secretary Of state spoke O
him as honest John Kelly" which he ha
been commonly called since. In 1865 he wa
chosen the candidate for the may orally i
opposition to Bill Tweed's Tammany ha
candidate, but an awful burden of domesti
} afiliction in the loss of his wife and son CON
: PEELED him to withdraw and take his tw
} daughters that was left of his family
} to Europe for his own health as well a
) theirs He remained away three year!
! and during his absence New York city wa
given over wholly to the plumber of th
Tweed ring. Prominent men like Mr.. II
den, Seymour, Hewitt, and Belmont sougt
Mr.. Kelly to help them in this crisis II
had vowed never to again enter polite
Their opportunities continued for yea
till at last he entered the fight and WIFI
s Mr. Tildsn and Charles O'Conor attacke
9 the Tweed ring in the legislature, and in Il
S courts Mr. Kelly had hand -to-hand tuss
= with them in Tammany hall, their citade
Q and routed them, as is well know
q This gave him q prestige which be he
since. An idea Of the tremendous pow
= which this ring welded may be obtain
, from the fact that it gave employment
!, 1000 persons and disbursed $50, 000, 900 a
nually. In 1876 Mr. Kelley was appoint
comptroller Of the city, and not only stopp
the debt of the city increasing, somethil
unprecedented, but actually reduced it 81:
0O, 600 during his term of office In priva
life he was the most convivial of companio
temperate, witty, good story teller, al
possessed of a flexible baritone voice, wi
which he often enlivened political gatht
ings
In 1916 Mr.. Kelly remarked, and
leaves two children, hoy and grill