Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-03-26
Z A Typical ssSport. =

A Typical ssSport. =
:, Leander Richardson, a New York
correspondent OF several papers, lived
in Hartford for while several years
ago and became acquainted with we'll
known sporting character, Pat sheedy.
It will be remembered that Sheedy
found the Hartford field too limited,
and some years ago sought the larger
cities, principally Chicago. Richard
son ran across him in New York re-
Gently, and in d gossipy letter to the
Boston Herald on the New York
sporting fraternity has this to say:
Sheedy is about the best man of the
lot in all respects. He has the repu-
tation of being as square as g. die,
and he possesses the GOODNESS and
daring OF the typical gambler invented
by Bret Harte. Indeed, Mr.. John
Oakhurst never had in real life a more
realistic prototype than Patrick
sheedy. He is g. fine looking fellow
with a white, clean shaver face, clear,
grey eyes, and an attractive and boy
ish smile. He is always dressed with
quiet taste, ard there is nothing about
him that is fashy or ostentatious.
When he was a boy, Sheedy became
the companion and pupil OF the most
celebrated of all the three card monte
men, who was known up and
down the whole United States
as Canada Bill. This redoubtable
parsonage used to dress up like a
farmer and go travelling on railway
trains. When he had tleeced his man
he would retire in his country cos
tune to the private room on the car,
and ten minutes later he would come
out in such genteel dress and. SO COM
pletely changed in appearance that the
sharpest eye would never recognize
him. His pupil, however, has not fol-
lowed the same line OF business. Sheedy
has always been legitimate gambler,
if legitimacy can he spoken OF in con-
nection with a. calling like that. Upin
Hartford, where much OF his early
career was spent, they tell q good
many interesting stories of this young
man. One OF them is that he came
back there, once upon a time, after
having been absent for an extended
period. He had plenty of money with
him, and, after paying his debts, which
is the first duty OF the gambler, he be-
gan to play faro in a local resort. He
had been at it half an hour or so,
when he discovered that he was being
put through the process known by the
alluring title OF a "skin game" Mr..
sheedy said nothing, but sefrom his
seat went down into the back yard
and came back again with an AK in his
hand. With this weapon he proceed
ed to smash every article OF furniture
in the room, and to knock out the
windows and shatter the doors. Hav-
ing accomplished this picturesque re-
venge he walked out in silence, leaving
the asiounded and frightened pro-
prietors in sole possession.
A year or so back Sheedy took
charge of the affairs of John L. Sulli-
van, and the two men worked together
without any serious difficulty.
In fact, they never but once had
anything that approached row.
That occurred in the lobby
Of the Coleman House in this city.
Sullivan was slightly under the influ-
ence OF liquor, and was ugly, when
some discussion arose about divis-
ion OF funds. The great slueger be-
came angry over something SAID to
hun by Sheedy, and exclaimed '<I'u
smash your jaw
"What's that?' queried Sheedy, in
tone OF the utm ost GOODNESS!
"Ill smash your jaw" repeated
Sullivan, with a wicked look in his
eye.
The pale-faced gambler took Mr..
Sullivan by the coat lapel and led him
to one side. Then he said in a very.
low tone:
"Have you got any friends you
would like to see, or any business you
would like to attend to in case any
thing should happen to you?"
well, responded Sullivan, land
what if I have?"
Because" observed Sheedy, with a
facial expression that could not be
mistaken, "You take my advice and
settle it all up before you smash nv
jaw. You will never have an oppor-
tunity afterwards"
Sullivan looked at Sheedy an in
slant, and then lowered his eyes, with
the remark that he Was only fooling.
But he didn't fool any more in that
direction. Sheedy, they tell me, has
not been in very good luck lately. In
deed, the large amount of money Of
which he was said to be possessed
twelve months ago, is said to have
pretty much all gone Still, his stand
ing among the men with whom he runs
is such that he can get pretty much
anything he wants in theway of finan-
cial assistance for the asking.