St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-07-24
DEATH CAUGHT HIM MAPPING
A Rare Old "Rough-and-Tumble"
Fighter of the ''True American"
DAYS

A Rare Old "Rough-and-Tumble"
Fighter of the "True American"
Days.
John Lying, the best known, if not the
Oldest sporting man in the country, was
Wednesday laid at rest in vault in st.
Paul's churchyard at Broadway and
Vesey streets, says the New York
World. 1t was always the boast of
John Lying that he would be buried be-
meath Broadway.
The ''Old Chief" as John was known,
was buried with but few of his relatives
about him. His son, John Lying, Dr.,
who had been eStranged from his father
for many years, was first apprlSed OF
his fathers'S death yesterday, when, hap
pening to Pass st. Paul's while the fun
eral was in progress, he asked who was
being buried. When he learned whose
burial it was and that the famous old
gambler was being buried by Subscrlp-
ton, he expressed great Indignation,
and demanded the bills, declaring that
he would pay them. Friends, fearing
there might be trouble, gathered around
and prevailed upon him to, Withdraw his
demands until a more fitting time.
Old Johnnie Lying was born in 1920.
He was stalwart man, being SIX feet
tall and weighing about $50 pounds, and
was said to have no peer as rough-and-
tumble fighter. 1t is said of him that he
never had days sickness until last
March, when he took a severe cold dur
ing the blizzard, which resulted in his
death Monday night last. He was the
Staunchest admirer that John MorrisSey
ever had, and was warm friend OF
Yankee" Sullivan. Being, like Bill
Poole, resident of the Ninth ward.
Lying was a true American" He
prided himself on his nationality, but,
unlike Poole, he was liberal, and often
declared that man was man no mat
ter where born.
After the famous prize fight between
Lilly and Mccoy near Yonkers, in
which he killed Mccoy, Lying carried
the dead man from the ring to the
steamboat. He afterward matched Lilly
against Birdsall. Lilly and Lying went
to the ring-side without any attendants,
while BirdSall had throng of friends.
The latter asserted that if Birdsall got
the worst of it they would gang the
fight" Lying surveyed the mob a mo-
ment and said: 1--WE have come here to
fight on the level, and we will kill the
first man who interferes." There was
no rougbing at that fight.
John Lying was famous second in
those days, quite as much as Jack Bal
those who had his services i'll this
capacity was dublin Tricks" when he
fought "Awful'' Gardner, who subse-
Quently experienced change of heart
and became a preacher. The most
famous battle, however, that Lying, was
mixed up in was that between yankee"
Sullivan and Tom Hyer. They fought
for the largest stake ever Dattled for in
this countryside, 000-and, although
Lying was chosen by Sullivan as mas
cot, "Yankee" was defeated and Hyer
won the championship. 1t was just
previous to that fight, which took place
at Rock Point, Nd. Feb.7, 1849, that
the London priZe-ring rules were
amended to prevent Sullivan'S artful
lodges and fighting on one knee. Lying
Caunt when that famous English
fighter met yankee" and he was the
stakeholder for the match between John
MorrisSey and yankee" Sullivan.
When Poole and Morrissey met Oh the
old Amos street dock the crowd took
hand in. Lying was whipped worse
than MorrisSey. Indeed, neither would
have escaped with his life had it not
been for Col. Jim Kerrigan, who went
to the dock and took both men off at the
risk of his life.
Lying was also known as keeper of
sporting houses and as ShOrt-card
player. The night Lew Baker killed
Bill Poole in StanwiX hall Baker spent
several hours at Lyng's hostelry on
Broadway and Reade street. Lying also
won famous PAGER III a game of seven
up. and he named the horse Seven-Up
and won several races with him.
Though he had made much money in
his time Lying died poor. George Law
was his friend in need, and the last
words of Lying were to Jack Hol-
lock, who held him when dying. He
said: Tell George Law am thankful
for all he has done for me.''