The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-08-07
NjflIi lgle
HE KNEW MANY BIG MEN
INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF JAKE
SUMMERTIME, SPORT.

Who Never Feared Gang of Toughs.
The measure of a mans fame frequently
IS taken from the sum total of the years
during which he has played his role among
his fellows. In this respect Jacob Sum
merdyke, among the sporting fraternity at
least, fairly is entitled to posthumous hon
ors, for more than half century has been
added to the calendar since Jake Summer
dykes name became familiar to the sport
ing men of this locality, and when the old
time pool seller and trotting horse man was
buried in Cypress Hill cemetery, only
corporal's guard of his early associates were
on this side to see the last of their lifelong
friend.
Jake was born in Mott street in August,
1909. His boyhood was as short as his edu-
cation was limited, for between his ninth
and tenth year he was apprenticed TO
halter in the Bowery. This same Bowery
was his playground when boy, and con-
tinued to be his favorite haunt until some
fifteen or twenty yearsasgo, when he shifted
up town.
The trade Of a halter not being congeuial
to Jake, be was bound apprentice 10 Daniel
Spader, a butcher of Washington market.
in return for board and clothes. After he
had served his seven years Jake opened
business on his own account in small
shop at the corner of Canal street ard
Broadway, which at that time was about
as far north rs Broadway extended.
HE OUGHT TO HAVE HAD IT.
A story is told of Jake while he kept the
butchers shop which, although doubted
by some of his friends, is too good to let
pass. A doctor living near by had a week
" account at the shop, and the regular
Joint sent to him for Wednesday was
shoulder of mutton. One Monday morn
ing Jake was making ont the doctors bill,
as usual, when his boy said:
Doctor didn't have no shoulder Wednes-
day, Mr.. Summerdyke. They said they
bad some poultry sent 'em from the cOun-
try"
Never mind" said jake, ''Tll put it
down; he ought TO have had it.
1t is only fair TO Jake TO say that while
he was always shrewd. he was never known
TO wilfully take advantage of any one.
Somewhere in the early fortles Jake left
the meat trade and started in as a profess
sional sport, selling auction pools at trot-
ting meetings and dealing in horses.
Then be went into the public house bust
ness up in Harlem village. his first house
being the Old Hazard, a noted ROAD resort
in those days, standing on what is now the
northwest corner of Eightyfourth street
and Third avenue. At that time Third
avenue from Just above Twenty-third
street to the Harlem canal was the great
speedway for gentleman road drivers.
Summerdyke made a little money here
and the acquaintance of all the most prom
inent men Of the city. The Old Hazard
was a favorite roadhouse then, just as
ID 7
rome avenue. Frank Work first learned
TO drive on Third avenue, and Commodore
Vanderbilt was another of the daily visit
ors at the Hazard.
The story about the suit of clothes which
Commodore Vanderbilt gave Jake for alb
staining from drink for twelve months was
not quite as Jake told it himself. Sum
merdyke was far from being addicted to
rum, and the one sided wager was more as
a test of Jakes strength of will than as an
tnducement for him to keep sober. At the
end of the year Mr.. Vanderbilt called and
asked for Jake.
''He is not in" said his wife.
Give him that and my compliments"
replied the commodore, land tell him TO
get a good suit of Clothes" at the same
time handing her a 500 bill.
Jake bought a suit of black, and when
next he met the commodore told him what
he had done, remarking:
IF you die first, commodore, I'll wear
them to your funeral; and they will go to
mine, for | shall be buried in them" And
80 he was.
HIS FIGHTING QUALITIES.
Jake was fond of a good horse. and at
one time and another owned some pretty
fair ones, reclloned by the standard of those
days, when horse that could trot n three
minute gait ranked about equal to $50
horse of today. Then the possibility of any
horse trotting a mile in 2:40, drawing a $50
pound wagon, was secuted, until Long
Island Black Hawk did the trick in the
second heat of "A race at Centreville about
the year 1915.
Although Jake rarely missed seeing
prize fight If it was anywhere near by, he
never fought in the ring himself. He was
second, however, for Tom Uyer in his fight
with Country AIcCluskey.
Jake was a small man, about feet
inches tall, and weighed about l45 pounds
He was chiefly remarkable for his iron
nerve and pluck. Although not by any
means quarrelsome man, he WAS as quick
rs a flash 10 resent an insult, either to him
self or any of his friends No odds ever
daunted or stopped him, and he would sail
into a crowd of a dozen or twenty men as
cheerfully as he would strip for one
An instance of his pluck happened once
in Centreville. A party of sports came
from the Bowery beaded by Ch2rley Bart.
ley. They took oflense at the driving Of
George Spicer, one of the best drivers Of that
day. George was timid man. 50 to get
away from the BARLEY gang, who threat
ened 10 lick him, he took refuge across the
track at the foot of the judges stand
Some one ran and told Summerdyke that
his friend Spjcer was in trouble.
Where is hef" said Jake. They told
him.
"All right" he said. How many are
there against him2"
About a score, - was the reply
Jake left his pool stand. crossed TO Spicer
and said:
Come on Spicer, What are you afraid
of"
Spicer, persuaded by Jake. took his arm.
and together they crossed the track TO the
grand stand, where BARLEY and his gang
were. Placing Spicer in safety amoug his
own friends, Jake stripped of his coat.
and turning to the spectators said IN his
shrill, piping voice:
Now I'll show you how TO lick a
crowd"
Going down to the BARLEY gang, he said.
"Who's your leaderf"
Somebody answered, Charley BARLEY"
Parade hint Parade him" said Jake.
However, BARLEY didn't parade. and
Summertime said afterward. Il have al
ways found the best plan against crowd
is to down the leader; the other fellows are
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