The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-16


arena, but, nevertheless. the world seeems
10 be interested in him and his sayings
and doings This il not in the least sur
prising. for. with all his faults and short
comings. John L. is an interesting fell
low. and. In his day. was undoubtedly the
best fighting man the world had ever
seen. Recent developments which seem 10
render contest between Corbett and
I7itzsimmons probable. throw an almost
pathetic light upon the Boston giant,
whose friends and himself believed him in
vfncible until his meeting with Corbett at
New Orleans on Sept. Z. 1892.
Till that day sullivan was capable Of
making as much money with his fists
every year as Or. Depew can by perform
ing the functions Of railroad president and
chief spokesman for the Vanderbilt fam
uv. When at his best the fighter could
earn twice as much as the President Of the
United States. but since his first and only
defeat sulIivan's earning capacity has
IvgtndIed sadly. At no time, indeed, has
he been unable to make enough to pay the
wav of half a dozen ordinary men. but in
the DAYS when every blow of his terrible
death mauls meant dollars he learned 10
spend money in the most preposterously
months ago the one-time champion awoke
TO the disgusting fact. one morning that
he was practically penniless. His days Of
the unlimited harvesting of "all kinds of
money are passed, as he we'll knows,
and il therefore became an immediate
question with him as to what he should
do next. His sister owns several houses in
Boston. which yield a pretty fair income,
he lie
come. since they were bought with
small fraction Of his earnings as boxer.
and he has a little farm some distance out
of town. For brief space he dreamed
of retiring to this rural tract
and raising crops and cattle
the rest of his life: but he soon thought
better of it, and now says Of the statement
that he meant to turn farmer that he made
Il one day for the benefit Of a reporting
friend. who was short of story. seeF
when the ex-chamDion could not think OF
4 few days later Sullivan burned his
right hand painfully in an unsuccessful
attempt to save the life of a woman whose
clothes had caught nre. 1t was biaNe
deed and in it's performance he displayed
unusual strength, for, in order TO get some
thing with which to smother the hames
he had to rip carpet from the floor. Dl-
rectly after that he went into retirement
from which he has now emerged, clothed
In his right mind, his injured hand quite
healed and with his plans for the future
rapidly maturing Yesterday he eXpOunded
these plans and his views upon diversity
of subjects for the delectation OF the read
ers Of this newspaper. Before go on to set
down his utterances, wish to state that
much of the picturesque must OF necessity
be excluded from any report OF the words
of John L. Sullivan. They are a trifle too
frank" even for the most realistic re-
When I pulled the bell at the modest
cottage at No. 81 Brooke avenue, where
John l.. lives with his married sister, the
servant who answered my ring said that
] would be apt to find him at Mr.. Ho-
garty's, OF course. adding that she sup
posed every one knew about Hogartys, on
Dover street.
William Hogarty, barber and sport. Is
proud to be considered John LIS best
friend, and William Hogartys barber shop
Is. therefore, the chief resort of John L. s
worshippers. 1t was there that ! found
the champion-call him not "ex"-at Ho-
garty,s, enjoying the luxury Of shave at
Mr. Hogarty's own hands.
Concerning the prefix of Eek" to the
Big Fellows title, Il is explained at Ho-
garty's that, according to the decision OF
the Clipper, unquestioned authority in
sporting matters. John l.. is still in fact
champion fist fighter. since he has never
been defeated in bare knuckle light. Mr..
Corbett may be champion glove hghtel,
and he Is welcome to that title, but until
the bare knuckle championship is taken
from him as he got It, Mr. sullivan
champion worth talking of. For William
Hogarty, who let's slip no opportunity thus
to elucidate the status Of the champion
ship John l.. entertains greater respect
than for any other human being. IN
Iloubtedly the champion, with both hands
tied, could do" the barber in two brier
minutes, yet such is the power of Ho-
garty mind over the Sullivan muscle that
the lighting man has always given heed
TO the speech of the shaving man, even
during those periods of retirement from
the world which have made news for the
papers," as John puts it, so often in the
past seventeen or eighteen years
When the devoted Hogarty had made
the champs" face smooth-he wears no
mustache at present-the Big Fellow led
me away to a quiet little room at the end
of a labyrinth of passages in Gays hotel,
hard by, for talk on the past, the present
and the future.
First of all ne declared himself an alb
stainer henceforth He does not intend
to be farmer He does not propose to
box extensively in the years to come, ne
will never again fit himself for the rims,
and he has little notion of doing much
more play acting.
What 1 want" said he. at the same
time ordering two bottles of mineral wa
ter, lis a NICE quiet, comfortable ho.el
business. / want some such place as
this one, see? l think l could make doi-
lar or two with it-enough to live on and
have pretty good time too ! shall prob
ably stay in Boston, because know more
people here; besides my sister, who wants
me TO be near her, lives here. / like New
there, but l think I'd do best here.
Now, about this whisky drinking bust
ness" growled the eX-champion, bring
ing his massive fist down upon the table
with a mighty blow, lit don't go, see?
Not with me, any more I've found out
that it don't pay, and, say, that's enough
for me. It's my own business how muen
whisky / drink, and nobody else's. and
that's all right but I've had enough.
quit about the last time
about three or four weeks ago and
haven't touched drop since. Some folks
can guzzle whisky for a hundred years
and seem to be all right. but when / driuli
whisky ii units me for brain work; makes
my head thick, see? So I've made up my
mind TO let 1t alone for year. and If
can do that, why, l can go clear through
that's all. Why, YOU can have a lot more
fun If you don't drink whisky. You ain
fit for anything when you're drunk. If
hadn't been foolish about booze Ia be .
very wealthy man, but my moneys gone
now and I'm just about as good as deaC
broke at this minute.
There's one thing about me, thougn, .
the sChamp" said complacently, my ap
petite is Away good. Breakfast is nay
big meal, and all day after that it make.
me hungry any time just to see anybody
else eat.
Its because / like good things to ca
so well' continued the Big Fellow, bitins
off about half Of his cigar, which haC
gone out while he was giving his views OF
I 60 f.1-