The Red Cloud chief., 1896-08-07

distress. She vas 60 years old on June
I last. and were 1t not for the aid she
receives from John Mack, the husband
OF Carrie Turner, the ~well-known act
ress, she would doubtless be in the
]poorhousc. Mack resides in Albany.
and until admonished by the police TO
close his establishment, ran one OF the
fines gaming places in the state. Nor
rissey's remains were buried in ST
Peters cemetery. in this city, ana 10
her intense sorrow, Mrs. MOrrissey j.
no longer able to visit the grave. Prior
to the double affection from which sae
now suffers, Mrs. Morrisscy worked IN
one of the great collar shops in this
city. The career of John Morrissey
was, a. all old-timers Will remember.
exceedingly picturesque. He was the
only American pugilist who ever be-
came "A congressman. He differed from
the other pugilists of his day. He was
Il man of strict integrity. and his word
was as good as his bond. He was par
ticularlv open-hearted and frcc-hanlel.
He discharged his congressional duties
without fear or favor; he was, as far
as honesty of purpose and iiXity of de-
termination were concerned. an ideal
congressman. First. last and all the
time Morrissey was unalterably for
good government. History substan-
.iates this assertion.
In 1886. when ) years old, John Nor
rissey came to this country from Ten
plemore, county Tippcc'ary, Ireland.
The Morrisseys settled in West Troy.
His father obtained work a. the docks.
West Troy at that period of the cen
fury was not the nos refined place on
the map of New York. and the boys
with whom young Morrissey was
thrown in contact were exceedingly
vicious and degenerate. Even their
evil influences did not warp the boys
better characteristics. and he grew up
surprisingly honorable and upright for
one whose associates had been counted
among the lowest. Young John learned
to fight at m early age. No oppression
was tolerated when he was around.
Many boys, some considerably older
and larger than himself, did he whip In
those days when ChampioninS the
cause OF some lad too feeble TO fight
his WI battles. 1t was this spirit that
made young Morrissey ascend to a
higher plane than that occupied by the
other boys. Morrissey could fight 50
well that he soon became to be regard
ed as a phenomenon. In fact, he was
thought to be the greatest fighter for
his years in this country. though AZ
that time he had met no recognized pu-
gilist. For a number of years after the
Morrisseys had moved to Troy, young
Morrissey followed various callings.
Fol some time he worked as a deck
hand on a Hudson river boat between
Troy and New York. In lSi1 he be-
came very i'll. Upon his recovery he
engaged as a bartender in a hotel on
River street. While acting in this ca.
pacity Morrissey became acquainted
with "A number of professional gam
blers, fighters and sporting men OF va
rious kinds. They knew that Morris
sey could fight, and they encouraged
him to meet some pugilist whose abili-
ties were then recognized by the sport
ing fraternity. Morrissey was fired
with an ambition TO become a grel'
fighter; he longed to vanquish mon.
Norrissey about this time had been
told that a saloon man named Dutch
Charlie" and who ran a place in New