Kansas City daily journal., 1896-12-26
John L. Sullivan. Passion for Funer-
From the Chicago Tribune.


From the Chicago Tribune.
The melancholy spectacle has been fur
Rished in Boston of one Sullivan, known in
the halcyon days of his muscled youth as
John L." "darting, when he thought no
one was looking. through the door leading
to the poor debtor session of the court 1t
was not the former wont of this dethroned
idol of the city of culture and the
Bowery to dart or to do anything
else when nobody was looking" His
lordly custom was TO wait until the largest
possible amount of public attention WAS
turned in his direction and then he would
sally forth and perform with zeal on the
nearest unprotected pate. But these were
the acts Of his championship days. when
he was the king of brutes. the noblest
bruiser OF them all. the man of terror-in-
spring mien, and before his own post NOR
TEN pugilistlc funeral had begotten an in
ordinate longing to be a conspicuous feat
ure at the ohsequies of his fellow men.
1t must be ChronCled in sadness that
succession Of funerals was responsible for
that Sullivanistic dart when nobody was
looking" and that the dart was made into
the poor debtor session for the logical
reason that Sullivan has joined that grow
ing company of unfortunates. The man OF
might Il seems. has suCcumbed to the en-
ervatinS odOr of the florists creations. The
pulse that formerly beat fast Mt the thought
Of an encounter in the ring now responds
| only to the solemn requiem of u funeral
| The first toll of the bell is a mandate, ap-
| parently, to John /. TO hasten to the flor
| lists abode, and his visits have resulted IN
Il variety of designs that foot up the tidy
| sum OF $3l6 Sullivan's promptness in sup
/ plying floral tributes to Bostons dead has
| been equaled, it appears. only by his delay
| in settling the bills and the patient floral
artist is now seeking 10 come to a legal
understanding with the horticultural en-
| thusiast.
| preliminary move was made by the
| creditor which had an unsatisfactory and
I disquietius termination. He went through
| a series of court experiences that led up to
| q writ of attachment, but when the deputy
| sheriff visited the house OF the debtor there
| was nothing there to attach except
| chip" What was this Chip? 1t may
have been the chip that Sullivan was ac-
| customed to carry around in conspicuous
| place on his shoulder. But this chip was
supposed to have been knocked Oft in a
| rather summary manner by another en-
| terprising young slugger. 1t may have
| been 4 chip that had been saved from q
| little, quiet game; but it hardly seems
| probable that anyone, especially promis-
| ing candidate for poor debtor session, -
would have neglected to have put this col
| lateral to its ordinary cash in usages.
| In the absence OF any explanation in the
| reports the Chip must remain mystery,
| with strong probability that 1t was a
blue" one, OF undetermined representative
value.
The status of the case at present Is not
satisfactory. The chip" is in the posses
sion of the sheriff, Sullivan is in the possess
sion of the court, the florist is in possession
of an unreceipted bill, and the wilted fun
| eral designs are in the possession of vari-
ETY. of mourning families. John l.. has also
lost his flowing mustaches and his recently
| admired mutton chop whiskers and wears
only an air of settled gloom. He seems TO
be hopelessly enthralled by his propensity
to decorate somebody's casket, and unless
he makes a raise of cash or the rays of
sunlight are cast across his melancholy
path he seems to be on the eve OF being
proclaimed officially as poor a debtor as he
is pugilist