The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-14

Told Anew with Several Interesting
Embellishments.
Philadelphia Times.


Pat Sheedy is fifty years old, and has
| been a gambler from boyhood. He has seen
every part of the known world, and has
conducted gambling houses in many cities
of the United States. He was the king of
chance at Chicago for six years, and at
tanned much sporting glory as the hacker
of John l.. Sullivan. He never uses intoxi-
eating liquors. A liberal percentage of his
winnings goes to charity ...
He Is fluent talker and has a ready wit
Despite narrow education in his youth he
has acquired seven languages He always
talks plainly. Every word is carved before
he let's it fall He sat in the Terminal Hotel
Il wa was born nil in CionmeI, Tippera lr coun-
ty, Ireland, and came to America when
seven years old. attended school at Hart
ford Conn.,, for a time and while there
became proficient as a gambler. AT twelve
years / could bunco any boy in the class
at game of chance. We used to receive
of the week My parents died and / went
out in the world to earn living Somehow
/ couldn't avoid the old temptation, and in
the course of a very brief time / was out
Of my position and in the gambling bust
ness. l was encouraged by many successes
and soon became a professional gambler.
located in Boston, and after winning several
thousand dollars l went to New FORK.
There 1 opened a faro bank in 1870
reaped a golden harvest in two years and
ocean and taking in China and Japan All
the while ] gambled there, and many were
the times l got low in pocket. I settled ir
wide-open house in that city for long
time and next became the manager of John
l.. Sullivan. After my capital overlapped the
million mark, Joined in the games and fire.
quently wound up disheartened and penni-
less Once I held 81 200, coo in the palm of my
hand. An hour afterward / couldn't lay
claim to a. penny / sat three days and four
nights in poker game.
When the so-called gambling hells were
suppressed in Chicago my purse contained
something in the neighborhood of $780, 900.
thought smooth man could put a hole in
the bank at Monte Carlo with that amount
I put. up very little at the start and gath
holder. and one evening l walked into the
place with 100000 francs. / came out lacking
the price of supper concluded Monte
Carlo was too strong for me and hastened
to other climes.
Il remained three months in Russia, the
same time in Germany and about half q
year in Asia Minor. learned German and
Russian without great difficulty and mas
tered the Arabic in seven weeks. After con-
bsV india where introdced merican
gambling methods. left Bombay in the fall
of 1852 with n snug fortune and drifted to
Cairo Egypt. The casino there was former
ly the palace of Ismail Pasha, grandfather
of the present Khedive. He built it at a
cost of 100000 When he was forced to alb
dictate, in 1882, the magnificent palace was
knocked down under the hammer for a
nominal price.
mo one could make it pay as a hotel. ]
perceived a golden opportunity and awaited
myself of 1t. l procured twenty five-yeal
lease on the property and altered 1t to suit
my own ideas. Every traveller passing
through Cairo patronize the casino. We
have balls, parties and receptions every aft
ernoon. Toward evening the merrymakers
f1cck to the gaming tables The wheel OF
fortune, arranged as horse race on g
miniature revolving track. is the favorite
sport. We are not allowed to play roulette
except at the Ghesireh, of which am the
managing director.
'sBaccarat is played extensively at the
quently number two hundred persons Nc
one ever thinks of going in the games with
lesss than $50 The individual losses for a
night seldom exceed $4,000 My income gen.
orally averages $4,000 to $4,000 q month
Sometimes l double the latter amount, &C.
casionally / can't make both ends meet
However. / get much enjoyment out OF
life and do as much good as 1 can find
tn do