The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-23
PRODIGAL FIGHTERS
THEIR MAMIE Is LEGION, AND
THERE ARE A FEW
OTHERS
FORTUNES ARE SQUANDERED

john MOrrissey, Ned Price, Charley
Mitchell and Few Others
Thought OF the PrOverbiaI Rainy
Day - Sullivan Leads as "a De-
strOyer of the Earnings of the
Ring-Dempsey's Downfall.
Fighters are proverbially prodigal
There are exceptions to all rules and
a few to this. John L. Sullivan holds
the record as q spendthrift, having
separated himself from fully 5000, 00O
if rot more, during his meteoric career
in the squared circle. Sullivan did
much good with his money, for many
a dollar of it found its way into char
ity funds and not a few hundreds, not
to say thousands, went to keep the
wolf from the doors Of those who had
befriended the big f8llow in the days
when he was struggling for recognition
and, with it, fame and fortune. Sui
livan wasted thousands in a most
prodigal manner. It was a common
occurrence for him to take handful
of coins and throw them into the
streets in order that the gamins might
struggle for them. But, with all his
faults. the only John L. heart was
in the right place.
HE PITIED KILRAIN.
After the battle at Richburg, Miss
where Sullivan defeated Jake Kilrain,
t pride of Boston expressed desire
to do something for his vanquished
foe. He was sorry for the defeated
man. The principals were hurried to
New Orleans, after the fight and be-
fore Sullivan again met Kilrain, some
Of the unfriendly remarks of Charley
Mitchell reached the ears Of John l..
Mitchell had been Kilrain's chief es-
quire in the RichEurg fight, as Kill
rain had been Mitcheiis at Chantilly.
Sullivan was angry He was walking
FSSn Canal street, in company with
8 couple of friends, when, suddenly,
and without a word Of comment, the
BostOnian gladiator ran across the
street and placed something in the
hands of two Little Sisters Of the
Poor who were passing that way.
The good women were greatly surpris-
ed to find that the big stranger had
Sleft with each a crisp new $500 bill.
Sullivan had intended that money for
Kilrain. After disposing of it he said:
We'll, l feel easier now. and they will
do better with it than Jake would
have, anyway"
MORRISSEY MADE MONEY.
There is a legend to the effect that
John Morrissey wandered into New
York when youth of about nineteen
and drifted up to what is now famous
or notorious, as THE Tenderloin."
where he found the sort of people he
was looking r-ighters-and an
d that he had come to the big
ooking for trouble and did not
Ist how quickly it was inaugu-
MOrrisSey had no sooner made
AOuEcement than he was ac-
dated by half dozen of the
en- who were in the place Nor
had entered. The countryman
;ted. but he put up such a great
'UaJtie against what seemed hopeless
odds that ne was taken in hand by
Harry Hill and was soon at the top
Of the heap as a bare knuckle fighter
MOrriSseyS career was most remark
able. He was sent to congress, and
grew and remained rich. He was al
ways sport, but was a man of rare
magnetism and respected for his pro-
bity. He went to New York to make
his foEplne. That he never forgot He
made it and he kept it.
LAWYER NED PRICE.
Handsome Ned Price is another ex-
ception to the rule that to be a fighter
means to become prodigal. Price was
one Of the best at the game Of fisticuffs
back in the days when the gloves were
little used. He made money in a quiet
way, studied law, became thoroughly
cCnversant with criminal practice, re-
tired from the ring to plead at the
bar. and grew rich and respected. Price
cC'ldz not resist an occasional 'go''
VITA. the stars Of the ring, and a char
ity affair of that sort invariably found
Handsome Ned" Price one of the vol
unteers. Price has boxed in recent
years with Jem Mace, Bill Clark C'The
Belfast Chicken'O and few other old
timers-always, however, "for sweet
charity's sake" He amassed consid-
cradle fortune-and kept it.
MITCHELL IS RICH.
Charley Mitchell once said to the
writer: 81 am in this business for
money. 1 am getting and keeping it.
When 1 can make more money in some
other business 1 shall quit this I do
rot like fighti-g. The man who does
isn't much. No man can be a gentle
man and a fighter for money. So soon
as l begin to lose I shall go back to
England with what I have saved. /
can use it there in my business" And
he did. Mitchell is reputed to be
worth in the neighborhood of 500, 900.
He is the only one of the English
fighters who can show any money for
what they have done in the ring. A
few of the others may have a few
thousand pounds, but a 'iery few.
Mitchell has beautiful wife and sew
eral bright daughters, of whom he is
dly proud.
DBMPSEY'S DOWNFALL.
k Dempsey lost the first really big
for which he contended in all
lore than half hundred battles in
n he was principal. That was
10, and it was carried off by Bob
simmons, and with It came the
mail of the famous 'Nonpareir'