The evening times., 1899-02-04
FORMER BUNCO KING
WILL NOW Be GOOD
McNally Says He Intends to Go
Into the Hotel Business.
Tells How He Spent Three Fortunes
of IIl-Getten Money.
Cured Of Ihe Opium Habit by iiis
Enforced Life in Joliet Prison.
His Career Of Crime.

Bridgeport Conn, Feb. flames Nc
Nally. once the acknowledged green goods
king of the country. came here TO visit his
brother Walter on Wednesday. He has
changed much since he lived here five
years ago His forehead is furrowed with
deep lines and he weighs forty pounds less.
I'm going to begin life over again" he
said I've served the penalty for being
crooked. and I'm through. In my life L
have made s.. 900 coo, and where is ii Low?
Gone on wine and women and every other
line of dissipation that is known. i have
made three fortunes in my life, every one
of them by unlawful methods That is the
reason / could not keep my money. maoe
il fast and il went away fast.
The lesson my life has taught me is that
il does not pay TO be crooked. l have had
$500 eco TO my credit three times IN my
Iife-more than / ever expect TO nave
again-but those were ill-gotten gains.
Now / shall be content TO make an hohest
living and lead a respectable life the rest
of nv days. l was twenty-four years oiu
when / started in the green goods business.
] was such an adept at it, took to IL so
naturally. ii seems that in three months
time | had sixty men working for me
Then. at the age of twenty-five, the money
began TO come to me without apparent ei-
forI.
Mon a Fortune on COrbett.
The Corbett- Sullivan fight came on AMI
l hacked Gentleman Jim 10 the limit. My
brother Walter and went TO New Orleans
with all the money We cor rTy IL
was money we made from g. en- goods
The people down there thought was
fHDrhETf
grsat pugilist then. He is no good now
He is a back number. He went the pee
that | did SO far as dissipation. is concern
ed Poor jim, 1 am sorry for him. won
ss3 600 on that fight, but il lasted no lon
ger than the other money ] made.
MY advice TO young men about 10 start
in life is to go in legitimate business ana
work up from the bottom. l mads me
mistake of my IlTe by not doing that, b-t
/ am not discouraged and ] am gong III
the hotel business in New York and earn
an honest living. / wont have crooks
ahout me They will roast me, | know,
but I'm determined TO live right now.
have cut away from all my old associates.
You know when / was here / was ter
ribie morphine fiend. Thank God, am
over that now and nothing would induce
me To return 10 il again. No more pipe,
no more morphine for me. l have done
one reason that / had 10 go to prison. The
lhree years ! spent i'll joliet were long
years but / don't know but il was worth
the time to break me OF that habit. For
six weeks | thought / would die. for IN y
would give me no morphine, but got past
The craving point and now l am free.
Thinks Honesty the Best Policy.
Il know the value now of good name
When i was making money in the green
goods business-at the rate Of $1,000 j
tay at one time-I thought money was
the only true friend a man had but l was
wrong I wish | had clean name today
and had never made the money | have. \
good name is rather 10 be chosen than
great riches. they say. and it's true. No
matter where / go people say: That S
Jimmy McNally. and that ends it with
me. Where can ] go TO ind employment
while my name is McNalIy? Nowhere. No
one viii trust me, and l don't know that
1 blame them.
But I never was so happy or contented
as now. In he old days | was always
fearful that some OF the gang or myself
would be arrested. For fourteen years
led that life. which | now wonder did not
kill me.
The world all seems different to me
now. The people seem to be strangers
for l do not see any of the old compan-
ions.
Il am going to take my brother Walter
back TO New York with me TO live as soon
as / get place. l have got money
enough saved TO start in business. and
thank God, il is honest money that /
earned in legitimate way.
i hope my life lessen viii be a benefit
10 young men who are tempted 10 stray
from legitimate paths of business. Hon
esly is The best policy"