The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-01

gone INTO ponies ana dInaSSeQ wealth.
after leaving the fistic arena, though
neither had much money when death
called. One of these was John Gully,
the Englishman, and the other John
Morrissey, the American. Gully got
into parliament and for while EN-
joyed the friendship and respect of
many of England's most exalted per-
sonages.' He made a part of his
wealth out of racing and the remainder
in various speculative enterprises,
some of which turned out disastrously.
In his later years he was in constant
fear of the workhouse, but he didn't
fall so low as that.
John Morrissey's post-prize ring days
were far more spectacular than Gullys.
Morrissey retired a champion, having
defeated Heenan, and having sensibly
refused to fight again. Morrissey NUM-
bered old Commodore VANDERBILT
among his closest friends, and by fol-
lowing the commodore's advice was
able TO win heavily in Wall street. Nor
rissey also made money in Wads and
rolls in the two gambling houses which
he established-one in New York in
Broadway and one in Saratoga, Nor
rissey's political rise began early in
the sixties. For years he was so strong
in this city that he had a virtual mo-
nopoly as to gambling here, which he
took advantage of by levying tribute
upon all the establishments of his fell
low boss gamblers in town. He was
sent to the house of representatives in
1866 by the democrats, and in the fight
between Tweed, the Tammany boss,
and Tilden, sided with the latter. At
one time Morrissey's fortune was ST.
| 900 900. The death of Commodore Van
| derbilt was the beginning of bad luck
for Morrissey. He tried speculation on
his own hook, but without Vanderbilt
to tip him off found it impossible to
| buck UP against Jay Gould and the 9TH
| er expert Wall street operators of that
day. Still Morrissey kept up a brave
front as long as he lived, for till his
death it was supposed generally he had
much wealth left, but on examination
it was found that his estate had
dwindled practically to naught, and his
widow, who had been a Hudson river
steamboat captains daughter when
Morrssey was a deck hand. found her
self plunged in poverty instead of roll
ing in wealth.
John c. Heenan, who, though victor
over Sayers. was himself defeated by
Morrissey, ran a gambling den for a
while and for time did fairly Weli'
but the tide soon turned the wrong
way, and Heenan died of consumption
in Colorado in great financial straits.
Heenan was married to the erratc
Adah Isaacs Menken. She died in
France a year or two before her hus-
band.
Yankee Sullivan, whose real name
was Frank Ambrose Murray, counted
in his day and generation the greatest
fighter of his weight and inches in the
United States, left the East and went
to California to dig for gold after his
successive defeats by Tom Hyer and
John Morrissey. Sullivan might have
been a good thing as a miner, but in
some manner he ran against the San
Francisco vigilance committee in its
palmiest days, and was by it thrown
into prison. He was suspected of hav-
ing been connected with gang of burg
lars, and though nothing was ever
proved against him, he was put in jail
| and committed suicide.
Tom Hyer, Mike McCool AMI Joe Co
| burn. each an American champion in
his day, died in poverty. and were
| buried with money raised by subscrip-
ton papers passed around among prize
| ring supporters. At one time COburn
| had a good deal of money. George Law
! was then his friend but one night the
! pugilist struck the millionaire. and
| thereafter there was a breach wide and
deep between them. The list of prize
| ring champions who were unable IN
/ their old age to keep what they had
/ gained in active life might be pro-
! list Of those who have done well in re-
/ tirement and died with money is prac'
( tically non existent.
Several of those who have been prom
inent Of late years are still well heelec
| financially, and some of them may sue
coed in making money in their present
occupations. Most of them are now sell
ing liquor, but there are exceptions
| Frank P. Slavin is said to have been II
the Klondike mines along with Joe
| Boyle for some time, and to have ap'
peared in Seattle recently with $4,000
in gold McAuliffe is a bookmaker anc
reputed to be prosperous. Jem smith
the Fnglishman, is alternately makins
and losing money betting on the races
| COrbett, Charlie Mitchell and Bob Fitz
| simmons. the latter especially, may bt
considered more likely to keep theil
money as long as they live than any Of
| the other current has-beens. Possibly
Mitchell shouldn't be spoken of as &
| has-been, for there is talk of his fight
ing JeffrieS at some future time II
| England. Those who know both mel
think Mitchell will be a sure has-beeI
after that fight, if he isn't now.-NeN
| Hrlr