The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-03
JAMES I. KERRTGAN DEAD.
EyD ora LIFE DETOTED TO fOLTTfcs
LHD ADVENTURE.


Volunteer Firemar, Old-Timc street
Fighter, Bowery Leader, Congressman,
Soldier, Iillbuster, Invnder of Canada
and, Lntt of All, IL KlondIke Gold-Seeker.
After life ne full Of exciting incidents rs that
OF any man who has passed the thrse score and
ten mark. Col. James T.. Ksrrigan. former Con-
gresham. politician and soldier OF fortune.
died late "Wednesday night IN st. Marys Hos
pital in Brooklyn. from the effects OF a surgical
operation KerrIgan was veteran OF two wars
and countless nlibustcrinE expeditions and
since hi. boyhood DAYS mad been . cons picuous
fyure wherever there was trouble to be settled
Or < Dry to be gained
kerriyan was born In this city Of Irish
parents on Christmas Day. 1929. lie was one
OF four brothers. and his mother claimed de-
scont from Lord Hill. who was next In command
,othe Duke OF Wellington at the battle Of Water
loo Kerriean showed. when still a boy. sIgns
OF a venturssome spirit lie was the leader OF
the youth OF the Bousry. a member of Hose
COMPANY II Of which Harry Howard was fore
man and tho commander OF the boys OF his
ward in all OF the famous fights with the Dead
Rabbits which WAS the nano the Sixth ward
Or. were known by
EI-Aldsrman Tom walsh who ran with En-
CINE II. was the leader Of tho Dead Rabbits.
and tho two men were chiefly responsible Tor
the now slmost-furEotten fight which took rIac"
at Bayard and Elizabeth streets IN 1867. which
WINS known for years a'Ioras the Dead Rabbit
riot The two gangs came together one nix
at the corner mentioned. Kerrigan's 'oowr' =
had thrown up a brrricade Of wagons. boxes
md rubbish there. which Walsh r1d his boys
stormci two or three times Each time they
we're tspulScd. many ot Wnlshs men being Sc
riously Injured with sticks and stones. This
last attack came 81 near 10 being successful
that the defen Terra " the barricadc began using
guns and pistols. number OF men wore shot.
including Walsh. Tho nzht ragged for hours
and WAS only s,opued when tha Seventh Regi-
ntent marched to tho scene OF the trouble and
drove both the Dead Rabbits and thoir cnomIss
away.
When kerriGan was II wears old. he ran
away from Fordham Collage to go to the Mex
lean War. H. induced several fellow students
81 follow him AMI they enlisted rs privates.
lie won laurcls at Monterey and Chapulter-G
n0d AZ the taking ~ the city OF Mexico. To-
turning 10 'hi. city with war record. he
plunged at once into politics. After the hot
test kind OF a nght, he wrestsd the leadership OF
the Bowery from Pat Matthews. lie entered
into nm alliance with Matt Brennan and the
two did the best work ever done In that section
Of the city for Tammany Hall. By this tiinc
Rerriean's feGrsssn"ss as Il soldier and his
ability as political leader were beginning to
make him '"mewnnt c@n,r!cGonI figure
drama written around Kerriran and engaged
the Ietter. 10 play, part, kerrgan was TO load
American forces and after hot fight WI. to
retire in eonfusion. The Mexican soldiers
Nv KcrriEan. Ev:ythng went OF well until
the time came for the M"NIcaus 10 retr.'t.
SS w SGff nSn TMsq fHyns
cry. AMI followed ly his men. charged the
stage The whole scene Wa s"1ird and the
curtain was runc down. Krtrigan and his
Nsxicans were discharged On the SPOT, without
kerrirqn remained in politics FOR several
Years ana then .cGa gan To- Pine 'or cSe,tement
a'earl"SS man M! q solder came to tho ears
g. Gen William Walker. who was planning
offered K.rrgln rartriucv IL h" would raise
COMPANY q men. kerrlGan recruited his
# sailed away with the expedition. This ven-
tnre Was an unsuccessful one. bur it bad lit
w sSs u% :" a' n sd' Ker4.,s town ousd
himself N" Alcn'de % a large village.
snd cen was.r wa. osTtar.d nnI sse TS,s
snhl.cts-they Ind ROT all been willing
TO attack him. Kerrsan decided not to waste
any time, He.n l"d out into the centre Of the
village with his handful of men, rounded M all
OF the prominent N-sraguans in town. drove
them into n. church. fll"d the cellar with gun
place up unlss lie WI, allowed 70 depart. lie
was allowed to GO, and although hOtly pursued
managed - MAKE his wty 10 the coast. 10
returned 70 this city with only a few Of the
cnmnanyn n B"w'ry hoys he had taken away
with him. and most ~ those who got back
alive died shortly a''ervArd as the result Of
their hard ramragn in Central America.
kerfigan wsn' into politics again. was elected
ar Alderman from the sixth ward ami then
served term as clerk a. ~" Old Tomhs police
nrgani2sf IT," Twcntr.rf'h Regiment New
York Volunteers. and became IT, Colonel. Just
before the advance on Minors iii in Septeir-
nHr lSbl, 'ol. hcrrgan. riding out from tie
Union "aIur, isII I'm with soma Confederate
officers He talked with them iOr u tim" and
then returned u camp. lie tod the story him
ssf. maintaining always that ~ ths Con'pler-
aics wore alone and h" was without followers
they declda not 10 Hgh' but 80 have drink
togethar. tn" story was reucnted In eNagger-
rested and dismissed from tn" army Tor hold
Ing intercourse with the enemy.
In lSii2 Col, kerrig1u was sent to Congress hy
Tammuny Hal II. served one term and on
his return 10 New, York heram" an snihu-i-
Canada was p'anuqd in the early seventies. he
led "A company 81 100 mon across the border
and ca nturrl \ small town They held il about
. w"cE md wore then driven hark 20 the
nttei states hv superior force For years
years had been almost forgotten, Last spring
b" went to Dawson Ci'y |r the Klondlge. look
ing for adventure despite his s.vsntv-uu.
yearS. lie was too old TO ito much m in Ing aud
the hardShips OF the Journey told on him. He
rstsrncd 10 New York , few weeks ago and
American Mailing Company To Issue ronds.
Tn. Amerirnp Mailing C1-un,ny vI1 i,.ua