The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-07-09

of dog instead of lion, and its IN
scription is simplest of all. Savers
''old age" was decidedly brief-he died
in 1S65-besideS being a burden to Say
erS because of constant Illness, due TO
the most extravagant dissipation.
Two ex-prize ring champions have
gone into politics and amasSed 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 awhile 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 remain
der in various speculative enterprises,
some of which turned out disastrously.
In his later years he was in constant
fear of the workhouse, but he dlin
fall so low as that.
John Morrissey's post prize ring days
were far more spectacular than Gully :
Morrissey retired a champion, having
defeated Heenan, and having sensibiy
refused to fight again. MorrlSSey num-
bered old Commodore Vanderbilt among
his closest friends, and by following
the commodore's advice was able to
win heavily in Wall street. Morrissey
also made money in wads and rolls IN
the two gambling houses which he eS-
tablished-one in New York. in Broad
way. and one in Saratoga. Morrlssey
political rise began early in the sixties
For many years he was so strong IN
New York that he had a virtual monop-
oily as to gambling here, which he took
ADVANTAGE of by levying tribute upon
all the establishments of his fellow
boss gamblers in town. He was sent
to the house of representatives in lSoO
by the Democrats, and in the nSnt De
tween Tweed, the Tammany boss, ana
Tilden, sided with the latter. At one
time Morrissey's fortune was $2.OO0,OOO,
and he is said to have made sO0O'OOO IN
one deal in Harlem" entered into on
account of a tip from Commodore Van
derbilt The death of the commodore
was the beginning of bad luck for Nor
rissey. He tried speculation on his own
hook, but without Vanderbilt TO tip
him off found it impossible TO DUCK up
against Jay Gould and the other expert
Wall street operators of that day. STU
Morrissey kept up a brave front as
long as he lived. for till his death it was
supposed generally he had much wealth
left. The late William r. TraVers and
Edward Murphy were his executors
On examination they found that MS
estate had dwindled practically TO
naught and his widow, who had Deeh
a Hudson river steamboat captain
daughter when Morrissay was deck
hand, found herself plunged in poverty
instead of rolling in wealth
Died In Colorado.
John c. Heenan, who, though a VIC
tor over Sayers, was himself defeated
by Morrissey. ran a gambling den 1or
a while and for a time did fairly We'll;
but the tide soon turned the wrong
ia6 n
in Colorado, in great financial straits
Heenan was married to the erratlc
Adsh Isaacs Menken. She died IN
France a year or two before her hus-
band.
Yankee Sullivan. whose real name
was Frank Ambrose Murray, was IN his
day and generation the greatest fighter
of his weight and inches in the United
States, left the east and went to Cali
fornia to dig for gold after his success
sive 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 Fran
cisco vigilance committee in It's palml-
est days, and was by 1t thrown into
prison. He was suspected of having
been connected with a gang of burg
lars. and. though nothing was ever
proved against him, he was put in JAN |
and committed suicide.
Tom Hyer Mike McCool and Joe Co |
burn, each an American champion IN 4
his day, died in poverty. and were /
buried with money raised by Subscrlp- |
ton papers passed around among prize 1
ring supporters. AT one time Coburn !
had a good deal of money. George Law I
was then his friend, but one night the /
pugilist struck the millionaire, and
hereafter there was a breach wide and
deep between them. The list of prize
ring champions who were unable in
heir old age to keep what they had
gained in active life might be pro-
onged indefinitely, while the list OF
hose who have done we'll in retirement
and died with money is practically nom
existent.
Several of those who have been prom
nent of late years are still well heeled
and some of them may sue
,eed in making money at their present
Most of them are now
selling liquor but there are exceptions.
Frank p. Slavin is said to have been i'll
he Klondike mines along with Joe
Bowie for some time, and to have APP
)eared in Seattle recently with $40 600
n gold. McAuliffe is a bOokmaker and
-eputed to be prosperous. Jem Smith,
he Englishman, is alternately making
md losing money betting on the races.
Corbett, Charlie Mitchell and Bob Fitz-
-immons, the latter especially, may be
considered more likely TO keep their
money as long as they live than any
# the other current haS-beenS- Posi-
,ly Mitchell shouldn't be spoken of as
/ has-been. for there is talk of his
lighting Jeffries at some future time in
england. Those who know both men /
hink Mitchell will he sure has-been
fter that fight, if he isn't now.