The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-11-11

"SHAA "a As uNdN. lllo bOuy llCo j IL
a pauper's grave in the shadow Of the
Tewksbury almshouse. Once the best
dressed man in Boston, once the wearer
Of f1ashy, costly diamonds. once the
special servant of the United States
government, once the confidant of Gov.
Andrew, once the prince of gamblers
and a man of w%ondrous power, he died
alone, forsaken, d~isregarded, amCng
strangers, with only the hand of char
ity to minister to his last earthly
wants. Once he walked the streets of
Boston admired for his splendid phys
ique and attractive carriage, handsome
but for the marks of smallpox; disliked
for his domineering spirit ever mani
tested; loved for his deeds Of charity;
hated for his dealings with the police
strange combinations Of characters
tics. In the days of his power never
In want, trusted with the care OF the
most important information of vital in
terest to a whole nation, sought for and
recognized as a strong ally, a habitue
Of the haunts of gamblers and crooks,
admitted into the sphere of the highest
authorities in the land, trusted and
feared and loved and hated.
The halcyon days of his powers have
passed these fifteen years and his lat
ter years were passed in want. in mis-
cry and in loneliness. He was shun-
ned by former associates, became dis
regardless Of dress, begged where once
he could have loaned dragged his weary
way by aid of staff and crutch, his fine
physique gone, his body bent with age
and lain, with none to extend the hand
o. friendship. On Aug. 7 he dragged
his last steps TO the Tewksbury aims
house, pulled down by dread consump-
ton He fingered for some time and
passed to his reward a few days ago,
When the c%heckered record of a re-
markuble career ended. His real name
was James DOnohue, although the rec
ords al Boston police headquarters give
his name as John" D~onohue. The APP
pellation of John Bull, by which he
was known the country over, came to
him in something in this wise: On
one occasion when he thrashed a fight
err Of considerable local repute, he was
referred to as that John Bull" on ac-
count of his birthplace, and the name
stuck to him through life.
James Donohue was born in London,
England, Aug. II, 1892. In 1910 his
parents crossed the Atlantic and set
tied in Boston. After having worked
as a ''fy-boy'' and assistant pressman
from 1916 to 1852, in the press room OF
the Boston Herald, he took to gam
bling and became a full-fedged sport.
He had grown into a magnificent speci-
men of physical manhood, standing six
feet two inches, weighing 200 pounds,
possessing strong features, swarthy
complexion dark, piercing eyes,a heavy
black mustache and a full head of lei
black curly hair. Attired always in
the fashion Of the period he was a
typical sport.
After eight years of experience AS a
gambler, during which he had amone
his associates the toughest and crook
eldest elements in the New England
states, he went to New Orleans in the
spring of 1860. A year later the south
ern city having become too warm fol
him on account of his previous resi-.
dence there, he had to return to Bos.
ton.
When the war broke out he was an
pointed provost detective at Boston
this because of his keen Intelligence
shrewdness and large acquaintance
both north and south. In 1863 he wa!
assigned to Washington. where he ant
Pardon Worseley We're supplied with
team and wagon and sem outside thu
lines, ~ostensiDly to trade pies for to
bacco, but in reality to endeavor to in
tercept mail that was being SEM from
Baltimore and Washington to Mosby'.
command. They brought in three
bags of mail, from which Gen. Augu,
obtained evidence that caused the seiz
ure of fifteen or twenty stores in Bal
timore and as many more in Wash