The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-03-28
JOHN L. SULLIVAN TALKS.
Monologues to an Admiring Circle in
His Saloon.


These are the days when John Law
renee Sullivan, once champion pugilist of
saloon surrounded by admiring friends
and talk of the time when he was truly
a great man. When John l.. talks those
in range of his voice are supposed, to
listen.
John L. was in a particularly happy
mood one night last week, and with a
long black cigar stuck in one side of his
mouth and his hat pulled gracefully over
one eye, he sat tilted back in a chair in
the rear of his saloon, with his thumbs
IN his armpits and spun yarns by the
yard to a group of friends.
I been done twice in the last year."
he said. Six months ago a guy come
IN wild a long piece of poetry, wrote about
Jack Dempsey He was a good Teller
an a good fighter was Jack Dempsey,
poor old Jack Dempsey. Well the poetry
this guy had wrote about Jack Dempsey
was touchin' and brought the tears TO
me eyes, cause Jack was a good friend
of mine, poor old Jack Dempsey. 1t was
all about Jack goin up to the KIondike
sumption, an dyin' up there friendless,
an alone. An it wound up by deScribin'
the lonesome grave of Jack Dempsey in
Alaska, wild nuthin but a wood cross
over 1t to mark the last resting place of
the Nonpareel. 1t was touchin' it was,
cause Jack was a good Teller an a good
fighter. poor old Jack Dempsey.
the oil ran outer me lamps John he
says, we want you to head a subscrip-
poor old Jack Dempsey I'll do it, l
i
Then he gives me lot of the pieces Of
poetry an the subscription paper an
wants me ter work the thing up an col
leet the money l went ahead, and in a
week I had five hundred in the safe fer
the stone over poor old Jack Dempsey's
grave. Then I gets a telegram from this
guy, from Rochester, sayin' that Mr.
Dimski, of Sitaka, Alaska, is at the Stur-
tevant house, an will call for the money
Tor the stone over poor old Jack Demp-
sey's grave. That same day Dimski
come in and got the five hundred. An I
guess he's got it yet. Poor old Jack
he was a good Teller an a good fighter
poor old Jack Dempsey"
Why, saw the grave myself put in
a youth, who was evidently INDUCING in
his first feast at the Sullivan round table
John L. looked the youth over
Go ahead an tell them all about it,
quick, or yer might fergit somethin' .
he said. when yer all through, let me
know. an I'll do little ta1kin' meself' -
The youth subsidized and without fur
Their comment Mr. Sullivan continued:
"A little after we built that headstone
fer Jack Dempsey's grave. a guy came
hand. Ter the WOOdsi ter the woodsp
| says, cause I didn't know the guy.
Why don't yer know me, John?. he says.
life I says. Smoke, john he comes
back. Tn Tim Murnane of the Boston
known yer Now What kin kf9s do fer H yer?
Lend me ten, john he says in a whis-
per. I'm broke an it's too early in the
have it?' Wait, John he says I'm goin'
up the street an III send for the money
in a little while Well out goes Tim, an
in a little while a messenger comes in
with a note from Tom sayin' ter give the
boy the ten but to make it fifteen. So
last l ever seen of it, cause it WASH t
Tim that made the touch at ALL"
Mr. Sullivan glanced around at his au-
ditors and then remarked:
Were weak women IN some
things, an bigger slobs-