The Washington times., 1901-11-17
THE REAL MIR. DooLEY.n
Anecdotes of James McGarry, Sage
of Arehey Road.


indeed. one who can live in Chicago as
long as McGarry did and endur, the
strain without showing it more than he.
is entitled to something besides ordin-
ary mentfon-McGarry under his alias
Of Martin Dooley. has become an inter
national parsonage. His copyright has
been violated in many languages and in
more countries.
McGarry was the model upon which
Finley Peter Dunno fashioned his philo-
sophical saloonkeeper, although he by no
means adhered to the McGarry lines of
construction. Dooley is an evolution and
growth. not a copy or a sketch Nc
Garry sold to Chicago's strong men what
he called whisky, at a bar in Dearborn
Street. Just north of Madison. Mr. Dunno
IN common with other newspaper men of
Chicago, furtively formed an acquafnt-
ance with McGarry and was one Of the
Few who saw good literary material in
the saloonkeepers observations on gen.
eral topics
The Dooley of Dunno is characterized
by cheerful sarcasm and an optimistic
philosophy McGarTy was different. He
took himself seriously, and unIoaded his
views with the impact of bale of hay.
He never smiled and had a strong sense
of his personal dignity. Moreover. he
was not wholly asleep to the value of
the personal intelligence columns of the
newspaper. In facial appearance he was
as sombre as a church door. McGarry, in
his 'Patrick's Day" dress, might well
have been taken for a large benevolent
person Of the clerical profession. not
unaccustomed to the good things of the
world in the sixty odd years which his
face and silver pair indicated he had re-
mained on earth. 1t is not my intention
to write an obituary sketch. 1t is rather
to give few personal anecdotes.
One day a weII-dressed person, fault
less as to clothes. but with the peculiar
indurated countenance of tough"
came into the saloon. Jack Shea. then
chief OF the Chicago detective force, sat
over near the stove With the exception
of Shea and McGarry, no one was in the
house.
Give me some whisky said the
stranger, putting a 50-ceat piece on the
bar. He filed shell glass up to the
brim. McGarry looked on with a grieved
eye. for he well knew that every drop
above the Opaque line in the glass was
financial loss to him.
"Wud yez like a towel with that bath?"
familiar Chicago witticism-
The man set down the glass and emit
ted as fine an outpouring of Bridgeport
language as had been heard downtown
for many months.
"I don't want any red-necked tarrier to
c-iticise the size of my drinks" he sai5,
among other things 'If your coffin var
nish is 10 cents, take 1t out of the money
har fu haU
still got coin TO pay for it: and is the price
is more than 80 cents. Just ring the bell !
and I'll yield. I've got plenty Of money |
to pay for my whisky. and don't care to |
have barkeep get sarcastic with me-"
The iron entered into McGarry's soul !
His dignity had been violated, and he /
slowly rang up Is cents and made change |
for the customer. McGarry came from /
behind the bar poHed the fire ard stood !
with his hands folded under his apron. /
lost in thought. for fully FIVE minutes. /
Then he wagged his head sadly and ad- I
dressing Shea. said:
Jack. I'd give the joint il knew what |
to answer that mug back
friend of the name Of Louis Spiegel |
sat alone In the barroom. A large theatre |
crowd had Just left. and McGarry leaned |
with his elbows on the bar. Suddenly he |
Strengthened up and went softly around |
the end of the black walnut counter and |
made dash for the floor. Spiegel sprang |
forward at the same minute, and the two |
elderly gentlemen and longtime gossips |
rolled around in the sawdust for fully five |
locked in close embrace. Not a |
word was uttered they simply struggled. |
AT last they arose and McGarry. locking |
his cash drawer. brushed the dust from |
his clothes, removed his bar apron and |
said: l.t
Louis. the place is closed. 1t is closed
up. Louis"
He turned down the lights. The two
went out into the night The next morn
ing SDiegeI was one OF the first in the |
so loon McGarry saluted him with dig /
nifty.
''Yc think ye'er smar-rt man, Louis;
We fancy ye'er smar-rt man, don't ye.
me by"
Not necessarily" replied spiegel
'Why?"
Dye know why locked the house last
night. Louis?'
Because II was time to close up. I sup
pose"
Nav, Louis; that was not the rayson-
There was another ten dollars on the
1
ne If you found 1t out
One evening, when the usual newspaper
.rowd was in his place, a strange young
nan, who crowded the latest modes In the
way of style. came down the steps. 1t
vas one of the delights OF MeGarrys life
o listen to the discussions of mis- personal
riends, who gathered nightly. Frequent
y he did himself business injury by lock-
ng the door long before the proper hour
or closing, and unbent so far as to min
;le in the conversation. At all times he
vas resentful of mixed drinks, which he
egarded as a sin and the time consumed
n their manufacture wholly wasted. He |
,lso abominated the class he described as
'doods.''
Make me Manhattan cocktail" said
he spectacular young man who had en-
cred.
McGarry unwillingly went behind the
,ar, leaving the crowd at the table to
heir discussion.
What is ut2'' he asked. with acrimony
Il want u Manhattan cocktail, repeat
q the late arrival.
yen ,.rink whisky. or yen not leave
his house aIoive,'" said McGarry, jam
ling the bottle and glass on the counter.
md the young man took his liquor
traiGht AS McGarry made the change.
e said in explanation: |:
us the ruin of ye'er constitution
-drinIin' these med-up midicines. I'll !,
ot have il on me house an on me con-
cience that wan of yez died in me place
fter takin' dose
NcGarry was a hard man to entrap In
nything like confidence game. He
fas lot particularly reticent of money, and
I