The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-08-31

tanned distinction in his own line He
has log been known as the nerVy
gambler and the honest gambler
Sheedy was a bootblack in Hartford .
when the city was known as SPOT
center. He polished the shoes of sporting
men. and one of them took am lions
one dsv to a country fair Ii was oW-
ing to this Sheedy became a gam
He was famous before he was . years
old. He owned big gambling houses
here and in Chicago He is known 10
have won as much as $4,000 in q night
and TO have lost as mucn- he pecalliS
manager for John l. Sullivan ana hl4le
a fortune for the pusillst- ne y,
lished elaborate gaming palIoIs ~
cairo. Egypt. and vas a familiar I8ule
at Monte Carlo. Homburg- Osteha' Ala
and in the capitals OF Europe
Sheedy used also to vary the mohol-
ony of life by bOOkmaking on lie
thoroughbred tracks He recently came
into public notice as acting as the 80
between in the return Of the famous
Gafnesborough portrait 10 its owners
J. Pierpont Morgan bought this picture
in London a few weeks ago. Sneedy u
living quietly in New York. He is not
accounted a rich man now, although III
no danger of starvation Ihefe nave
been times when Sheedy was worth not
far from 81 200, 000. but ike most men
OF MS cidSS ne AOAtAA - ------~---~ $500
on to the money.
Two other young men who have
achieved fame and wealth and who are
not ashamed to admit they were once
glad to get a nickel in return for nav
ing impaired a mirror-likc gloss 10
pair of boots are Joseph n Weoef anu
Lewis NJ Fields. Their success mas
been phenomenal. as every one knows;
They were boys on the east SIDE ana
used to shoot craps" together Wheh
they were not backing shoes ana sen
ing papers Like most east side boys
they. saved pennies in order to go 70 tlle
old London theatre one night a WeeA-
One night they went on the stage &C.
gether on amateur night in a song
and dance with a German dialect
That settled it. no more boOtDlacklns
for them. They were thoroughly stage
struck. and finally obtained an engage
ment with a burlesque company at SO
q week for the team. Tt was good
many years before they attained any
considerable fame in their line, ana
they do not hesitate to say that they
have plaved in some of the toughest
houses and concert halls in the land'
and were glad of the chance
Hartford Conn, seems to have been
prolific of boOtblacks who have gained
fortune. for besides Pat Sheedy there
are Father BilP' DAILY. the turfman'
Andrew J. Welch, the owner OF the IA
nous Charter Oak driving park, ana
Danny Maher and James Mclaughlin
the Jockeys. It was great many years
ago that Father Bill shined SHOES
so long ago that he may have forgotten
ft-but now he is worth a great many
dollars. He owns stock farm IN Con-
necticut, a big hotel in Hartford ana
many horses
If was Father BilI' who found jim
I knees nRIfEnluG
( leather and made him one Of the great
/ est Jockeys that ever lived, and IL was
he who later found little Danny Maher
pursuing the same calling MaheT, II is
said. at the end of the present racing
] season in England, has earned more
/ than 100000 in fees
ANDY Welch left Hartford as
! bootblack. following the circuit He
/ used to ride with the grOoms in the box
cars with the horses Tt was at Pitts
! burg ne made his first venture on the
/ trotting turf. He invested 81 on race
/ in the Paris mutuals and won $4bo.
Twenty of this he again invested, and
at the end of the day he had over $500.
J Encoura ged by his success he threw
aside all his tools OF trade and became
q follower OF the trOtters. Finally he
3 bought a mare; she won several races,
and at length he, sold her to an Eng
{ Iishman for $40 600.
But his great coup was made nearly
J ten years ago. The Connecticut legis-
s lature had passed an anti-pool law, and
the corporation controlling the famous
! Charter Oak park, near Hartford, had
gone out Of business. Weeds grew on
the once immaculate track: the stables
and grandstands were falling into de-
cay. Then it was that Welch and a
man named Jones stepped in Ihey
purchased the property with the many
acres for d mere song, ostensibly as a
real estate speculation; but when the
next legislature met they very quietly
went to work, and on the last day Ct the
. session the anti-pOol selling law was
+ suddenly and Unexpectedly repealed
Since that time circuit meetings have
! been held in the spring and fall at
: Charter Oak, and WEIGH and Jones
I have made fortunes. Welch's is eSu-
mated at from 100000 to S750,0o0.
Numerous other ex-bOOtblacNs could
be named who have grown rich, famous
I or notorious, but these are a few who
are known to most New Workers.