The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-08-17


man living in New York who got
his nrst start in life backing boots. and
can now count his wealth by the thou
sands and hundreds Of thousands. Aste,
1t will be remembered, recently sold his
race horse Nasturitium to William c.
Whitney and James B. Haggin FOR $780,
600. Aste began his BUSINESS career by
backing boots, and now, still a young
man, he owns more than a score of
show cleaning esta blishments and some
OF the best thoroughbreds on the Amer
lean turf.
Perhaps the man who has attained the
most fame in optical and social life
while having so humble beginning; as
Aste. is Thomas Mcdonald Waller, ex-
governor of Connecticut, ex-consul gen.
eral to London and a familiar figure in
the legal and club world of New York.
Governor Walker is a ypo1y sort of a
man smooth shaver with leonie head
and keen wit. He was born s,xty-one
years ago, and when years old was left
an orphan. The boy, compelled to earn
his living, sold papers and BACKED boots.
The Aston house was his favorite haunt.
1t was at the Astor house he met Rob-
ert K. Waller. a merchant of New Lon
don, Conn. The merchant was attracted
by the boys brightness and honesty,
and took him to his home and legally
adopted him. He was given an academic
education, served in the civil war and
was admitted to the bar later. He early
entered politics, became mayor of New
London, a member of the legislature,
speaker of the house, secretary of state,
and in 1882 was elected governor on the
democratic ticket. In the presidential
| n M mai pr Of hn nd for
reelection. but was defeated by failing
of majority over all candidates.
A republican legislature elected it's
party nominee, but this was a good
thing for Waller, inasmuch as Presi-
dent Cleveland made him counsel gen.
eral to London, which, in those days,
was about the latest Office in fees in
the gift of the administration. In Lon
don Governor Waller gained fame as an
after dinner speaker. He also formed
valuable business connections, for when
he returned to this country he repre-
scented many large English syndicates.
He Is today man of wealth. You can
see him almost any night at the Gilsey
house or in some Broadway playhouse.
An entirely different stamp of man is
Patrick Sheedy, but he, too, has attain
ed distinction in his own line. He has
long been known as the "nervy gamb-
Ter" and the "honest gambler" Sheedy
was bootblack in Hartford when the
city was known as sport center. He
polished the shoes of sporting men and
one of them took hi malong one day to
a country fair. 1t was owing to this
Sheedy became a gambler. He was IA
nous before he was 25 years old. He
| owned big gambling houses here and in
Chicago. He is known to have won as
much as $150,00O in a night, and to have
lost as much. He became manager for
| John l.. Sullivan and made a fortune
, for the 4jugilist. He established elab-
crate gaming parlors in Cairo, Egypt,
and was familiar figure at Monte
Carlo. Homburg. Ostend, AK and in the
capitals of Europe.
Sheedy used also to vary the monot-
ony of life by bookmaking on the
| thoroughbred tracks. He recently came
into publis notice as acting as the 60
between in the return of the famous
Gainesborough portrait to its owners.
J. Pierpont Morgan bought this picture
| in London a few weeks ago. Sheedy is
living quietly in New York. He is not
| accounted rich man now, although in
TO danger of starvation. There have
been times when Sheedy was worth not
far from $1,00O,0OO, but like most men