The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-27
YOURS TRULY TO OPEN.
John L Sullivan Tells How He Once
Played the Role of Good Samaritan.


Il am getting ready-never you
mind, son, about the date for the open
ing" said John L. Sullivan yesterday
When my cafe swings her doors wide,
there will be things doing from yours
truly. viii do cash business? Well,
guess.
Il am going to say to the old boys
who are there with the glad nit and
some little change that they are good
and my friends as long as the change
lasts. But they must remember 1 am
now out for the long green. l have quit
being a philanthropist on the Bowery.
My roll won't stand for it. Maybe if
had the dough Rockefeller and the
other Standard Oil fellerS have in their
kicks, I'd turn things loose again. But,
son, yours truly is in no condition to
furnish booze, beds, and beafsteaks for
all the has beens that will come my
way.
mind you. I don't say that if a good
one comes along without the coin and
tells me he is just a minute ahead of
fit and that the fifth catch him. if
he don't have spirits to throw it off the
track, that won't set out a glass. Any
saloonkeeper that would throw one of
these sort down, amt my kind.
How much did lose in my last ven
ture? What's it to you? Somebody has
it. It's not out of circulation, because
l haven't heard of that Shaw man, or
squaw man, or whatever you are mind
to call the Iowa chap who took Ii
Cages job at Washington, retiring any
currency, have you?
You can't never tell about these
chaps that sneak up to the bar before
the cold gray dawn of the morning
gives way to watermelon peddlers and
chap blows in on me and says he's
Bob Purdy. of Dallas. Tex. Well 1
says, I didn't say you wasn't Purdy,
did L? What'l you have?'
He explained that he was friend
to Dan Stuart, that he was in town
with no more home than a rabbit and
hungry. Would I take him out for
breakfast?
His nerve won me, and I took him
by the hand and walked to restaurant
where napkins stood up on end and the
walters talked like English fiunkeys.
The first roll out of the box from Mr..
Purdy, calls for quart bottle. Then
picking up the bill of fare like 1t was
! a sporting extra, he says slowly ike,
| that a Nittenberger steak, with truffles,
French peas, young corn, a pint OF
coffee, and another quart bottle would
! about fill the bill.
when 1 went to sleep at New Or
leans. 1 did not feel as dizzy as when
Bob Purdy put down the bill of fare
and asked if that was too strong Tor
nv pile 1t wasn't, and I told him so.
If he had gone a hundred, I'd have
stood for it.
His nerVe-BOb Purdy, stranger,
was the finest that ever happened along
New York way. 1t did me good to look
at him eat, and when he had finished
end lit a cigar that was billed at q
dollar. he said that he allowed that !
had better slip him twenty TIL ne
came around the next day, and 1 Slip
ped it. 49, ,
would ever see him. But along about
noon the next day, when business was
On the bum. who should walk in puI
Purdy. First glance at him and
knew he was travelling with the coin
Shaking my hand like long lost
brother. he banded me a century-spo'
and told me to give the change TO some
charity organization. Then he com
menced to buy wine, and before mia,
night 1 had sold all the white stun
Ihad. and that I could borrow from my
neighbors-
! For four days Purdy loafed about
my place. and in that time shoqIe
saw he spent a couple of thousand he
wouldn't let any one that came II
"4e was Bob Purdy, all right New
York Telegraph