The San Francisco call., 1906-06-28
JERE DUNN GOES
To FINAL REST
Death Relieves Suffering
of Widely Known
Sportsman.
Rugged Character Passes
Away in Old Home
at Elizabeth, n. ].

NEW YORK, June c7.-Jere Dunn,
the widely known sportsman, died to-
day at his old home in Elizabeth, y. j.
When Broadway heard the news of his
death there were many expressions of
genuine sorrow. All agreed that
game man" as they know one, was
gone. His word was better than
bond and he never deceived a friend.
That was his epitaph and as Broad
way knows such things there could
not be one much better chiseled on
gravestone.
Jere Dunn would not be dead now
perhaps if he had not applied one of
the maxims of the gambler to his own
case. He was afflicted with a cancer
which closed his aesophagus, making
it impossible for him to take nourish-
ment. Six months ago, when the doc
tors first discovered the cancer, they
suggested an operation, the outcome of
which would be doubtful because of its
delicacy. Does it mean a cure?"
asked Dunn. NO" was the answer
I'VE are afraid that the growth would
soon return"
What's the use?" was the charac-
teristic decision. ''I am up against
losing game. You say 1 can't possibly
win out. l guess l will cash in on this
deal"
HSW IllSH lldQ UGlleT ana IEueE lIlSiluS
or more bitter enemies than the cold,
brown eyed, gray bearded, BROAD
shouldered man who was known to
sporting men the country over.
Dunn was in the neighborhood OF
64 years of age He wasn't sure about
it himself He was born in Ireland
and came to this country when he was
two years of age The Dunns settled
in Oswego and there he grew to the
q 90 n u-hn Ia ;-4a ot ~, .aalJ
of President Lincoln for volunteers.
After the war Dunn drifted to New
York City, where he became known as
a gambler and follower of the races.
Throughout Dunn's entire career as
soldier, gambler, prizefight referee and
turfman, some incidents of which his
friends condone and his enemies ex-
coriate there is never an instance of
his quitting. Jere Dunn had many
friends and some enemies To the
former he was a man square in every
sense of the word and at the worst
victim of circumstances. To his enc
mics he was a type of the turbulent
characters of the frontier. The en-
counter which resulted in the death
of Jimmie Elliott they could not con-
done.
The fact remains that Dunn, through
all, retained the faculty of keeping his
friends-men who counted it pleasure
to serve him. These included names of
men prominent in many walks of life
He has said: Il am no saint Few
men are. There have been many men
better than l have been and 1 believe
some men who have been. worse. There
are a lot of things in my life 1 am
sorry for. things that if / had the
chance ] would not repeat. AS / look
back l think there are few things
did that were deliberately dirty I'd
rather do the decent thing than the op-
posite-I think any man would, but
sometimes we cannot do as we want
Up to the last Dunn's eyes were his
most striking characteristic. They
were large brown eyes that looked
straight at one with never waver
His eyes expressed strength that could
be felt. Cruel eyes. perhaps, but light
ed now and then with a smile that
made one think they were kindly and
serene. The firmness of their gaze
was not often changed.
Dunn was a warm friend of the
Pinkertons and of the late Maurice
Barrymore. His race mare, Ethel
Barrymore, was one of his most treas
ured possessions and it grieved him
sorely to see her beaten. His mare,
Sunny Slope, was one of the best in
America in her day.