The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-27
JOHNDALY THE GAMBLERD DEAD
FAD BEEN FAILING SINCE HIS
WIFE DIED LAST SUMNER.

said TO Have Made More Money at His
Business Than Any Other American
Professional Hui Canneid--Was Once
Dave Gldeon's Partner on the Turf.
John DAILY. described as the wealthiest
professional gambler in this country with
the exception of Richard Garfield. died last
evening at his home, 70 East Fifty
fourth street. after an illness that had lasted
seven months. DAILY, who was a fine looking
man and of a most Jolly disposition, began
m fail soon after his wife died at Saratoga
last July. The two we're very much devoted
N each other. DAILY had not been seen
about much since his wife died and since
SEPTEMBER he had been i'll. He died Of
psrnicious anRmia.
He was born in Troy. n. y, in 1888 and
after studying in the public schools OF that
city took up the trade of an iron moulder.
When but a young man he drifted into the
rambling business in Troy and accumulated
= pile and in 1884 he transferred his field Of
operations to this city.
He first opened a place in Broadway,
near Fourteenth street, when that part
Of the city was the l~iveliest. He next
opened a gambling house in Barclay street,
snd many years ago moved TO the big
hrownstone house in Twenty-ninth street,
Just west OF Broadway.
Dalv's career as a gambler Of note dates
hack 10 the passing Of John Morrissey,
and. lust as the latter's successors, Reed
and Spencer, were for long at the head of
sporting life at Saratoga. Daly's clubhouse
AT Long Branch was the centre of similar
life at the seaside resort. The zenith Of his
renown was when President Grant was a
visitor at Long Branch and Collector Tom
Murphy and John Hoey were conspicuous
az leaders at the resort. Senator Wolcott
was 4 player at John Days in the last
seasons Of the clubhouse and made some
sensational winnings there.
The prominence of the DAILY clubhouse
paned with the closing up of Monmouth
Park and the change Of Long Branch from
a hotel to a cottage settlement and finally
Judge Fort drove the gamblers out. DAILY
never turned a card at either Saratoga or
Newport, although he went to Saratoga
each summer. In August when the racing
was on at Saratoga he was always on hand.
T. vas his yearly vacation, so he always
told his friends. His houses in this city
we're always closed at that time of the
year.
He vas persuaded at one time to go into
horse racing. and ran horses in his own
name and colors at Monmouth Park for
many seasons. one mare, Carrie c., gaining
tame later As the dam of Jean Beraud.
In 1890 DAILY .ormed a partnership in "a cling
With David Gideon, and the firm had many
successes. They bought the Lloyd Farm,
a. Holmdel, n. j., as a stock farm and
'-ltptDu ,iIaItarE In 1901 thnV won the
Futurity with His Highness. and with John
Hyland as trainer the stable was for three
wears very prominent in Eastern racing.
In 1894 Gideon and DAILY won the Suburban
with Ramapo and also the Futurity with
The Butterflies.
They dissolved partnership the following
season and there was a notable dispersal
tale at %Sheepshead Bay in the summer of
1895. At this sale August Belmont bought
Hastings for s35 ,coo,, and Keenan, for $4,000
Gideon bought Requital and won the
Futurity with the colt. that fall, DAILY had
not since been prominent in racing He
had often been heard to say that the game
was notmuch from a financial standpoint.
DAILY was never a collector Of objects OF
art or an expert on old prints, as are some
of the masters of chance. He always con-
tened tnat MS game was as strdlSht as Ine
Ten Commandments, and gamblers that fire.
quented his houses say he told the truth.
He never gambled himself except what few
bets he made on the racetrack. He didn't
drink and smoked but very little.
The death of his wife was a severe blow
70 him. One of the sights each summer at
Saratoga was DAILY and his wife walking
M and down the veranda of the United
States Hotel, holding hands like. a newly
married couple. They had no children.
She WAS his second wife and they we're
married twenty-seven years.
DAILY about four years ago purchased a
fire home at IL East Fifty-fourth street,
where he died. For the last year he had
lived there alone save for a housekeeper
and q man servant. His body will be sent
to his birthplace, Troy, and will be buried
on Sunday beside that of his wife.