The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1909-12-17
PAT SHEEOY,
The GAMBLER
WORLD RENOWNED CANISTER
LOSES GAME WITH DEATH.
HAD PLAYED FOR LARGE STAKES
"There'll be a Hereafter, and Expect
to be Happy When Dead" the Big
Gambler Is Quoted as Having Said
Before the End Came to Him.

New York, Dec. 16.-Pat Sheedy, the
widely known gambler, who died the
other day at his home, 161 West Thir-
ty,fourth street, from heart disease,
is survived by a widow and one sister,
Mrs. Richard Stapleton of Pittsfield,
Mass. He was born in Clonmel, coun.
ty Tipperary, Ireland, fifty-nine years
ago and came to America with his
parents when he was 7 years old.
He was educated at st. Patrick's
school. Hartford, Conn.
Col. Patrick Francis Sheedy was one
Of the best known gamblers in the
world. He had played in big games
of chance everywhere. At one time he
was known as the greatest faro player
| in America, but he had to give that
up because the proprietors of the
banks would not let him play. This
was in the sos. After that he went
to Cairo and opened the Ghesireh
Palace, which he fitted up as an up
| to-date club.
| For five years he ran the Ghesireh
Palace which was the former home of
Ismail Pasba and then had to give
up his club because "the game" as
he put 1t, was not good"
He Found Great Gainsborough.
1t was in 1900 that he returned to
this country and the next year became
famous because he was instrumental
in recovering the famous portrait of
the Duchess of Devonshire painted by
Gainsborough This picture was stol-
en- in 1876 after the portrait had been
bought by Thomas Agnew & Sons for
$4,000. The theft caused a sensa-
ton. A bilg reward was offered for
the recovery Of the canvas. Although
the police everywhere were trying to
recover 1t and apprehend the thieves,
they failed. Sheedy, in telling the
story of the recovery of the painting
said:
Zone day, in 1898, was standing
in front of the Pera Palace hotel in
Constantinople when a Greek sporting
man whom | knew came to me with
a message stating that there was an
American or an Englishman, he did
not know which, who was in trouble.
L uS NlCSh hdhuCu IlC Il dlu oh w ulSh
was written 1926 Clark street, Chicago,
1889, OOO.' -'
Things came back to me at once.
I'd often wondered what had become
of the man who had given me $4,000
in London. / started at once for the
place where the Greek directed me
and found Worth, the man suspected
by the Pinkertons of having the pic.
ture. He told me his story"
Raisuli Gave Him Corregeo.
Sheedy and Worth left Constantine
pie and worked their way back by
various routes to France. On the way
Worth told Sheedy that the picture
had always been a white elephant
on his hands and that he wanted
Sheedy to negotiate for ito return
, Sheedy at once got into communica
T ton with Pinkerton and through him
he met Frank e. Froest Of Scotland
! Yard. Later the picture was returned
to Agnew's gallery.
, This was Sheedys first introduction
( to art and he dabbled more or less II
: art after that In 1906 he procured 6
i. genuine Correggio from Raisuli the
bandit. Another picture that Sheedy
got from Adam Worth as a legacy
was Murillo's Magdalene.
Mr.. Sheedy occasionally found his
: reputation of being square man hi:
only available asset. 1t is not al
- unusual thing for gamblers with sucl
:, a reputation to play faro on credit
So far as is known, however, Sheed!
was the only gambler who has eve
borrowed money from a bank whel
was without funds, with no other Sc
It curity than his word, and the probabil
t ity that his luck would change. TIL,
d story is vouched for by Sheedy'
l. friends.
q A Gambler Whose Word Was Good
q A long run of luck had cleaned hin
v out in a summer resort and he wen
= to the cashier of the leading bank an,
d asked for loan. The size of the LOAF
q asked varies from 1000 to $4,000
II according to who tells it.
e What security have your" aske
n the cashier.
r. Nothing but my word"
v But | don't know you"
!. "Well, you've heard of me. In
I. Pat Sheedy, the gambler, and my wor
c is as good as a government bond"
f. The cashier knew all about hir
r. then, and although it was an irregl
.e lar transaction, Sheedy got the money
IL His luck changed and he paid back tn
e. loan promptly.
Some of the Gamblers Notices.
ID When asked to write down some c
@. the rules which he considered nece!
ot sary to success, Sheedy produced tn
in following
or There is only one creed for me-
,e the survival of the fittest.
at If, through misfortune l shoul
e. make an enemy, / always speak
to him as a friend. Kind, as we'll q
ye hateful words, are sure to be repeate,
,e can always forgive a trickster, br
is never forget him.
n. There are times when 1t is rigf
ce to do wrong An outlaw sought r
ne fuge in the heart of New York Cit
oil several years ago. brought him foe
d. every night Then | helped him