The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1909-12-29
PLAYED caIn,ivy.2
ON THE SQUARE
THEN DEVOTED HIMSELF 10 ART
Pat ShcGiy, Romantic Sporting World
Character, Answers Last Bugle
call Aged FIFTY Eight.

A unique sporting character died in
New York a fortnight ago-Patrick
f. Shecdy, former king of the gamb-
lers, whose strange life has banled all
the students of sociology and whose
history-coVerinE some So years of
varied experiences in the sporting
world-reads like an interesting novel,
so fun is II of the weird romances
which are usually confined to the
brain of the hCtlonist. Shecdy was
known from Pole to Pole and Ameri-
ca to AfEhanistan, as "A Square"
gambler and in this role he accumu-
lated quite fortune. which he later
invested in magnificent collection of
paintings, becoming n connoisseur of
art during the last fifteen years of his
life. Once. for a week or two. he was
the most prominent person In the pub
lie eye, for he succeeded in negotIat-
ing the return of the stolen Gains
borough portrait of the Duchess of
Devonshire. His connection with the
affair was due entirely to reputation
for being con the level"
The Gainsborough, 1t viii be recall
ted. disappeared from its frame in tho
course of an exhibition in London.
detectives and the picture was given
up as lost Long afterward a man
came to Sheedy in New York saying
that he was ready to produce the cam
vas for S25. 900. That man was Adam
Worth, well known to the police. but
regarded as reformed After cutting
the portrait from It's frame at night
packing it carefully in oiled silk in O
/
it to any one on account OF the hue
and cry that had been raised over
its disappearance. He had kept 1t
wrapped up. carrying 1t with him
through all his travels
Worth described how he had gone
| from Africa to China, to South Am
erica-always with the precious por-
trait in his possession. and always
with the knowledge that. should he at
tempt to sell it. ne would be caught.
Sheedy negotiated with william A..
Pinkerton for the paintings return.
/ But nobody except Shcedy knew who
had stolen It, That was part of the
agreement The owner consented to
nay $25 600 and ask no questions.
| Shcedy turned the money over To
Worth. and the mystery was not clenr-
ed mp until the thief died several wears
later,
Before Shcedy had made his pile"
and turned to the collection Of paint
ings for his entertainment he was orc
Of the gam est and most inveterate
gamblers in the country
He had the gamblers instinct. Cards
| took him all over the world When
John L. Sullivan, prize fighter, made
| his foreign tour. at the end Of which
ne received the $4,000 diamond
! championship belt Shecdy went with
| him Sometimes he was "brOke."
again he would turn up with money j"
| his pockets--lOte Of it. He ran a
casino in Luxor: he bobbed up IN
China and Brazil before ne settled
down in New York he had seen every
| mportant city on the map.
For years he conducted one of the
/ biggest gambling establishments IN
| New York and reigned there as a sort
Of latter day Robin Hood. collecting
! his toll from those who we're able to
pay, but positively refusing to permit
the small-salaried man. with a Deepen
| dent family to participate in the play
at his rooms. 1t is said that the au
| thor of 1.-THE Witchng Hour" drew
| his first pen picture of Jack Brook
/ field the hero. from the life and
character of Pat Sheedy. The latter
| believed that his professionalism of
/ gambling-was a legitimate one as
| long as 1t was conducted ION the
square" and no man who could not
afford it was permitted to play. Still.
| in the end Sheedy admitted that
gambling is no business for an hon
est man and turneo his attention to
/ paintings which are just as much of
a gamble as anything else" he naive
" admitted. However. IT gained back
for him the two great things he mad
given up as lost-his respectabillty
and his self-respect-and when he
died the other day he left behind him