New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-09-19
PARADISE JIMMY" DIES.
ASSembIyman Oliver Had Been in
Hospital Several Days.
WAS BORN ON CHERRY HILL
Became Ally of the Sullivans
Through Giving Breakfasts to
Big Tim" Years Ago.

ASStillliA man OHNtls DtAftl hiONi 10
paradise Jimmy" died yesterday from
complication Of diseases in ST. Vincents
Hospital where he had been patient since
last Tuesday. He was born in the Cherry
Hill district sixty-fve years ago.
The funeral will be held on Thursday
morning in St AIMS Roman Catholic
Church, in East 18th street. Burial will
be i'm Calvary Cemetery. The body was
removed from st. Vincent's Hospital to the
home Of his brother Francis v oliver, at
No 1852 Perry avenue, The Bronx, with
whom Mr. Oliver lived while in this city.
Many years ago a shivering, half-starved
little newsboy stood peering through tire
window of a Bowery bakery one winter
morning young baker within saw him
and was moved to pity. He surreptitiously
passed out a hot roll Every morning
thereafter the newsboy appeared in front
OF the bakeshop The hot roll never failed.
1t was partly through the timely minis
tration of those meagre breakfasts that the
newsboy survived and became Big Tim"
Sullivan leader of the Bowery. Then he
hunted up his benefactor of the bakery AMI
made him a political power.
Thus arose Paradise Jimmy" oliver, one
Of the Bowery's most picturesque sons; and
he proved n powerful ally of THE Big
Fellow" II was Oliver, in conjunction with
the late Fatty" Walsh. his Co-eader In
the old 4th Ward, who made 1t possible
for Sullivan TO get his first nomination for
the Assembly twenty-five years ago. The
latter in turn gave Paradise Jimmy a
school inspectorship. many years of oppor-
tunlty in the Assembly at Albany, ana
finally capped his career by making him
minority leader in that body.
1t is related, however that this last honor
was granted grudgingly. Oliver, so the
story goes. had been besieging his patron
for some time regarding the leadership,
without getting any decided assurance One
day he happened upon big Tim at
poker game. He stood about waiting for
a chance 10 renew his plea and the longer
he watched the poorer grew Sullivan 5
hands and the more irascible his temper.
But suddenly luck changed, and Jimmy
over the players shoulder saw an ace full.
Now was the chance TO try for a promise,
and the seeker took IT,
Jimmy" snarled the big man. "if
you'll only get out OF here and let me play
this hand ! will see that you get it,"
Oliver departed in peace.
But at the SHOW down" another player
had four deuces.
The next day Oliver met Sullivan and
claimed the boon.
well, was there anything in the world
didn't lose on that ace full?" demanded
the latter. But he kept his promise, and
Oliver became minority leader.
Paradise Jimmy" was born on Cherry
Hill about sixty-fve years ago. Some
make it seventy, but he wouldn't admit it..
He was typical product Of the Bowery
in the days OF the Irish domination. He
saved the money he earned In the bakery
and got an education at St johns College,
Fordham. Then he studied law and was
admitted TO the bar. But education never
trimmed from his tongue the picturesque
vocabulary of the Bowery. All his life
his ways were the ways of his constituent
cy, and that despite the fact that his
fluent speech and urbane manner won for
him the title, the Chesterfield OF the East
Side" and his ever-present silk hat and
frock coat the other sobrquet, Beau
Brummel Of the Bowery."
Yet in those early days, when East Side
political power was often founded on physI-
cal prowess, Jimmy" was a handy man
with his fists and was victor in many a
lively fight. When Sullivan began pushing
him he had already shown his mette b.
gathering a following I'm the 4th Ward.
Big Tim" wouldn't have backed a dead
one" even with the hot rolls in mind.
Mayor Edward Cooper made him a school
inspector, and he held that place till he
g,a IN Aggan1hlN n 1874
In 1885 he was reelected. Then his practice
claimed his attention for thirteen years. in
which his political prestige brought him
many clients. He served another year in
1898, and in 1906 was returned again. and
was continuously elected thereafter. lie
was made minority leader in 1897, but held
the place for only one session.
His chief work as a legislator was put
ting through the Assembly the bill creating
a park at the Five Points, on the lower
East Side In advocating this measure
Oliver made one OF his most howery
speeches. The prospective park. he de-
clared, would be "a paradise to the sons
Of sunny Italy, who settle in that vicinity"
He was known thenceforth as Paradise
Jimmy"
As a lawyer he frequently appeared in
court as counsel for gamblers. lie was
chief legal adviser of Ar. Adams and
other well known characters. He frequent
" went to Albany, when not a legislator,
as lobbyist against the anti-gambling
legislation introduced by +. Norton God
dard.
only twice did he break with the organ
ization, once in the campaign Of 1883 and
again in 1884, when he led the revolt
against John Kelly's leadership. He was
sergeant-at-arms Of the Democratic ma
tional conventions of 1892 and 1896.
only once IN his career was he accused
Of lack Of chivalry. That was last year,
when the suffragettes visited the capital.
and Miss Henrietta Mercy. Of the delega-
ton from divers district declared that he
insulted her at the hearing. His friends,
however, unanimously denied the charge.
II is TO Mr. Oliver that the credit is
given for originating the idea Of children's
outings given by pOlitical leaders.