The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-09-15
BIG TIM SULLIVAN WAS
FRIEND TO ALL MANKIND
Bowery Statesman Loved Everybody and Was Beloved by
Everybody Who Knew HmSketch of Interesting Career
Which Was Brought to an End With Pitiful Tragedy

ard Croker took great fancy to him.
When Harrison ran against Cleveland
the first time, Tins own election dis
trict gave Cleveland 1888, Harrison, A.
I'm. little disappointed" he said
to Mr.. Croker when he handed the
returns TO the boss. Harrison got
one more vote than l expected But
I'll find that fellow"
Never mind, Sullivan" said the
boss, you did good work"
He went to the assembly six times
from the Second district. and became
the leader of the Third in 1892. when
a reapportionment created new
Third district. for which a leader was
wanted. The same attention to the
material wants of his followers In the
Third established him solidly as the
ruler. and II was only a short time
until his popularity gave him a con-
trolling influence In adjoining dis
tricts He set carefully TO work to
build up personal orga nization and
the Sullivan clan, with Little Tim,
F'lorrie. who are both dead now, ana
Christie and his brother. Paddy. and
dozen active lieutenants. was the re-
suit For years. Tammany had to
recognize the Sulliyans and Big Tim
ing that required the help of the dis
tricts below Fourteenth street.
From, the Third district. Big Tim
moved over to the Sixth, and sue
ceeded Harry Miner as lea der there
in 1909. He made It very quickly
the banner Tammany district of the
assembly.
Could be Counted On.
Big Tim was never much of a speak
er, INT few could enual him in get
ting bill through tn which he, or his
friends. were interested. His part of
the work didn't require oratory. The
men who voted for Sullivans bills al
ways know that they could count on
him for support when they had meas
ures TO promote.
Once, while he was in the assem-
Ty, fellow legislator attacked his
stand on a bill to provide free seats
on Fifth avenue for his constituents
at the Washington centennial. The
legislator feared that ii would disturb
the residents of Fifth avenue
You take a great deal on yourself
when you get up here and talk as II
YOU were descended from an old Revo-
lutionary family" said Big Tim IF
IT was Robert Ray Hamilton. or HAM
ilton Fish. or J. Livingston DePuyster.
we might put up with ii, but when you
talk of old colonial families you ain't
there any more than I am"
II has been said many times that
Timothy p. Sullivan could have been
leader of Tammany If he had desired
certainly the opportunity was af-
iorded him more than once. but the
big fellow always sidestepped.
Big Tim got tired Of Albany in 1905.
ard ran for congress from the Eighth
district. He was elected by an over
whelmtng vote, of course, and re-
elected to the succeeding congress
But he never took much interest in
the national hodx- -----------------
He was as well known for his con-
nection with sporting life and his love
for gambling as for mis- activities in
politics. He played high whatever
game he tackled. whether ii was the
horses or cards. Once in a while the
big fellow would make a killing. clean
Ing up thousands. but for the most
part he was VIGOROUSLY unlueky.
Owned Race Horses.
He owned a string of race horses
for years and bet heavily on his en-
tries Some of his runners won big
bets for him. The Hesper club was
named for Big Tins horse. Campania
htf iANEPSEs aiming f0RIN. lie sell
dom missed the Saratoga season when
Garfield and the other big gamblers
were running full blast there, and Big
Tim used to let loose a plunge now
and then that made some of the big
players open their eyes He was a
power in the boxing game in this city
His interest in the theatrical bust
ness was extensive. He had large
interest in the Dewey theater, opposite
Tammany Hall. which used TO be "A
heavily paying hurlesuue house. and
he was partner in the Sullivan Con-
sidine Circuit. which operates burles-
que houses, and vaudeville enter
prises. Seattle John Considine and
George kraus were his partners in
these enterprises.
For the benefit OF those who may
never have seen Big Tim, IL may be
we'll to say that before bodily and
mental Illness came he stood six feet.
one inch. and weighed considerably
more than two hundred pounds He
had round. pink, cherubic face, and
a pair OF round blue eyes that looked
you straight between your own His
head was round and we'll developed.
and set on a pair of shoulders that a
heavyweight prize fighter might have
envied. New York has seen very, very
few of his like, and may never see
another.
Big Tins heart was as big as the
Bowery. No mar will ever know how
much good he did in the world. His
passing leaves the leadership of the
Sullivan clan to State Senator John c.
Fitzgerald, although Patrick H. Sui
Ivan and Alderman John White are
powerful In the remains of the or
ganization.
Congressman Sullivan's mind weak
ened in the spring of 1919. He had
suffered from diabetes about year
and half ago. symptoms of paresis
developed. Last January he became
the victim of Authorizations He was
extremely melancholy. His friends
took him abroad. hoping that rest and
quiet in England would restore him.
Sullivan yearned for New York. and
finally. on July 10Th, last. he was
brought back only shadow of him.
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