Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-09-19
#iseellaneuas geading.
HBlG TIM" SULLIVAN
Native King of the Bowery-Politioian
and Patron Saint. -

NATIVE Nln9 OF tne DoWcTy-FottiCtdt
and Patron Saint. -
big Tim" Sullivan, whose body
was identified in a New York morgue,
was a child Of the Bowery. He was
born in a Leonard street tenement In
1868, and all his life he resided in the
downtown section of New York. He
was one Of the four children left
fatherless. big Tins" wealth was
acquired from many sources. Chiei
among them were saloon and racing
and theatrical interests in which his
association was eagerly sought. AT
one time, says the Springfield Repub-
lican, his fortune was estimated at
more than $2,000,000, but his satel-
!lites and pensioners were constantly
increasing, and during the last few
years his ventures were less success
full. Worry was the last ailment his
friends could associate with Sullivan's
sunny disposition, but it was worry,
they agreed, that finally broke down
his keen mind and probably brought
him to his death. The death Of his
cousin, Alderman, Little Tim" Sui
livan, was the first blow. The treach-
cry Of one of his trusted friends cost
him, 1t was said, 100000. Then
came the death Of his wife. He first
showed signs Of breakdown in August,
1911, and although since then there
were occasional flashes of his old
wit his health steadily declined.
Viewed from the Bowery's stand
point, big Tim" was, Of course, the
greatest Of the great. While outsiders
called him a professional politician,
the East Side regarded him as a
and philanthropist, handing
out jobs to his followers who work.
ed for him, and free shoes or picnics
to the rest. Formerly he was liquor
dealer. In 1889, Thomas Byrnes,
superintendent of police, described
him as ''an associate of thieves" The
City Reform club called him a mem
ber Of "the worst class of bar room
in 1892. Two years
later stubs Of checks payable to him
were found in raided gambling
house.
These were merely a few incidents
in Sullivan's course. After long SER
vice in Albany, he decided to ascend
higher than state legislatorship and
pocketed Tammany nomination for
but he was lonesome in
TOO far from the Bow
cry" he said, and arranged to return
to the New York state senate. ALI
the while, as he held one Office or an
other, he acquired fortune. The
methods Of accumulation are not a
matter of official record, but 1t Is
known that whatever funds he collect
ed in mysterious channels were aug
mented by theatrical ventures, oc-
casional real estate enterprises, and
in Wall street. He al
ways denied that he: made money at
I'm a steady looser on
the ponies" he remarked once, land
any faro banker or expert at poker
can take 1t all away from me in the
long rum" --E .s-l. o
Personally the Bowery boss was
most nkeable, good-natured, and pos
sessed Of much droll wit. Until re-
cent years he rarely made a speech,
but few Tammany leaders were so
adapt in the distribution Of favors, In
helping law-breakers to escape pun
or in maintaining reputa-
ton for charity by giving aid to suf-
fering families In his bailiwick.
Sullivan inherited his turn for poll
tics. His father, Daniel Sullivan,
whose family had come from Ireland
about 1910, organized political club
In the old fourth ward and was a
good job-provider for his friends.
though he never held public office.
He died a poor man. His SONS were
Patrick and Timothy. Daniel, both Of
whom were afterward in the liquor
business. The youngest child, daugh-
ter, became Senator Tins" house,
keeper in his years of prosperity.
For q while Timothys mother sent
him to the old school in City Hall
place, but he wanted to go to work,
and at the age of eight he stopped
studying. The story of how he got
his nickname Of DRY Dollar" has
had many versions, and he admitted
the truth Of them all. The accepted
story is that he brought to school a
revenue stamp which he had found
plastered on the head Of an ale bar
rel. He thought it was money. 1t
was wet and he was seen holding 1t
against the stovepipe. Sullivan"
said the teacher. what are you do
ing?" Drying a dollar" answered
Tim, and his schoolmates called him
DRY Dollar" ..
Upon leaving school he became a
at Fulton ferry. After
learning to know the men who distrib-
uted the papers to the newsdealers,
he made inquiries at to whether there
was any chance of getting a place in
the distributing room. He finally
found employment with the CONNER
cial Advertiser. To get larger sal
airy he went to work on the Daily
Graphic. From the distributing room
he drifted to the press room. From
the Graphic he shifted to the Stand
ard and then to the Dial. Then came
his active interest in the politics of
the district.
Active Interest in Politics.
When the county Democracy or
ganization wanted an assembly can
didate in the End assembly district,
Sullivan's friends suggested that he be
nominated. He went into the fight
against Tammany. His election fol-
lowed, and even intimate friends were
surprised. After that, on six differ
ent occasions, the voters Of the y End
assembly district sent him to the as
sembly. He was only % years old al
the time Of his first election. Each
year after that he was elected by q
larger plurality than the previous
wear. In the meantime he opened q