New-York tribune., 1918-02-10
Wouldn't Ask for Loans


John L." said one Of these friends
at Sullivan's wake, "had all of the high
class Irishman's pride, and his objec-
tion to what the Irish call the poor
mouth Not that he thought poverty
was q crime or that ne was ashame
of his lack of means. He simply was
too proud to let people know that he
no longer had means.
"In a way ne felt that he could do
more if the impression were general
that he was prosperous than if the
contrary wera the general belief. No
man was no more sincere in TEMPER
ance work than Sullivan. and had az
! idea that his influence with the young
men WHOM h. tried to reach would BE-
lessenedNif they knew he was .on the
bum The nearest he ever came TO
complaining of his lack of funds would
be occasionally when something would
be said of his failure to get good the
atrical engagements.
"In the old days when he as drink
ing, and it was q natter of doubt
whether he would do three shows "A
day or three week. he had little
trouble in getting good engagements.
When he quit and began to talk tenn
perance his ability to get engagement
faded The agents were rather afraid
to book him lest they in some way pe-
came identified with the temperance
prohibition cause and damaged accord
ingly. John thought this was unfair
but he had contempt rather than bit
terness against these who for this rea.
son used to turn him down when he
asked for dates.
Overlooking Big Bet
''Why,' he asid to me once, these
fellows are overlooking big bet
They'd ought to read up their Barnum
Old p. T. was the greatest Snowman
that ever lived. Remember how he
advertised his as the great moral
show and always made a play to get
the ministers to attend it? Barnum
knew his book and he knew that the
churchgoing crowd was the crowd that
he wasn't getting and did need in his
business. He had the other crowd
anyway.
"'Now don't say this because it
hits me, but if these fellows knew any
thing and knew enough to read the
signs of the times they would make
play to get just the kline Of people
talks like mine would get into the
theatres-I mean church folks shat now
stay away so much. The other crowd
why, they have them anyway, and I'd
never drive any of them away-not on
your life. And, anyway, prohibition
is coming-at least on whiskey'"
Another reason was that Sullivan
never abandoned hope Of recouping his
fortunes. He had an idea of late that
he could do we'll with a motion picture
act, and with this end in view formed
with the assistance of few of his
friends, the John L. Sullivan Motion
Picture Company. The idea was to
build pictures around him and his
work. Some Of the bigger people in
the motion picture game thought well
of it. Sullivan could have made q
salary arrangement with more than one
company. but he preferred to so it
alone
Il don't need as many managers now
as I did when seldom had my head
about me- he used to say. If there
money in this thing, and | guess there
is, it is going to be for John L. and Il
few of The right people
His Farm a Failure
Sullivan's farm. OF which he had
great expectations al the start. wa
more or less a failure When he took
( over he spent Il great deal Of money
on improvements and in various other
ways. but he could not seem 10 get
THIS money out.
"W hen | took that place. he said.
Il had quite a bit Of money and | spent
it like a drunken sailor on the place
Oh, was just like every other gentle
man farmer. guess. Now if | had
that money would put IL to some
other use. The farms bully place.
and like to live there. but there is
no money in il for me-
The farm had begun TO run down
long before Ssliivan died, so that when
his body was taken to his sisters home
n Boston but one-haif OF the stock OF
the place belonged to him. The other
half. a horse, was the property of a
friend who had loaned il 70 Sullivan
IN the barn there was a little hay and
/. enough grain to last few days.
Was there any money in the house -
i friend asked.
yes, when John died We found Sl5
cacned under his pillow. l. was every
nickel he had another friend replied
, In writing this ! have purposely re
Trained from using the names OF those
who conspired TO make Sulhvan's las,
days comfortable. because know the,
would prefer no publicity. Wha,eve|
: they did for the old champion they dis
: because they loved him and admire
his spirit and not because they ..she,
advertising at his expense.