Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1921-04-09

SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 1921.
COUNTY TREASURER GIBBONS
PAYS A TRIBUTE TO THE
LATE JOHN r O'MAIIEY

John F. OMalley was buried in Cal
vary on Wednesday with one of the
largest funerals ever held in Chicago.
One of his warmest friends was
County Treasurer Harry r. Gibbons,
for whom no one worked harder
than did O'Malley, and they were life
long friends because of the fact that
both were born in the same North
Side neighborhOOd.
LAS a youngster," said Mr.. Gibbons,
John F. went to school in the old
KinZie school Then came the fire
and in 1872 he went to the old Wash
ingtOn School on Sangamon ST., re-
turning to the North Side to go to the
parochial school. His father was in
the coal contracting business and John
F., early in life, became contractor
with a partner, and made much mon
ey unloading coal from river and lake
boats
John F. was a great ball player
as a youngster, and was pitcher for
the old Aetna team. There were
many of the old-timers on that team
which was before the days of profess
sional ball. They played in the va
cant lot which now is bounded by
Townsend, Kingsbury, Erie and Huron
SITS. O'Malley was born on Erie ST.,
near Kingsbury, where his father lived
at that time. AS ball player, he de-
veloped himself physically. In later
life his interest in sports was confined
to baseball and boxing matches, as
he also was quite boxer He was a
great fire fan. You couldn't keep him
away from fires"
The late Melville w. Fuller, chief
justice of the Supreme Court, and the
late Lambert Tree, were among the
great political leaders who early in
their careers were backed by O'Mal-
ley. Taciturn almost to a fault, he
rarely had more to say than YES" or
NO" but once said his word was nev-
er questioned. In later life he estab-
lished a saloon at Kinzie and Clark
SITS, and to his place came many
asking political favors. Once they OBJ
tanned the word of O'Malley, their po-
litical worries ceased.
Born in rough days, when "The
Sands" Smoky Hollow Little He'll
and THE Market st. gang produced
fighters, O'Malley always held his
own, seldom actually coming to actual
fight, however, despite that he had a
red-headed mans temper.
"He used his head? rather than his
fists" said Mr.. Gibbons today, com
menting upon his career.
HE was elected supervisor of the
North Town before he was % years
old, and served two terms, most
unusual occurrence. In 1888 he raj
for state senator and was beaten by
Mike Clarity, but in 1892 he defeated
Clarity and later served in the as
sembly. He supported Roger Sullivan
when the latter first ran for clerk o
the Probate Court, and that support
in the days when ward delegate!
counted, assured the success of Sulli
van. He always was great friend:
with Sullivan and John Hopkins.
TN the old Seventeenth Ward, il
which he lived, in the day of Joh1
Sweeney and John Mccormick anC
others, O'Malley was undisputed boss
John F. would spend $50 or $50
in entertainment to convince mai
in a political matter, but he would no
spend so cents to buy a mans vote
He played the game fairly and square
~ all the time"
One story illustrating his characte
is told about the old days when eth
last man who saw the delegates ha,
Them" The occasion was a state ser
atorial convention. O'Malley learne
that a minor "boss" across the rive
had bought up enough delegates t
control the convention. One of tn
bridges across Goose Island was on
of commission. With the elder Carte
Harrison's administration, O'Ma1le
opened the only other availabl
bridge, kept guard to see that non
of the "across-the-river" delegate
crossed. and in fifteen minutes name
his candidate.
lone thing about John F. that eve
his closest friends did not know wa