Evening star., 1938-02-27
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL P. KENNEDY.

There were giants in those days
ana one OF them was Representative
John Morr1ssey from Troy, N. Y. one of
the most spectacular men who ever sat
IN legislative chamber, whom the Mrs
Grundys view askance, for he was the
heavyweight boxing champion of the
world in 1858, who battled his way to
an emlnence with bare knuckles. owned
gambling houses in New York and Sara
toga, and in 1863 purchased controlling
interest In the Saratoga race course.
John Morrissey was given permanent
wall space in the pictorial panorama of
Americas unsophisticated youth by Cur
rler and Ives, sef-christened print
makers OF the American people," but he
fought his own way into history both
with bare fists and white gloves and an
intrepid spirit He was born in County
Tipperary. Ireland, 107 years ago and
his parents brought him to this country
at the age of 2. When he was old
enough he was river deckhand, mold
er an immigrant runner-guiding new
comers to the land Of the free to where
they were taught to vote right. That's
how he worked his way into politics. He
was OF "prodigious' strength, stood over
feet. weighed ITO pounds of steel-like
muscles. He grew up in the rough-and-
tumble school of dock and street and
barroom battles. Once he posed himself
in gladiatorial attitude at the bar of
Capt. Isaiah Rynders saloon and an
nounced: Il can lick any man in the
place which prompted battle royal.
and 1t took all the convivial roughnecks
IN the place by united effort to knock
him out. He did not return to con-
sclousness for q hours. But he har-
bored no grudges-he proved throughout
ms entire career that he could take
it, In another encounter with a noted
bruiser. Tom McCann, their strenuous
scuffling knocked over the saloon stove
and McCann rolled MorriSsey in the
live coals-but Morrissey won.
In the California gold rush" days
Morrlssey went to California, and it was
there he found he could turn his pen
chant for fighting to profit as a pro-
fessional pugilist. He won in the ring
from George Thompson on August 81,
1852. at Mare Island, II rounds in is
minutes for $4,000 side. This windfall
took him back to New York, where he
defeated "swashbuckling bully" named
Yankee" Sullivan in 81 rounds in IS
minutes for $1,000 side on October u,
1853, at hideaway 100 miles out of New
York, Boston Corners. He reached the
puglilstlc pinnacle of world champion in
1888 in savage battle with John C.
Heenan. "the Benicia Boy" October 20,
1893. which went II rounds in % minutes
Tor 81, 500 side at Long Point. Canada.
linen he quit the ring for good, keeping
promise he made to his bride-refusing
to be enticed by fabulous purses.
Faro was then the rage. Morrissev
took his ring winnings and started a
faro bank, which multiplied his for
tune. Eventually he opened his luxurious
Saratoga clubhouse subsequently oper-
ated by Richard Garfield and made
1t famous as the American Baden Baden
or Monte Carlo, and then added a race
track.
He served in the Fortieth and Forty
first Congresses and did not seek a
third election-but he rendered fearless
service there, heading an historic f1pht
against Boss Tweed of Tammany Hall,
Commodore Vanderbilt is credited with
wiping out Morrissey's fortune, by in
weighing him into the stock market and
rigging him on railroad stock.
Then in his Katabasis Morrissey closed
his career with stable political victory,
in another fight with Tammany, win
ming the State senatorship.
There have always been good base
ball players in Congress-for example:
Speaker Gillett, Massachusetts,; Henry
Allen Cooper Wisconsin,; Jimmy CALI
van and Bill Granfield, Massachusetts;
even today: Representatives Ray
Cannon, Wisconsin; Edward A. Kelly,
Illinois; Tom Mcmillan South Carolina,
and Matt Merritt, New York-theyll be
out soon for spring training. But prob
ably the greatest gentleman player of
them all was j. K. Tener, born in County
Tyrone, ireland, who was engaged as q
professional player from 1885 to 1890,
who quit Congress to become Governor
of Pennsylvania, and was later presi-
dent of the National League d914-l918).
The first session of the present
(Seventy-fifth) Congress covered q
period of 229 days-January to August
81. 1t was the longest session with one
exception (the first session of the Sew
enty y-fourth Congress, which lasted 236
days. since Congress struggled with the
Fordney McCumber tariff bill in 1922
that was the second session of the
Sixty-seventh Congress, which lasted 292
days. During the last half century sit
tings Of Congress have averaged 1877 days
q year. The last session exceeded that
average by about month, but most OF
the Presidents program was left lln-
enaeted utay, n adjourned