"Big Tims" Money Not Tainted, Daily Racing Form, 1907-11-09

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"BIG TIMS" MONEY NOT TAINTED. Where did "Big Tim" Sullivan get his money? Public interest in this question was aroused when, on Sunday, in Miners Bowery Theater, Timothy I. Sullivan said to the accompaniment of Tammany cheers that ho had never taken a dollar of graft, says the New York World. "Thats right," said "Big Tim," when asked to reconcile his statement with the possession of enough wealth to enable him to drop 50,000 at the race tracks without going into bankruptcy. "Its gospel truth," continued Sullivan, "that Ive lost close to 00,000 on the ponies this season, but, just the same, you can stake your life on it that no dollar of dirty money ever touched my hands. "Apparently you dont know that I am In receipt of an annual income of between 00,000 and 00,000. Does that surprise you?" "How did you get it?" "While I was in the assembly and senate and later in Washington as a congressman, I never saved a dollar," said Sullivan. "Six years ago I was 0,000 in debt. I had been playing a swift game. "I made up my mind that it was time to quit, and I cut it all out in a single day. I passed up the Great White Way, took a room at the Occidental Hotel, on the Bowery, and Ive stuck it out ever since. I havent been on Broadway more than five times in six years." "But, how have you made your money?" "Im doing quite a business iii theatricals for one thing," said "Big Tim" modestly. "Ive got thirty-one companies burlesques, extravaganzas, melodramas and a couple of tragedies on the road. They are all doing well. I own one theater and have substantial interests in five others. There are some enterprises outside theatricals which yield me fair returns." "Big Tim" did not itemize these other enterprises, which include the Jamaica race track and Coney Islands- Dreamland. "I am going to cut out the race track game," said Sullivan, as the memory of this seasons losses was revived by another question. "Im going to turn to faro bauk. Its the only game that gives a man a fair chance, provided the dealer Is ou the level and the box is straight. "One of my troubles," he said, "is that I never keep liooks. When I get up in the morning I dont know whether 0,000 or 0 is coming to me on any transaction. That is one of the reasons, I suppose why money melts so quick with me." "Where has it gone?" "Oh, its hard to tell," said Sullivan, with a careless laugh. "Some to the race tracks, some to the faro bank and some to the boys who stuck by me -when I needed help." "But," said "Big Tim," growing earnest, "1 never got a dollar from the poolrooms or from disorderly houses. Sometimes I have helped a poolroom man or a handbookio who got into trouble, but my only pay was his thanks. "I look upon a gambler at the race track as no worse or better than the gambler In Wall street. They are both In the game at different angles thats all. "Id help the one as readily as I would the other, provided he was a decent fellow. But sympathy and dirty money dont go together. What I said last night at Miners Theater was the truth every word of it. "Remember that I am through with the ponies and that no dirty money ever has or ever will go into my plans," said Sullivan in conclusion. "So long..


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1900s/drf1907110901/drf1907110901_2_5
Local Identifier: drf1907110901_2_5
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800