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HOW OLD IS DAN OSOLLIVAN? Col. Matt J. Winn Trying to Learn Age for Half-Century. Lincoln Fields Chieftain Knocks Off Fifteen Years and Says His Assistant Is at Least 85. Col. Matt J. Winn, chieftain of Lincoln Fields, has known Col. Daniel OSullivan, his assistant for fifty years, but Col. Matt insists it hasnt been quite long enough. "Way back when I first met Dan," says Col. Matt, "he was a bit shy on his age, even though he was just a youth. I dont know why, unless it was because he was trying to ; • ride at half-fare rates. Anyway, all through the years he has been very bashful about discussing his age. The, worst he will give himself is to admit that hes two years older than I am. "Well, sir, I am 77 and will be 78 on June 30. Dan says he is approximately 79 and will be approximately 80 on his next birthday. This word approximately, as I understand it, permits considerable latitude and, so, the way this approximate admission of Dans figures out, why, he may be approximately 85 or better. "About a year ago a Kentucky doctor died and that brought up discussion about the time there was yellow fever in Kentucky. OSULLIVAN WIGGLES OUT. " Yes, said Dan, I remember about that. I wrote some stories about it. "Right away I jumped up. " I got you, I said, now Ive got you for sure — after trying to trap you for fifty years. That plague was sixty-five years ago, and so you wrote stories about it, did you? Well, that figures you to be about 85 anyway. You couldnt have been less than 20 if you were a reporter then. " Oh, no, you havent got me, replied Dan without blinking an- eye. I am what you might term a unique person. I got started on my newspaper career when I was very young. I must have started when I was approximately 12. Maybe sooner. / Anyway, when I was no more than approximately 13 I wrote those stories about yellow fever. So, you see, that makes me approximately 78 right now — which I admit. " So, sighed Colonel Matt, I didnt exactly get him that time. He wiggled off. But Ill get him yet. Fifty years of successful wiggling likely will make a man over-confident. Some day Ill catch him unawares — and there wont be any "approximately" to save him. "
