KING OF GAMBLERS PASSES AWAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 31, 5 February 1910, Page 15

KING OF GAMBLERS PASSES AWAY.

SPECTACULAR CAREER OF PAT SHEEDY ENDS IN NEW YOR^K.

America's King," Pat Sheedy, died In New York on Sunday, at the nge or fifty-nine, after a career of extraordinary vicissitudes. His chief clnim to remembrance Is that he acted as Intermediary for the return of Gainsborough's painting of the Duchess of Devonshire to Messrs Agnew, the London art dealers, from whom It was stolen in 1576.

Some years ago a great sensation was caused In the art world 'by the announcement that the long-lost "Duchess of Devonshire," which was ripped out of Its frame In Messrs Ajmew's Bond-street galleries twenty-five years before, had been recovered.

While in Constantinople Sheedy met one of the thieves Implicated in the theft of the painting, and he began negotiations for its return. Doubt was at flrst expressed as to the authenticity of the Gainsborough produced by Mr Pat Sheedy's efforts, but It was found that a tiny fragment of the canvas left behind when the thieves cut the painting out of the frame fitted exactly Into the canvas secured by Sheedy.

Throughout his life Sheedy enjoyed the reputation of being the most "honest" professional gambler in the world. Shortly before his death he gave the following advice :^—

"Gambling is not a profession for anybody. It is never really profitable, for it is the only profession of which it can be said that the higher you go the lower you are; the more you succeed the more you fail; the cleverer the gambler, the harder it Is to make a living, for everybody becomes afraid of him."

In early life Sheedy, was apprenticed by bis father to a harnessmaker, but he soon left this occupation, and took up gambling ac a profession.

From early boyhood he plnyed games of chance, and, after becoming a professional gambler, he was known throughout the United States for his marvellous skill at cards.

After winning and losing several fortunes in America, he went to Europe, and lost £8000 at one sitting at Monte Carlo. He returned to the United States, and won enough In a few weeke to pay for a tour around the world. ; '•

This tour ended, however, at Cairo, where Sheedy leased a gambling casino, and made faro the most popular same of chance In the Egyptian capital.