USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > The story of the Irish in Boston, together with biographical sketches of representative men and noted women > Part 27
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"Globe " as a general writer, with sporting news as a specialty. In a short time after his engagement on the paper he was recognized as a valuable man on general sports, and his progress as a chronicler in the sporting field has been decidedly satisfactory. He was therefore duly appointed aquatic editor and society reporter of the " Globe," - positions which he now occupies. During the season of 1888 he published the " Base-Ball Rec- ord."
BURNS, EDWARD F., journalist, born in Natick, Mass., April 22, 1859. He graduated from the Natick High School in 1876, and from Boston College w ch honor as poet of his class in 1880. He studied medicine two years, but changed his intention and joined' the Boston "Globe " staff as reporter in 1884 .. During his engagement with that paper he. has been reporter, assistant to day and night editors, and also night city editor. He be- came editor and manager of the Salem. "Times" in 1887, for a short period, but returned to the " Globe" the latter part of the same year. He is at present performing the duties of reporter. He was the first historian of the Boston College Alumni As- sociation, and is now a member of the Executive Committee of the Class of '80. He is a member of the Entertainment Com- mittee of the Boston Press Club, and also a member of the Hendricks Club. He was the first reporter to get a copy of the first volume of "Blaine's Twenty Years of Congress," receiving the same simultaneously with the author, allowing the " Globe " to get an " ex- clusive " on other papers. He recently made an excellent record in reporting the Stain-
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Cromwell trial at Bangor for his paper. He is a gentleman of acknowledged literary ability, an author of many taking verses, notably those published at the time of the yachting contests of 1887. When quite young he was a successful contributor to the " Youth's Companion," under the nom de plume of " Raleigh."
CARMODY, JOHN D., journalist, born in South Boston, Aug. 24, 1864. He graduated from the Lawrence Grammar School in 1878, and attended the English High School for two years. He was first employed in the counting-room of the "Daily Advertiser; " afterward as shipping clerk in a sugar refin- ery; but in January, 1885, he became attached to the reportorial staff of the " Daily Advertiser " and " Evening Record," and for a few years was the South Boston representa- tive of those papers. He was subsequently transferred to a place on the city staff, which he held until April, 1888, when he accepted a position on the staff of the Boston "Her- ald," where he is now employed. He was for five years a member of the dramatic class of SS. Peter and Paul's Church, and has made a local reputation in amateur theatri- cals. He is a member of a number of social organizations in the South Boston district.
CUMMINGS, THOMAS H., business manager, Boston "Pilot," born in Boston, June 15, 1856. He graduated from the Mayhew School in 1870, attended the Latin School, and later St. Charles College, where he com- pleted the regular course in 1876. He de- livered the address of welcome to the presid- ing officers at the commencement exercises of the latter institution, in the presence of Bishop Becker, of Delaware, and Gov. John Lee Carroll, of Maryland. He subsequently resided in Paris for two years, and studied philosophy at Issy under the Sulpicians. In 1878 he returned to Boston, and became attached to the lower branch of the Public Library as curator, where he remained until 1885, when he entered the office of the Boston " Pilot." He is a member of the
First Corps of Cadets, Webster Historical Society, Megantic Fish and Game Club, Young Men's Catholic Association, and a Director of the Working Boys' Home.
CURRAN, MICHAEL P., journalist. Mr. Curran's active journalistic career began in 1873, although he had been a frequent con- tributor to several papers in New York and Boston earlier than that time. He wrote vacation letters for the Boston "Pilot," and supplied editorial matter on current topics. After three years' experience in a large wholesale dry-goods establishment in Boston, he joined the staff of the Boston " Globe." Mr. M. M. Ballou had just retired from the management of that journal and had been succeeded by Mr. Clarence S. Wason. Mr. Curran began as a suburban reporter. His district included Lynn and Salem. In Oc- tober, 1873, he was appointed on the regular reportorial staff. In 1874, during the famous . campaign which terminated in the election of William Gaston as governor and the over- throw of six Republican congressional can- didates, Mr. Curran conducted the local political department of the paper, and dis- played an aptitude for that line of work which developed and broadened later on. In 1875 he became night editor of the " Globe," and served with credit to himself and the paper in that important capacity for over two years. In 1877 the " Sunday Globe " was launched by Colonel Taylor and Mr. E. M. Bacon, who were then the direc- tors and controllers of the company's inter- ests. Mr. Curran was placed in charge of the editorial department, and to his untir- ing and intelligent efforts much of the suc- cess of that enterprise is due. In 1881 he managed the editorial department of the " Daily Globe" as well as of the Sunday edition, and he controlled and directed the opinions of both papers until his retirement from active journalism in 1883, when he re- signed to accept the post of Police Commis- sioner. In addition to his duties in the office of the "Globe " he was for six years, from 1877 till 1883, the New England corre-
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spondent of the New York " Herald." After the bill enacted by the Legislature of 1885, providing for the transfer of the police de- partment from city to State control, had become operative, Mr. Curran joined the editorial staff of the "Saturday Evening Gazette," and remained in that service for about thirteen months. He resigned in Oc- tober, 1886, and devoted himself to miscella- neous literary and journalistic work, until September, 1887, when he was commissioned by the President of the United States as assistant appraiser of merchandise at the port of Boston.
Mr. Curran, in his twelve or thirteen years of active journalism, took a prominent part in many events which have gone into the permanent history of the country. In 1874, when the people of the United States were startled, shocked, and incensed by the out- rage perpetrated by the Spanish authorities in seizing the "Virginius " and shooting a portion of her crew in Cuba, he was detailed to secure the views of the late Charles Sum- ner on the subject. Mr. Sumner was then a senator of the United States, and his position as chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations imparted to his opinions great weight and importance. After a long and diplomatic interview the great statesman consented to give the young and enterprising journalist a two-column statement of the rights and duties of the United States in the premises, and its publication in the " Globe " next morning created a profound impression in New England, and in fact throughout the country.
When the Russian frigate anchored off South-west Harbor on the coast of Maine during the Russo-Turkish War, Mr. Curran was the representative of the New York " Herald " in Boston. Mr. Bennett commis- sioned him to call on Caleb Cushing, the best international lawyer then in America, and get a legal opinion from him on the question in- volved, viz., Whether the American govern- ment was violating the neutrality laws by allowing shelter to a ship of war belonging to one of the belligerents. Mr. Curran spent
a day at Mr. Cushing's residence in Newbury- port, and returned to Boston at night with the most elaborate, as it was the most valuable, disquisition on the point at issue. Its publi- cation next day in the New York " Herald" settled forever the vexed question which had been raised, and ended the controversy.
Perhaps one of the cleverest bits of inter- viewing ever done by a journalist was done by Mr. Curran in the celebrated Freeman case. Freeman, it may be remembered, re- sided in the little town of Pocasset, in Barn- stable County, Mass. He was a wild fanatic in religion, and became insane from constant reading of the Bible and his unaided efforts to interpret the true meaning of the language of the sacred volume. He reached the conclu- sion, finally, that it was his duty to sacrifice the lives of his children, as Abraham had been instructed to do under the old dispen- sation. One morning the little community was startled by the intelligence that this religious lunatic had actually killed his two children. He was arrested and lodged in the jail at Barnstable. Efforts had been made by almost every newspaper in the land to secure an interview with the prisoner, but in vain. He would not talk. A reporter was regarded by Freeman as his natural enemy. He refused to hold any conversa- tion with him under any circumstances. One morning as he was about to eat his meal of mush and milk, he was introduced to a stranger, who claimed to have come a long distance for the purpose of discussing the theo- logical and biblical questions surrounding the sacrificial act. "Are you a reporter? " asked the weary recluse. " I am a seeker after truth," was the response; " I fail to find any justification in the Bible for your course. I may read it wrong, and if I do I want you to set me right." Taking a Bible out of his pocket the stranger proceeded to read portions of the Scriptures on which Freeman relied for his authority, and to com- ment on them in a way to arouse the antagonism of the filicide. In a moment there was a hot and fiery debate. Freeman argued his side of the case with spirit, and
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the stranger maintained his point as best he could. The stranger was Mr. Michael P. Curran, the New England correspondent of the New York " Herald." He had broken the silence of the crazed Bible interpreter and had penetrated the secret he tried so well to guard. The result of the interview was printed two days later in the " Herald," and it formed the text for many sermons and editorials.
There was another celebrated criminal case in New England in which Mr. Curran took a prominent and conspicuous part. In 1875 a woman of somewhat questionable moral standing in Rutland, Vt., was mur- dered in her house in a retired portion of the city. The building she occupied was set on fire, and when the flames had been ex- tinguished, her mangled remains were dis- covered half charred and badly mutilated. Only circumstantial evidence could be pro- cured, but enough of that was found to justify the detectives in arresting one John P. Phair, a friend of the dead woman, and a native and a resident of the little city of Vergennes. Phair was tried, convicted, and sentenced to be hanged at Windsor, Vt., on a certain Friday in April, 1877. Prior to the day set for his execution he wrote and intrusted to the late Mr. Edward C. Carrigan, then a Dartmouth College senior and a correspondent of the Associate Press, a statement intended for publication after his death, in which he undertook to prove an effective and complete alibi. Phair stipu- lated that his defence should not be curtailed or condensed; that if published at all it must be published in toto, and not until after his execution. Mr. Carrigan took the docu- ment to Boston and eventually disposed of it to the managers of the " Globe." It was published on the morning of the day set for Phair's death, and created a local sensation on account of the clearness, vigor, and logi- cal sequence which its writer brought to his work. A Vermont man, doing business in Bos- ton, read it and declared that he could verify by personal knowledge and experience one of the most essential points in the paper. He
proceeded to the " Globe " office and induced Col. Chas. H. Taylor, then, as now, mana- ger of that journal, to telegraph to Governor Fairbanks for a reprieve long enough to allow him to appear and give his testimony. The reprieve was granted for thirty days. Mr. Curran was despatched to Vermont next day to look into the matter, and he collected, in conjunction with Mr. Carrigan, enough evidence to warrant the granting of a further respite by the governor for two years, in order that proceedings for the reopening of the case by order of the Legislature might be taken. Mr. Curran collected his documents together, and laid them before Governor Fairbanks, presenting them in an argument of half an hour's duration, which so im- pressed the executive that he postponed the execution, as stated already.
In 1881, when President Garfield was shot by Guiteau, Mr. Curran was at the head of the editorial forces of the "Globe." The leading New England papers of the liberal stripe, and even some Republican organs, forecast great danger to the republic in the event of Arthur's accession. The " Globe " took the opposite view. It maintained that no man's life was necessary to the safety or peace of the country; that the American people were a self-governing and a law-abid- ing people, and that Mr. Arthur as their servant could only execute their will. Mr. Curran was rewarded by assurances from all over New England that he had struck the proper key-note, and the paper, holding fast to that policy, gained in reputation and in- creased its prosperity. When Garfield died, the same spirit animated the editorial com- ments. The memorial number of the " Globe," which was published a week later, containing poetic tributes from Oliver Wen- dell Holmes, John Boyle O'Reilly, Mrs. M. E. Blake, Rev. M. J. Savage, and others was in part the result of Mr. Curran's enterprise and effort.
In the Land League movement in America, for the support of the Irish agitation, Mr. Curran took a prominent part. It was he who first convinced the managers of the
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"Globe" that it would be good policy, as well as good journalism, to espouse the cause of the struggling Irish. The paper took its stand editorially in favor of the constitutional movement for land reform, and in this it was the pioneer among the New England press. Mr. Curran attended the conventions at Buf- falo in 1881, in Washington in 1882, and in Philadelphia in 1883, both as a delegate and as a newspaper correspondent, and contrib- uted, by his pen and his vote, to promote the object sought to be accomplished, an object which later on compelled the sanction and support of the entire American press.
DEELY, JOSEPH M., district reporter of the Boston " Daily Globe," born in Cambridge, Mass., Dec. 28, 1871. He was graduated from the Thorndike Grammar School, June 20, 1886, and attended the Evening High School. He entered the " Globe " office as office boy during the latter year.
DENNISON, JOSEPH A., reporter, born in Andover, Mass., Aug. 19, 1867. He at- tended Phillips Andover Academy for two years, intending to enter Dartmouth College, but was obliged, on account of domestic dif- ficulties, to leave before graduation. He first entered newspaper work on the staff of the Andover " Advertiser," and subsequently assumed the editorship of the Lawrence " American " at the early age of eighteen. He joined the Boston " Globe " staff as re- porter in February, 1888, and was promoted to the position of assistant sporting editor in June, 1888.
DONOVAN, WILLIAM F., journalist, born in Boston, Dec. 29, 1867. He received his education in the public schools of this city, and afterward was employed as office boy with the "Evening Transcript " for a few months, when he left to occupy a similar position with the Boston " Herald." After three months in the latter office he was pro- moted, and has risen steadily since then. He has been with the " Herald " for about six years, and is at present in the exchange
department. He also has charge of the " Catholic Church News" column of the " Herald," which is published twice a week. He is a regular contributor to " Donahoe's Monthly Magazine," and during 1888 was the author of the regular monthly article of " A Bostonian in New York," which will soon appear in book form. He is the president of the St. Joseph's Young Men's Association, a member of the Hendricks Club and of the Boston Press Club. Like his brother, Senator Edward J. Donovan, he early showed a taste for politics, and although he has but just cast his maiden vote, he is often referred to by his associates on the " Herald" as a walking political encyclo- pædia.
Mr. Donovan has always been a warm friend of the Evening High School, and has appeared several times with the late Mr. E. C. Carrigan and pupils of the school, before legislative committees, advocating the introduction of new studies into that school. He was appointed a member of a committee of five to represent the school at the funeral of the great educator, John D. Philbrick ... In 1886, out of a class of about seventy pupils but twenty-one received diplomas in. phonography. Of this number, Mr. Dono -. van was one.
DROHAN, JOHN J., reporter for Boston " Daily Globe," born in South Boston, Aug. 22, 1866. Mr. Drohan became celebrated as one of the best Indian-club swingers in this country, and won many important matches up to his tenth year; when but thirteen years old he won the championship of America in the games of the Irish Athletic Club. His boyhood was spent in travelling and ap- pearing in the leading theatres of the States. He secured much of his education on the road, and while at home he attended the sessions of the Lawrence School in South Boston. He entered the law office of Judge Charles Levi Woodbury, where he copied briefs on a high stool and read law. He was encouraged by Judge Woodbury; but when the " Evening Record" was published, in
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1884, Mr. Drohan was one of the first appli- cants. He had been connected with the South Boston " Tribune," which helped him to a position on the " Record." He did dis- trict local work for three months, and was promoted to night local reporter, and for a year did good work. The advent of the " Sunday Record " gave Mr. Drohan the opportunity to do some good special work. He was the sporting editor of the " Sunday Record," the " Advertiser's " night local, and wrote a weekly letter on " Green-Room Gos- sip," signed "Jay Dee." His attack on Boston gambling-houses created a sensation at the time, and resulted ultimately in the breaking up of some notorious places. He also cov- ered the Charles-river mystery, the Mellen conspiracy case, and the William Gray em- bezzlement and suicide. His base-ball letters in the "Record" attracted attention in sporting circles, and resulted in his being employed by the " Globe " for the season of 1888. Mr. Drohan is a member of the Monopole Club, which includes among its members Henry E. Dixey, Nat Goodwin, M. J. Kelly, W. H. Crane, Foster Farrar, John Graham, E. E. Rice, and many other clever gentlemen. He has been secretary of the club for two years. His only literary work outside of his newspaper was the preparation of M. J. Kelly's book, " Play Ball."
DROHAN, WILLIAM L., reporter, born in Boston, Feb. 1, 1867. He attended the Lawrence Grammar School of South Boston, graduating in 1883. He then took a three- years course at Boston College. He was first employed for a short time on the reportorial staff of the "Evening Record." On Jan. 1, 1888, he became connected with the Boston' "Globe " as an assistant night local reporter. He was promoted, March 9, to the position of a full-fledged night local reporter on the staff.
DUNPHY, JAMES W., part owner of the Boston " Daily Advertiser " and " Evening Record." Born in Ireland in 1844, and came to Boston in 1850. He attended the Brim-
mer Grammar School until 1856, and was then engaged to work in the office of the Boston "Daily Atlas." In 1857 the " Atlas " consoli- dated with the Boston "Traveller," and Mr. Dunphy remained in the "Traveller " office until 1860; he then became a book-keeper in the office of the " Commercial Bulletin," and remained there until 1864, when he trans- ferred his labors to the "Traveller " office. In 1869 he acquired a part ownership of the "Traveller," and spent many years of valu- able services on that newspaper. He re- signed his position on the paper in 1886, on account of dissatisfaction with the manage- ment and surroundings. In 1887 he entered the office of the Boston " Daily Advertiser " and " Evening Record," and upon the re- organization of the " Advertiser " Newspaper Co., in 1888, Mr. Dunphy became one of the owners of both journals, and the good basis on which the present success of the two dailies rest is partly due to his business man- agement. He was the first president of the Catholic Total Abstinence Union, and the first president and vice-president of the Young Men's Catholic Association, and he has been the president and is a director of the Home for Destitute Catholic Children.
EVANS, THOMAS P., journalist, born in Tipperary, Ireland, March 29, 1849. He was first educated in Clifden, and afterward at Quain. He was later employed in the Home Rule interest by Alfred Crilly, brother of Daniel Crilly, Home Rule member of Parliament from Mayo. He was a frequent contributor for the cause in the "Finan- cial Reform Gazette," of which his em- ployer was editor. His father suffered imprisonment for organizing a body of citi- zens to give a reception to Daniel O'Connell on the occasion of his visit to Clifden. Mr. Evans has been connected with the sporting department of the Boston "Globe " for a year past.
FLANAGAN, JOHN S., editor and publisher, born in Boston (Charlestown District) in 1851. He was educated at the Winthrop
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Grammar School and French's Business Col- lege. Subsequently he learned the printer's trade, at which he was employed until 1884. In that year he became connected with the Charlestown "Enterprise," and is now its editor and publisher. During his manage- ment he has displayed more than ordinary " enterprise " in making the paper a success, both financially and editorially. He is a member of the Boston Press Club and the Suburban Press Association.
FORRESTER, ARTHUR M., journalist, born in Ballytrain, County Monaghan, Ireland, Jan. 9, 1850. He first attended the Shan- tonagh National School, but by the death of his father, when he was nine years of age, he was compelled to go to work in a printing- office in England. He finished his education under the tutelage of his mother, Ellen For- rester, a popular Irish poetess, and learned the trade of a printer. He early in life displayed literary ability, and in 1865 was a contributor to the " Irish People," under the nom de plume of " Angus." One of his articles in the suppressed edition was quoted by the attorney-general in his opening state- ment against O'Donovan Rossa. He went to Dublin to take part in an anticipated Fenian movement, in December, 1865, and remained there until after the suspension of the habeas corpus act, in February, 1866. In 1867 he led two circles of the Manches- ter Fenians in the abortive raid on Chester Castle, after which he again returned to Dublin, and on March 9 was arrested and sentenced to imprisonment for one year at hard labor for carrying arms in a "pro- claimed" district. On his release he was elected organizer and arms agent of the North of England Division of the I. R. B., and was again arrested on Dec. 16, 1869, in Liverpool. After three examina- tions, in which he defended himself, was discharged on {200 bail to keep the peace for twelve months. In 1870 he joined a company of franc-tireurs, and served under Generals D'Aurelle de Paladine and Chanzy during the Franco-German War. At the
battle of Conneret, in the series of engage- ments around Le Maus, on Jan. 8, 1871, he was promoted sous-lieutenant for saving a battery after the lieutenant and every ser- geant of the company had been killed. From 1871 to 1874 he acted as organizer and arms agent for the S. C. in Ulster, England, and Scotland. In August of the latter year he lost his right foot by a railway accident, and devoted himself thereafter to literature, until 1882, when he again actively engaged in revolutionary work in Dublin. His name was frequently mentioned in the Phoenix Park trials in connection with those of Joe Brady, Fagan, and Joe Mullett. He succeeded in getting away, however, and came to this country. 'For three years, be- ginning with 1884, he was assistant editor of the "Irish World." In October, 1887, he joined the proof-reading staff of the Bos- ton " Herald," his present position. He has published one volume of poems, "Songs of the Rising Nation," and is the author of two popular lyrics sung in Ireland, “Our Land Shall be Free " and "The Felon of our Land." He is also the author of a volume of Irish Songs and Stories, which is now in press. He is a member of Typographical Union No. 13, the Ancient Order of Foresters, and the Clan-na-Gael Society.
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