1873

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January 03, 1873

• The Brooklyn Daily Eagle Brooklyn, New York Friday, January 03, 1873 - Page 2 — Paul Morphy, the great revivalist in chess a few years ago, has for some time practicing law with great success in New Orleans.

• The Brooklyn Union Brooklyn, New York Friday, January 03, 1873 - Page 2 — Morphy. — Paul Morphy, the champion chess player, is a most successful lawyer of New Orleans. He even finds it a better paying profession than the one which made his name famous. ★

Morphy. 03 Jan 1873, Fri The Brooklyn Union (Brooklyn, New York) Newspapers.com

January 08, 1873

• The Lincoln County Herald Troy, Missouri Wednesday, January 08, 1873 - Page 2 — Paul Morphy, the great New Orleans chess player, is practicing law. ★

January 09, 1873

• Western Home Journal Lawrence, Kansas Thursday, January 09, 1873 - Page 2 — A Chicago Editor Speaks of Paul Morphy as ‘the inventor of Morphine and other medicines.’ ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★

• Nashville Union and American Nashville, Tennessee Friday, January 17, 1873 - Page 4 — The Washington Chronicle is quite positive that Paul Morphy was not the inventor of Morphine.

January 10, 1873

• The Tennessean Nashville, Tennessee Friday, January 10, 1873 - Page 2 — The once world-famous chess player, Paul Morphy, is a successful lawyer in New Orleans.

January 15, 1873

• Richmond Dispatch Richmond, Virginia Wednesday, January 15, 1873 - Page 3 — Facts and Falsehoods from the New York Herald — Paul Morphy, the chess-player, is a modest lawyer in New Orleans. ★ / ★ / ★ / ★

January 17, 1873

• The Titusville Herald Titusville, Pennsylvania Friday, January 17, 1873 - Page 2 — Paul Morphy, the chess player, is said to be a first-class lawyer.

January 19, 1873

• Detroit Free Press Detroit, Michigan Sunday, January 19, 1873 - Page 3 — Morphy, the great chess player, makes a good criminal lawyer, but don't reap the money he did.

January 20, 1873

• The Boston Globe Boston, Massachusetts Monday, January 20, 1873 - Page 4 — Paul Morphy. — We learnt from a paragraph in one of our Southern exchanges that the gentleman whose name heads this article is now engaged in the successful practice of law in the courts of his native city, New Orleans. The public has lost sight, so to speak, of Paul Morphy for some years, but will doubtless recall him as a marvel of the day, ten or a dozen years since, in his mastery of the most intellectual of games. By a series of severe trials in this country and Europe he then proved himself the best chess-player in the world. At the time to which we refer, when he won his victories over such famous players as Andersen, Owen, Harrwitz, Mongredieu, and many others, Morphy was not yet twenty-one years of age, and as we then remember him, he added so extraordinary a degree of modesty to his demeanor, in all of his triumphs, as to challenge universal admiration. Many of our citizens will easily recall his youthful but quiet manner and appearance when he was a courted guest in this city in 1859, if our memory serves us correctly. In England young Morphy was received with distinguished marks of consideration by the best people, while the press accorded him unstinted praise for his peculiar genius, gentlemanly bearing and courteous manner. The remark of a famous player at the London clubs of that date is still fresh in our memory: “This young gentleman from America,” said the famous chess champion, “is the only person to whom I could ever accord victory without a sense of anger in having been beaten at my favorite game.” But it was reserved for the enthusiastic French to give unbounded praise and expression of admiration to the modest young American. The Cafe de la Regence, the famous resort of the Parisian chess-players, ten years ago, was daily and nightly thronged to witness his games, and the papers of the day were filled with the details of his encounters with noted men from all parts of the continent, drawn to Paris solely from curiosity to witness his marvelous performances. It was in the Cafe de la Regence that Morphy performed one of the most wonderful feats on record, that of playing eight games, blind-folded, at the same time! The audience at the opera rose to receive him on his entrance to the theater, and he was feted by dukes and applauded by men of genius. The famous sculptor Lequesne executed his bust in marble, and at a grand banquet given in his honor, the veteran chess-player, St. Amant, crowned the bust with laurels amid the most deafening plaudits of the whole company. We might recall many such scenes. Through all of this most flattering experience, young Morphy bore himself with the same quiet, unassuming and modest demeanor which won for him at the outset hosts of friends wherever he appeared. Thus he came home bearing honors rarely bestowed upon one so young, and which we believe were most justly accorded. Many of our readers will recall the banquet given to him in this city, whereat such representative men as Everett, Longfellow, Holmes, Sparks, Lowell and Agassiz assisted. All this must now seem very much like a dream to the industrious New Orleans lawyer. We were exercised at the time by a sense of pride in the career of the young champion, and the realization that America had produced the best chess-player in the world, for no living man would pretend at that time to stand as a master of the game before Paul Morphy. ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ Read More

January 22, 1873

• Western Reserve Chronicle Warren, Ohio Wednesday, January 22, 1873 - Page 4 — The once world-famous chess player Paul Morphy is a successful lawyer in New Orleans. ★

January 27, 1873

• The Times-Picayune New Orleans, Louisiana Monday, January 27, 1873 - Page 4 — The following has been going the rounds: “Paul Morphy, the once famous chess-player, is a successful lawyer in New Orleans.” Truly, one must go from home to learn the news. — There is residing in this city a gentleman who stands ready to play any man in the world (including Morphy) at chess for any amount of money. Read More

Paul Morphy Is A Successful Lawyer in New Orleans 27 Jan 1873, Mon The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana) Newspapers.com

January 30, 1873

• Wood County Reporter Grand Rapids, Wisconsin Thursday, January 30, 1873 - Page 4 — Morphy, the great chess player, makes a good criminal lawyer, but don't reap the money he did.

• Eau Claire Weekly Free Press Eau Claire, Wisconsin Thursday, January 30, 1873 - Page 3 — Morphy, the chess player, has degenerated into a lawyer.

February 03, 1873

• ❌Chicago Tribune Chicago, Illinois Monday, February 03, 1873 - Page 7 — Paul Chess Morphy isn't a lawyer in New Orleans, a current paragraph to the contrary notwithstanding. ★ / ★ / ★

February 04, 1873

• The Times Shreveport, Louisiana Tuesday, February 04, 1873 - Page 2 — The Picayune says there is a gentleman residing in New Orleans who is ready to play any man in the world, including Morphy, at chess, for any amount of money. We have a friend in Shreveport who will play him if he will tie his right hand behind him, and bar splits and pushes, and wont fudge. Read More

February 06, 1873

• Yorkville Enquirer York, South Carolina Thursday, February 06, 1873 - Page 2 — Paul Morphy, who some years ago astonished the world with his chess-playing, is practicing law in New Orleans.

March 02, 1873

• ❌Chicago Tribune Chicago, Illinois Sunday, March 02, 1873 - Page 7 — “Two publications of his death have pleased him more than all of his exploits.” — (But, there were never actually any such reports that Paul Morphy was deceased.) — “Paul Morphy is again brought, for a brief moment, before the public, by an article in the Chicago Tribune from the pen of Charles J. Woodbury.” ★ Read More

March 07, 1873

• ❌The Burlington Free Press Burlington, Vermont Friday, March 07, 1873 - Page 3 — Paul Morphy is not a successful lawyer in New Orleans. On the contrary, he is a failure in his profession, and poor as a church mouse. He might make money by the exhibition of his skill as a chess-player, but has a morbid dislike of notoriety in that line, and refuse to encounter it. (This patently false defamation is refuted by a factual article, “Where They Are and What They Are Doing—Facts and Falsehoods from the New York Herald.”, dated January 15, 1873, which, in a lengthy expose listing Louisiana's top legal professionals, proceeds to state: “…Paul Morphy, the chess-player, is a modest lawyer in New Orleans.”. This is supported too, with reports that Paul Morphy is in the employ of his own family, D.E. Morphy Auctioneer - Paul Morphy, Auctioneer-Attorney at Law, assisting in management of a family general store and acting in a legal capacity. More specifically, as a friend acquainted with Paul Morphy had stated earlier on in the Manchester Journal of Vermont, October 24, 1872, “As a lawyer, Morphy has been distinguished as a manager of litigated cases rather than as an advocate.”) ★ Read More

March 13, 1873

• ❌Hartford Courant Hartford, Connecticut Thursday, March 13, 1873 - Page 2 — The Poison Pen of Blackmail and Defamation — “Paul Morphy retains his wonderful skill as a chess player, but though a failure as a lawyer, refuses to make money by the only great talent he possesses, and therefore lives in poverty.”

March 19, 1873

• ❌Omaha Daily Bee Omaha, Nebraska Wednesday, March 19, 1873 - Page 2 — Poison Pen Obsession — Paul Morphy, long known as the greatest of chess-players, is “disgusted” with the game, and will play in public no more forever.

March 26, 1873

• The Times-Picayune New Orleans, Louisiana Wednesday, March 26, 1873 - Page 4 — Edward Morphy ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★

April 02, 1873

• The Exeter Flying Post or, Trewman's Plymouth and Cornish Advertiser Exeter, Devon, England Wednesday, April 02, 1873 - Page 6 — Learning Chess. — I, who learned chess in a country town, where there was little practice and that not good, may instance my own experience. I was in the habit of choosing some fine published game, and of selecting the winning side as my own. Say that Morphy won of Anderssen—I selected Morphy's side, covered up his moves with a piece of paper, and endeavored to anticipate the great master's line of play. After due deliberation, I compared my ideas with the course actually adopted, made Morphy's move, with the reply of Anderssen, and then proceeded to consider what might be the American's next adventure. The experience was generally humiliating at first; better results followed afterwards; and eventually I was able at times to do better than the teacher.— Cassell's Popular Recreator. Read More

April 04, 1873

• ❌The United Opinion Bradford, Vermont Friday, April 04, 1873 - Page 1 — Poison Pen Extortion and Defamation of Paul Morphy. — “…But Paul Morphy returned from his triumphal tour wearied and disgusted with chess, and when he has since steadfastly refused to make a public exhibition of his wonderful powers.” ★

April 04, 1873

• ❌The Spirit of Democracy Woodsfield, Ohio Tuesday, April 15, 1873 - Page 2 — The Golden Age says: “A man who had an extraordinary genius for chess, as Paul Morphy is, unhappily, not rendering—a life-time of laborious investigation and analysis of the game, with a view to write his matured conclusions into a standard work, like a treatise on logarithms or the differential calculus. There have been many treatises on chess, but there is none in any language comparable with such a work as Mr. Morphy might write or supply the materials for.” ★ Read More

April 17, 1873

• The Indianapolis News Indianapolis, Indiana Thursday, April 17, 1873 - Page 2 — Paul Morphy will be coaxed to join in the grand chess tournament to be held during the Vienna Exposition. ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★

With all things considered, of former associates' explosive, abusive behavior, why should Paul Morphy feel obliged to amuse people who resoirt to poison pen defamation, extortion and intimidation tactics?

Paul Morphy Coaxed to Join Grand Chess Tournament 17 Apr 1873, Thu The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, Indiana) Newspapers.com

April 18, 1873

• ❌Alexandria Gazette Alexandria, Virginia Friday, April 18, 1873 - Page 1 — “…Of Paul Morphy, the great chess-player, a New Orleans letter says: “He has turned out no lawyer…not even a commission merchant! He is at present doing nothing… unlike a Yankee… 👎👎👎👎👎 This pathetic false claim has already been refuted. Mr. Morphy was in the employ of D.E. Morphy, a major Auctioneer operating in the city of New Orleans, requiring Mr. Morphy's legal expertees, and management of the general store. Read More

• The Pittsburgh Daily Commercial Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Friday, April 18, 1873 - Page 2 — The New York Times says that overtures have been made to Paul Morphy to induce him to join in a grand chess tournament which it is proposed to hold at the Vienna Exposition. ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★

Overtures Made to Paul Morphy to Play at Vienna Exposition 18 Apr 1873, Fri The Pittsburgh Daily Commercial (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) Newspapers.com

April 23, 1873

• The Indiana Herald Huntington, Indiana Wednesday, April 23, 1873 - Page 2 — The noble game of chess which had such a run in this country a few years ago, seems likely to experience a revival. Mr. Paul Morphy, now quietly practicing law in New Orleans, has been invited to join in a grand tournament which it is proposed to hold at the Vienna Exposition. Of the twenty millions of people who are expected to take part in the great show, a fair portion may be supposed to be interested in chess, and a tournament of the kind suggested, and attended by the strongest living experts, would undoubtedly stir up the chess fever again throughout Europe, and probably—especially is Mr. Morphy participates—cause it to extend to the United States. Read More

April 25, 1873

• The Brooklyn Union Brooklyn, New York Friday, April 25, 1873 - Page 2 — Morphy. Paul Morphy has been invited to exhibit his proficiency in chess at the Vienna Exhibition. He certainly ought to accept, as chess playing is infinitely more remunerative than law.

April 28, 1873

• The Daily Evening Express Lancaster, Pennsylvania Monday, April 28, 1873 - Page 2 — Paul Morphy has peremptorily declined, it is said, to join in the grand chess tournament proposed at the Vienna Exposition. He declares he will give no exhibition of himself.

Paul Morphy has peremptorily declined, it is said, to join in Viennese grand chess tournament 28 Apr 1873, Mon The Daily Evening Express (Lancaster, Pennsylvania) Newspapers.com

May 07, 1873

• The Montgomery Advertiser Montgomery, Alabama Wednesday, May 07, 1873 - Page 3 — That Game of Chess

May 11, 1873

• The Times-Picayune New Orleans, Louisiana Sunday, May 11, 1873 - Page 12 — (Paul Morphy should still be there, just at a slightly different address.) ★ / ★

May 15, 1873

• The Decatur Local Review Decatur, Illinois Thursday, May 15, 1873 - Page 2 — Paul Morphy has peremptorily declined, it is said, to join in the grand chess tournament proposed at the Vienna Exposition. He declares he will give no public exhibition of himself. ★

Paul Morphy Declines Vienna Exposition 21 Jun 1873, Sat The Opelousas Courier (Opelousas, Louisiana) Newspapers.com

• Newton Kansan Newton, Kansas Thursday, May 15, 1873 - Page 1 — Herr Zuckertort (in English sugartart) is the wonder of the chess world in London at present, on account of his brilliant play, as well as for his extraordinary feats of what is called “blindfold” playing, in which Morphy was so great an adept. ★ / ★ / ★

• The Freeman's Journal Dublin, Dublin, Ireland Thursday, May 15, 1873 - Page 3 — Extraordinary Game of Chess. — Last week we noticed Mr. Blackbourne's contest with ten members of the London Chess Club, and his playing the ten games simultaneously. At twelve o'clock at night the contest was adjourned, Mr. Blackburne undertaking to remember the places of every piece on the ten boards when play would be resumed. At that time most of Mr. Blackbourne's opponents were in a very shaky condition, and some were virtually lost, yet checkmate had never actually been given. Mr. Morphy, the American player, used to play eight games at once, but he never allowed any intermission in the game. Mr. Blackbourne, however, who plays ten games, does not care if he adjourns them for a week. When the club met recently there were only nine antagonists to the blindfold player, for one game was agreed to be taken as drawn. At the calling of the game Mr. Blackbourne sat down and told where every piece on the board should be after an interval of five days. Cheer after cherr was raised for the blindfold player as game after game was yielded to him. In the end he won against Major Martin, Mr. Ballard, Mr. Walrond, Mr. Gartineau, Mr. Webber, Mr. Macfayden; drew against Mr. Neats and Mr Webber, and lost one game to Mr. Thomson. The cheering was great when the result was announced, but had not the challenger paid too much attention to the games—the formidable games— of Major Martin and Mr. Ballard he would have easily and soon defeated his other antagonists. Read More

May 17, 1873

Fictitious Challenge by the Tribune's Poison Pen to Paul Morphy:

• ❌Chicago Tribune Chicago, Illinois Saturday, May 17, 1873 - Page 1 — A Hungarian, named Opholsker, recently arrived here, offers to bet $5,000 that he can beat Paul Morphy at chess, and says his friends will back him to any amount. ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★

May 24, 1873

• Brooklyn Times Union Brooklyn, New York Saturday, May 24, 1873 - Page 2 — The Possession Of Chess

June 10, 1873

• The Montgomery Advertiser Montgomery, Alabama Tuesday, June 10, 1873 - Page 3 — Geo. Johnston sends us from his news stand, under the Exchange, a copy of Morphy's match games. He has also “Chess for Beginners,” and divers other works.

June 22, 1873

• Brooklyn Review Brooklyn, New York Sunday, June 22, 1873 - Page 5 — Morphy. — Paul Morphy, the renowned chess player, now living in New Orleans and practicing law, has accepted the challenge thrown to the world of Ophslaker, the Hungarian, who has been metaphorically trailing his coat on the ground for some one to step upon, in New York lately. The wager is five thousand dollars. ★ Read More

Opholsker 22 Jun 1873, Sun Brooklyn Review (Brooklyn, New York) Newspapers.com

July 10, 1873

• ❌Fort Wayne Daily Gazette Fort Wayne, Indiana Thursday, July 10, 1873 - Page 2 — Paul Morphy, it is announced, will go the the Vienna Exposition to enter the chess contest for the $2,000 prize. ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★

July 16, 1873

• The Brooklyn Daily Eagle Brooklyn, New York Wednesday, July 16, 1873 - Page 4 — The Game of Chess too, as a sport for the people, was an unknown game. In fact, it was not until the Morphy excitement, some twelve years ago, that we had a chess club in this city. Now we have the finest club room and the strongest chess organization in the country.

July 17, 1873

• The Brooklyn Daily Eagle Brooklyn, New York Thursday, July 17, 1873 - Page 3 — Triumph of Morphy was the Chess Sensation of the Age.

August 04, 1873

• The Times-Picayune New Orleans, Louisiana Monday, August 04, 1873 - Page 2 — William Steinitz, the Greatest Living Chess Player

August 04, 1873

• ❌The New York Times New York, New York Friday, August 22, 1873 - Page 1 — A Chess Tournament. “You are probably aware that a chess tournament is now going on here, with representatives from several countris. We have Paul Morphy for a champion, but he has been holding back thus far in order to see the contest narrowed down to three or four of his peers. ★ / ★ / ★ Read More

August 31, 1873

• New Orleans Republican New Orleans, Louisiana Sunday, August 31, 1873 - Page 8 — The International Chess Match. — In the international chess match, Steinitz won the first, Blackburn the second, Anderson the third and Rosenthal the fourth prize.

September 06, 1873

• The Morning Post London, Greater London, England Saturday, September 06, 1873 - Page 4 — Chess. “until another Paul Morphy arises, we are not likely to see chess advanced to a higher pitch than he brought it to.”

December 06, 1873

• The Southern Standard Arkadelphia, Arkansas Saturday, December 06, 1873 - Page 4 — The New York World says: Capt. McKenzie, of chess notoriety, considered by many the strongest player in America after Paul Morphy's retirement from the field, now editing the chess column of the Albion, thinks of organizing a world's chess congress for the Centennial of 1876, and this will doubtless gie new interest as well as life to the game in this country. ★ / ★ Read More

December 15, 1873

• The News Journal Wilmington, Delaware Monday, December 15, 1873 - Page 4 — To Chess Players.

December 25, 1873

• The Times-Picayune New Orleans, Louisiana Thursday, December 25, 1873 - Page 4 — E.T. Fellowes - Paul Morphy Attorneys and Counselors at Law ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★

Fellowes & Morphy (E.T. Fellowes, Paul Morphy.) Attorneys and Counselors at Law. 25 Dec 1873, Thu The Times-Democrat (New Orleans, Louisiana) Newspapers.com

“The happiness of “the Bohemian Caesar,” as Steinitz fondly called himself, was not unalloyed. Paul Morphy was his bête noire. He attempted to undermine the pedestal upon which Morphy's glory is everlastingly established. But he did not succeed. If Blackburne makes a brilliant combination, he calls it a “bit of Morphy.” But no one ever heard anybody call a brilliant finish a bit of Steinitz…” — The Age Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Saturday, June 19, 1897 Poison Pen Blackmail and Defamation of New Orleans Lawyer Paul Morphy: These articles were part of 1860s-80s campaign of stalking. Attempts by friends of Morphy vouching for his sanity & to stop such false rumors (New Orleans Republican 11/21/1875; Tennessean Nashville, 5/05/1877, “The Truth About Mr. Paul Morphy. He has Never been Insane”; Detroit Free Press 11/30/1880, etc). 1884 at age 47, Mr. Morphy “suddenly died”. The stalker's press release claimed ‘due to a bath on a hot day.’ Forensic toxicology was still in its infancy and no investigation ever performed. ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★ / ★