1878

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January 15, 1878

• The Buffalo Commercial Buffalo, New York Tuesday, January 15, 1878 - Page 2 — Chess. — A Marked Revival of Interest in the Great Pastime. “…their profound and intellectual game, which, while it does not partake of the Morphy intensity of seventeen or eighteen years ago, betokens a popularizing tendency among educated classes.”

• Chicago Tribune Chicago, Illinois Sunday, January 27, 1878 - Page 7 — The Game of Chess.

February 14, 1878

• Buffalo Courier Buffalo, New York Thursday, February 14, 1878 - Page 2 — Chess Playing Extraordinary — We learn that chess circles in Buffalo are at present on the qui vive in view of the expected arrival here next week of Captain George Mackenzie of New York, a gentleman who, since the retirement of Paul Morphy, is undoubtedly the strongest player of chess in this country. Captain Mackenzie will be the guest of Henry A. Richmond, Esq., and during the few days of his stay in Buffalo arrangements for some interesting matches may be anticipated. The playing will take place at the rooms of the chess club in Brown's Building. We learn further that Captain Mackenzie expects to attend and participate in the great international chess tournament in Paris next summer, when the American chess champion will try conclusions with the great players of Europe. Read More

February 18, 1878

• The Buffalo Commercial Buffalo, New York Monday, February 18, 1878 - Page 3 — Chess Tournament In Auburn. — “Yesterday's games in the chess tourney, were the best yet played. Rev. S.R. Calthrop, of Syracuse, one of the old Cambridge University, England, chess-players and a participant in the Morphy Paulson Chess Congress in 1857, played four games, with Captain McKenzie, with no odds. Captain McKenzie won the victory in each game, but the playing especially in three of them was very fine, showing that the champion had “a foe-man worthy of his steel.” The afternoon concluded with three games… Read More

March 17, 1878

• St. Louis Globe-Democrat St. Louis, Missouri Sunday, March 17, 1878 - Page 9 — Chess. — (a) The method of the Morphy period, and to our mind about as effective as any other, although Steinitz and the German school incline towards 5 P to Q3, holding that this opening can not bear the strain of a more open assault.

May 30, 1878

• Leavenworth Weekly Press Leavenworth, Kansas Thursday, May 30, 1878 - Page 8 — Chess.

June 07, 1878

• The Newcastle Weekly Courant Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England Friday, June 07, 1878 - Page 7 “Game played between Mr. Paul Morphy and Mr. C.A. Maurian, the former giving the odd of his Q R … (b) A strange oversight on the part of such a master as Morphy. In a serious match he would not have so blundered…

June 19, 1878

• Liverpool Mercury, etc. Liverpool, Merseyside, England Wednesday, June 19, 1878 - Page 6 — “The world that gave to the chess world Paul Morphy has sent forth another great conqueror on his career of glory. On the 30th of May Captain G.H. McKenzie, the champion chess player of America, sailed for Cherbourg to take part in the international tourney which will be held in Paris under the auspices of the French Exhibition. Several “bottom dollars” will be bet on the captain.” Read More

July 14, 1878

• Chicago Tribune Chicago, Illinois Sunday, July 14, 1878 - Page 9 — The Game of Chess

July 28, 1878

• St. Louis Globe-Democrat St. Louis, Missouri Sunday, July 28, 1878 - Page 10 — Chess

August 24, 1878

• The Examiner London, Greater London, England Saturday, August 24, 1878 - Page 20 — Chess Gems. — “The Sicilian defense has been pronounced unsound by the same author who first received it with rapture and applause; and yet the veteran Anderssen dared to adopt it successfully in the recent Exhibition Chess Congress at Paris against an Emeritus. The same player, even against Morphy, adventured with success an opening that is not in the books at all…” Read More

September 20, 1878

• The Newcastle Weekly Courant Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England Friday, September 20, 1878 - Page 7 — Chess — Paul Morphy at an early age exhibited wonderful skill at the game of chess, defeating, as he did, Herr Lowenthal at the early age of twelve.

September 29, 1878

• St. Louis Globe-Democrat St. Louis, Missouri Sunday, September 29, 1878 - Page 10 — Chess.

October 12, 1878

• The Hampshire Advertiser Southampton, Hampshire, England Saturday, October 12, 1878 - Page 7 — The Chess Openings Considered Critically and Practically By H.E. Bird

October 31, 1878

• The Eaton Democrat Eaton, Ohio Thursday, October 31, 1878 - Page 1 — Oriental Origins of Chess — The game of chess, it has been decided, is of purely Oriental origin. The Hindoos claim to have originated it— or rather, say that Siva, the Third Person of their Trinity (Siva, the destroyer—alas! of time!) gave it to them. … India rejoices in a flourishing chess-school. The Indian Problem is known as the perfection of Enigmatic Chess. And if Paul Morphy had gone to Calcutta, instead of London or Paris, he would have found there one Mohesh Ghutuck, who, without discovering that he was a P., and move behind his best play, and, without becoming too sick to proceed with the match, would have given him a much finer game than any antagonist he has yet encountered. ★ Read More

November 13, 1878

• Wyoming Democrat Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania Wednesday, November 13, 1878 - Page 3 — Chess With the Champion — The following game of chess was played between Capt. McKenzie, the champion of America, and John Sittser of this place, at the Packer House on Friday last, the Capt. at the same time playing three other games, all of which he won. White begins and is mated, as will be seen in twenty-two moves. Read More

November 14, 1878

• The Huntington Democrat Huntington, Indiana Thursday, November 14, 1878 - Page 4 — The Origins of Chess

November 27, 1878

• Wyoming Democrat Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania Wednesday, November 27, 1878 - Page 3 — Chess. — “Playing chess blindfold was first practiced in the 11th century by Persian and Arabian experts. In modern times as high as fifteen games have been played by one person, at one time, without seeing the boards or any one of them. Paul Morphy is the king of chess players. At the age of 13 he beat Lowenthal one of the best players in the world; and at twenty-one no one was found who could compete with him. At Paris he played eight different games with the experts of that city, all at one time, without seeing the boards and without losing a game.” Read More

December 01, 1878

• St. Louis Globe-Democrat St. Louis, Missouri Sunday, December 01, 1878 - Page 7 — Mated by Mackenzie

December 08, 1878

• St. Louis Globe-Democrat St. Louis, Missouri Sunday, December 08, 1878 - Page 11 — Chess. —

“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. ★ / ★ / ★