ivan's arrest comes none too soon."

ALEXANDER SULLIVAN'S EVENTFUL LIFE.

Alexander Sullivan had been a conspicuous figure in Chicago's
political life for some time, and a few years before had been a
prominent figure in two of the most exciting murder trials ever
witnessed in that city. Many persons believed, from the active part
which Alexander Sullivan has taken in Irish affairs, that he was by
birth an Irishman. He was a native of Amherstburg, Ont., where his
father was stationed in the British military service. He went to
Detroit in his youth and was engaged for a time in the boot and
shoe store of A. J. Bour. Subsequently he set up in the same trade
for himself, his store being in the Bresler Block, on Michigan
avenue. He was not a success in the business, and his career in it
was ended by the destruction of the establishment by fire, the work
of an incendiary. It was charged by his enemies that he set the
fire himself, but an investigation failed to fasten the guilt upon
him.

Before this time he had made himself conspicuous in the trades
unions as an advocate of the labor movement, then quite strong. In
the political campaign of 1868 he took the stump for the Republican
candidate. He was a polished and forcible speaker, and did
excellent service throughout the State. His political course
greatly offended his Irish brethren, nearly all of whom were
Democrats, and they denounced him with great vigor. Soon after the
installation of President Grant he was appointed Collector of
Internal Revenue at Santa Fe, N. M., but was not confirmed.
Subsequently, however, he was made Secretary of the Territory. He
established a Republican paper at Santa Fe, and published it for
some time. He became embroiled in several quarrels in the
Territory, and was once shot at by Gen. Heath. He was next heard of
in this city, where he was connected in a reportorial capacity with
the _Inter-Ocean_ and the _Times_. In 1873 he was made Secretary of
the Board of Public Works, and held it for some time.

About 1874 he was married to Miss Margaret Buchanan, who for some
time occupied a prominent position as a teacher in the public
schools, at one time being Principal of the Houghton School. The
evening of Aug. 7, 1876, Mr. Sullivan shot and killed Francis
Hanford,