5. Charles Stanley Arrives

Steinitz (see TMF 4) does not say why Perrin agreed to a draw in an advantageous position, but Frederick Edge (page 7) gives this account:

Who that was present that evening does not remember Paul Morphy's first appearance at the New York City Chess Club? The secretary, Mr. Frederick Perrin, valorously offered to be his first antagonist, and presented about the same resistance as a musquito to an avalanche. Then who should enter the room but the warrior Stanley, Loud cries were made for “Stanley! Stanley!” and Mr. Perrin resigned his seat to the newcomer,in deference to so general a request. Thus commenced a contest, or rather a succession of contests, in which Stanley was indeed astonished. "Mate" followed upon "Mate", until he arose from his chair in bewildered defeat.

Charles Henry Stanley (1819-1901)

Edge overstates Morphy's dominance of Perrin, given that Morphy, at best, had a draw in the second game. I suspect part of the excitement was due to Stanley and not Morphy. He was considered the best player in the United States after he beat Eugène Rousseau in 1845. He is also credited with the first chess column and the first chess magazine in the country. He appears to have been relatively inactive for a few years and perhaps the players were just glad to see him entered in the congress. The other factor was, of course, that he was viewed as the ideal player by which to measure the young Morphy. Stanley, however, proved to be past his prime. He provided little resistence to Morphy in offhand games and lost to Lichtenhein in the first round.

According to David Lawson, "Of the four games played Stanley lost all.", (page 55). Four game scores exist between the players at level terms. Shibut 124 is Stanley's lone win against 12 losses and could not have been played 5 October if Lawson is correct. Shibut 121 is dated 22 October 1857 by Lawson (game 49, page 366). This leaves Shibut 122 and Shibut 123 as possibilities for Morphy's first night in New York. The CKR file dates Shibut 122 as 5 October, but I am unable to confirm the date anywhere else. Shibut 123 appears to be dated only as 1857 or October 1857 in all sources. Can anyone provide a date source for Shibut 122 or 123?

Wanted: Dates and Date sources for Shibut 122, 123 and 124.