The New York herald., 1876-12-27
THE MACHINE.
How the Tammany General Committee
Election Is Worked.
JOHN KELLY At THE THROTTLE VALVE
The Uptown, DOwatOwn and CYOsst0wn Fly.
Whetls-Their characteristics.

erai committee OF IAmmany EalI IS al event oI Mucu
greater importance than rs usually supposed Il IS
true these elections in way the expression Of
the of the Tammany party but Tor all that they
the concentration consolidation of the power
Of the leaders. In ITS organization Tamniany is as
much machine as any dcspotism in the world. Like
the mechanism OF watch It's wheels work within each
other with mathematical certainty but they all take
their movement from the Boss who IS the creation Of
the Tammany society Tho Boss Is the power Of the
ganizaton and the society isci sony the eucasement
which surrounds and protects this handspring OF pot
cal action To carry smile of the watch still far
thor, the system OF government adopted in Tammany
Hall is that Of tho double escapement There Is an
inside organization composed of tho Sacheins. the
Sycamore and the Wiskinske, and an outside organza
tion which comprises The General Committee and its
officers The General Committee is simply mob
OF active democrats, which is sometimes allowed TO
meet in Tammany Hall 10 make belovo controlling
the policy of the party
These elections to this Commute take place in the
last week Of December Of each year. AS this is the
day chosen for that OF lS76-7, and the results VIII
prove potent In the councils OF Tammany Tor the
next twelve months, review Of the Workings OF the
machine especially In IT'S personnel, cannot fail 10
prove exceedingly interesting.
TAMMANy DOWNTOWN WARDS.
Tho downtown wards-the FIRST, Second aud Third
are generally immovable by other than Tammany in
nuences To control any OF them is to be bright
and particular star in the upper Armament OF
Tammany Hall; but at tho Time there is part
OF the city where political planet Of the greatest
magnitude is moro easily ccipsed three years ago
John Fox. "BIy" Walsh and ''Jmmy' Hayes
high favor, not only IN their DISTRICTS but in Taninany
itselL Fox, who had acquired some unenvlable no.
toriey IN the old Board OF Supervisors, and
who Tor four years had occupied scat in
Congress, was Stale Senator. Wash was soon TO
succeed Charles h. LOew County Clcrk. Hayes
able 10 command the Tammany nation tor Regis
ter ana was ingorousy beaten by Gene raj ones Fox
then Tell before the wrath OF John Morrsscy Hayes
had been crushed BY the overwhelming weight OF his
friendship. II was necessary that now men, or, at
least, men Who previously had been comparatively
powericss. should come into power Such rcor-
ganIzatlon all the necessity because insub
boz nness that Il required all The authority OF John
Kelly TO qucll and punish II. With the restoration OF
peace and obedience the district passed practl.
cuily into the hands OF Judge Duay, who now holds
il completely in his keeping. Duly's first step tow
ard tins proud eminonce was his appointment
Police Justice by Mayor Wickhan. 10 had previously
been the principal OF downtown grammar school, and
his knowledge OF the Law was acquired while pounding
tho rudimens of learning into the heads OF FIRST ward
urchins He has supplanted Billy Boyd disciplin-
ing the refractory members of the General Committee
who even now occas onay show signs OF revolt, and
aided in tho government or the district by ex-Chicf
Justice OF tho Civil Court, Dennis Quinn, who
,bs nas %ord n0 o ,Sa 'nG rmn
which hc once viewed with such serious
alarm Quinn 10 at present out cf place.
soon enable him again TO reach Office which he has
held since his arrival at tho age OF manhood with
the exception OF the last year. Nicholas Muller, ex-
einigrani runner, cx.Asscmbly man and Congressman
elect, also one OF the assistant leaders, but he is
dcrstooo TO be a little oil color in rammany Hall ow
ing to his manifestations OF disappointment in beng
made only CONGRESSMAN instead OF
Coroner Tho second district was recently
III charge Of the late Alderman Lysaght,
who occupied Walter Roches old liquor store the
corner OF Chatham and Pearl streets. Since Lysaght's
Z. Kirk, who was given over TO unenvable lame lew
years ago IN connection with school matters, and VINO
is also retailer OF chained lightning. Jeremiah
Haltgan, another magnate IN the second district
tried for killing man, and was acquitted, is
said through local political Influence mostly that OF
County Clerk Walsh Walsh, who was among tho men
disciplined by Boyd, is also more a member OF the
General COMMITTEE, having been put on Immediately
preceding the recent Tammany Hall Convention,
when ne expected to be renominsted for his present
position II Is understood tnat he and Dennis Burns
ex-member from Sligo and cxheutcnant OF Mathew 4.
Brennan when he was IN power, are making vigorous
contest for the control OF the district for the ensuing
year The Third district is under the ot James
j. Sleyin, Alderman elect by the accident OF Lysaghrs
death and the grace OF Jonn Kelly. He was an AS
semDyman. and It Is a little hard TO understand
how he can also draw pay as an Alderman during
tue year Tor which he was elected to the Assembly.
Slcvn - an unerlakcr, us the Directory informs an
expectant world and he has for assistants, running
the machine in his district a number Of local poll,
ticlans obscure himself Colonel W. K. Roberts
is member OF the General Committee from this dis
c but II is understood he has control beyond his
political power in what until hfty years ago comprised
nearly The whole OF the city OF New York.
TwEED's OLD STAMPING
The Fourth district comprises Tho Seventh ward
'Boss' Tweed's old stamping ground In the glorious
days oil Ring rule when tho famous 'stable gang
kept their punch bowl continually. flowing and the
Amcricus CLUB dazzlcd the eyes OF the vulgar statesmen
whose SHIRT fronts bazcd with diamonds and whose
nights speut revclry draw poker AT
the ward rs ruled by the redouotablc Tommy Shells
who graccs one OF the benches IN the Aldermanc
Cnanbcr during the day AMI at night dispenses gin
n fl. h.is nnAI h.r
the aspirants Tor political pap and patronage IN his
district ShieIs is aided In the manage o. The
ward by MS right hand man, John Calvin, men,
business, but has the good sense not 10
drink any OF his own whskey. These rising states
men OF tho seventh ward have had pretty much their
own way III the management OF the district, but
sneis' caim TO leadership is now contested by Alder
man Bry Reilly, who Keeps liquor is de-
sirous once more TO enter the rsmmany told.
POLITICAL aAGNArEs OF THE kiGnTH NINTH WARDS
The Fifth Seventh ard Ninth districts comprise the
territory between Canal Fourteenth streets west Of
what once was Richmond liilI. II is region where
vice has always josied closely upon rcspec abillty,
and where politicians breed with uneXamped ecgndity
Tue Fifth district is presided by member OF one
oi the rcening families, Henry A. Gumpeton, cx-
Depuly County Clerk, Deputy Commissioner 0: Pubic
Works and county Clerk elect ana the seventh
by Peter r. olney and General Martin J. McMahon
dumbleton Is not particularly distinguished for
anything except his ability to Keep in ONCE aud
care lat places Tor the rest OF uis family He was an
old trend OF Twccd's and Is now understood to bc
great pet with Johu Kelly. HIS recent nomn nation ior
Dandreary says, no fellow can nnd out, and the
politicians despair OF being able 10 solve the
puzzle. HIS heutcnants IN the district are
ex-Corcncr Young and Peter MITCHELL mcm-
Der elect OF the Assembly. Young IS
very active politician and respectable man, and
Mitchell, who Is something OF student and a criminal
lawyer with fair prsciiee deserves ior nis sue
cesses. Ho went from liquor store the Legisa-
turc when be almost boy and Dut for his early
political associations with Nike Norton and Theodore
Allen, he might prove dangerous rival to Gumheton
himself olney Is the brains OF the Tamnany organi-
zation IN the Seventh district, while McMahon only
concerns himself with getting INTO office and Keeping
there Olhey's chief claims TO political recognition
consist In the act that he Is reported
to be nephew OF William l.. Marcy, and
Mcmahon, who Is Canadian BY birth, nnds his
stock IN trade In hrs title Neither OF these
meL Is just now as high in he year ago.
and MCMAHON holds his oilce unuer Comptroller Kelly
by n very doubtful tenure. Formerly an ardent ad-
miror OF Kelly. he was among those who sought
keIIy's overthrow after the Louis Convention In
order 10 Keep his place under Grcen, and 1t is not
likely that Green successor will forget that OH the
night oi the contest In fammany Hail. the excess OF
his zeal he tho OF