The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-12-28
REFORM IN GOTHAM.

Reform which budded so promisingly
when tho Hon. Abram S. Hewitt was nomi-
mated and elected mayor of New York, APP
pears thus early to have blighted. A few
days ago the decent people of the city were
astonished at the appointment of FATTY
Walsh, as keeper of the Tombs prison. The
appointment was made by the Commfssion-
erS of Charities and Corrections and was
recommended by Mayor Grace. Who Fatty
Walsh is we let the New York World tell:
Fatty Walsh has heen tough citizen from his
the Dead Rabbits the notorious gang of roughs
who for years defed law and order in the sixth
ward. He was gold-beater by trade, but shortly
after serving his apprenticeship he bloomed out
As the proprietor OF a.gambling house. At one
Time ne ran den at No. 40 Bowery, and after
wards another on Broadway. On one occasion,
when the former place was raided. Fatty threat
ened Policeman Hannafran, now retired with a
hammer and subsequently made his escape from
the premises over back fence The house No. 3
mulberry street was at one time run by Walsh asa
resort Tor diSOrderly people He has come IN disa-
greeable contact with the police on numerous occa
sons and has been under Indictment at least once
an indictment against nm was annuled less than
year ago. For years he has befrended crooks
and blacklegs, and in many cases lie has succeed
ed in getting them out of the laws clutches where
they belonged He is the best friend of many a
Whyo. During his unsavory career Walsh has
always dabbled in politics. He was a street in
spector in bis ward away back in $4,000. and
worked In the ranks until he was elected to the
legislature in 1879 Kirk beat him for alderman
IN the race which made the Doodle board. He Sc
cureunl nrst and only term In the common coun-
ell in 1885, being beaten the following year by
the lnimitable Pat Diver. Walsh entered the
contest for Congress in his district in the late cam
palgn, but withdrew IN favor Of LLOYD s. Bryce
the son-in-aw of ex-Mayor Cooper.
1t will be seen that Walsh is much better
fitted to become one of the kept at the
Tombs prison than to be the keeper. In
deed, If he had his deserts there is no doubt
but that he would be serving the State in
side the penitentiary at Sing Sing. But
Fatty" besides being blackleg and
brothel keeper, is an active Democratic poll
tician. He controls lots of votes down in his
ward, which, according to the New York
Evening Post contains "a larger vicious and
criminal population than any other in the
CITY," Fatty" is an important factor on
election day. He helps make Democratic
mayors, and of course he has 'claims"
after they are made. Fatty consent
ed this fall to the nomination of the Hon,
Abram s. Hewitt. Mr. Hewitt was not his
first choice, but it was a bad year to elect the
kind Of men FATTY preferred The
disclosures in regard to the Broadway
Surface railroad had made the peo-
pie suspicious of the style of men that
Fatty" and his friends were wont to recon-
mend. So he consented to the nomination of
Mr. Hewitt, and brought up the thieves and
cut Threats of the sixth ward to vote for
Hewitt and Reform. Very likely he pro-
fessed change of heart, and became an
earnest reformer himself for the time being.
Very likely he appeared as much shocked by
the land theories Of Mr. George as was Mr.
Hewitt, and entreated the good men of all
parties to band together and save the city
from the anarchists and socialists. But
Fatty" however he acted in public, proba-
bly, never allowed Mr.. Hewetts trainers to
forget that the denizens of the Second As
sembly district voted as he dictated and that
they would be instructed to vote for some
body other than Mr.. Hewitt unless favorable
consideration Of his ''claims" upon the party
were guaranteed in advance. So when Mr..
Hewitt was triumphantly elected "Fatty.'
stepped up promptly to demand his reward,
and as promptly got it in the shape of the
wardenship Of the Tombs prison.
So the truly good Mugwumps who shouted
for Hewitt and Reform and the weakbacked
Republicans who voted for him for fear the
city would fall into the hands of Henry |
George are to be treated to the edifying spec
tscls of seeing indicted into Office within a
few DAYS Of each other the Hon. Abram i.
Hewitt and the Hon. Fatty" walsh, both
Of them endorsed by the leaders of the !