New-York tribune., 1902-05-25
/. SILENT JACK CARROLL.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SMOOTH
sCALPED, SMOOTH FACED, SMOOTH
HAMMERED MAN WHO SOUGHT
TO DOWN CROKER.

known as "Croker's right hand man." or Silent
Jack" for the reason that until last week he
never uttered a word for publication. the atten-
tion OF the public has been focused again on this
man who audaciously sought to usurp his for
mer masters throne. His unsuccessful attempt
has by no means diminished the interest with
which politicians generally regard the man. and
it is understood that although beaten for the
present, Mr.. Carroll has not given up his aspira-
tions and thus IL happens that many stories
have recently come out about the smooth
scalped, smooth shaven. smooth hammered man
who was so long the submissive and trusted dis
ciple of boss whom he tried to overthrow.
It is impossible however. to describe the per
sonality of Mr.. Carroll without a contempora-
neous study of the peculiar characteristics of ex-
Mayor Van wyck. With the election of Van
Wyck. John F. Carroll was made the deputy
boss of Tammany Hall. and it in his hands
that the rens of the organization were placed
when Croker sailed back to England the follow
ing April. Carroll had at this time the fullest
confidence of the old Man" Croker is called
by some of the younger fry of the organization
when he is out of earshot, and the following
story is told TO illustrate the confidence of the
boss in his deputy. well the intimacy be-
tween Carroll and Van Wyck.
1t appears that Croker and Carroll had had a
long confab one night in the upper private cham
was wont 10 talk over the most weighty matters
with his chosen henChmen. When Mr.. Carroll
appeared an hour later in the gorgeous Red
Room. on the first floor. he Chanced to meet
Mr.. Van wyck the Mayor-e1eCt. There was an
effusive greeting the part OF the head OF the
successful Tammany ticket. who Immediately
added:
Am late? Have you been upstairs?"
Never mind. Bob said Carroll in that un-
INN a=ciOr cd ~.
Never mind. I've got your orders for you
At this the Mayor-eleCt laughed heartily and
the two sauntered off to have a quiet talk, sup
posedly about the orders" in the cafe.
The close relations which have long existed
and which are still unbroken between Carroll
and Van Wyck were shown in a more startling
fashion in the administration of the latter as a
consequence Of the exposure Of the Ice Trust
When the list of the alleged holdings of the
stock was made public it was headed as follows:
Mayor Van Wyck 900 shares
John +. Carroll. Observation-Disclosures. 1000 shares
Prior to the exposure of the trust. Mayor Van
Wyck and the deputy boss Of Tammany Hall
had taken a long trip through the river districts
of the State of Maine. in which the American
Ice Company harvests and stores large part
Of its annual supply. The two men were in the
company Of Charles w Morse. president of the
company. The pleasure trip" was scarcely
over when the fact uncovered that Van
Wyck and Carroll stockholders in the
trust. AS consequence, the nickname Of Ice
Jack is applied to Mr. Carroll by his po-
htcal adversaries. and in like manner the sobri-
quet Of ice Bob" has in many quarters sup
planted the more stately name Of Robert A.
Van Wyck
Mr.. Carroli's connections with the Ice Trust
were brought out in a somewhat humorous way
at the last Democratic State Convention AS
will he remembered by those who attended this
gathering, which rapid developments soon
showed to be dominated by Richard Croker. an
upstate delegate tried TO introduce a resolution
denouncing the iniquity of the Ice Trust. \ few
minutes afterward Mr. Carroll left his seat in
the han and walked out as If to get a breath of
cooler and fresher air. As he was returning TO
the convention. one of his Tetaners. who had
not reached the hall until then up to the
smooth faced deputy boss and exclaimed
Hello, what have they been doing in there
Trying to stop the Ice Trust from making
ice out of Ramapo water. was the quiet an
swer
Although Mr. Carroll is commonly said to
have got his start in politics back i'm the seven
newspaper men. he has in later years been
noted for his aversion 10 tho representatives, Of
the press and ne has uniformly and with only
one exception met their inquiries with
evasive smile. a shake of the head and a half
intelliEihle Dunno"
The story is told at the CITY Hall even at
the present time. that tho man who discovered
John +. Carroll and first boosted him 10 the
front Edward Reilly. who was at one time
president Of the City HdI Reporters AssoCia-
tion. Reilly introduced Carroll To the big
men around the CITY Hall and after Carroll
had obtained his first civil appointment in the
Park Department at the hands Of Joseph j.
DorohuP. Reilly continued To boom the merits
Of his young friend. Then, now. Carroll was
stout. smooth shaVen and smiling. Later he
obtained clerical work at the City Hall. and
result of one promotion after another he
obtained the lucrative post ct as some cf the
Tammany OffiCeholders would term ~. the fat
job" Of clerk OF the General Sessions Court. at
a salary of 5000. with many sucCulent fees.
In spea king of his duties In this position. which
he held twelve years MIR Carroll is once quoted
as saying to an intimate friend:
1T takes about two hours day to look
after the job. and the rest Of the time belongs
TO the crowd
AS illustrative Of the manner which Mr. Car
roll assumed I'm the course of the last fifteen
years toward newspaper men. the following
story is told of reporter who tried 10 get an
interview with him after meeting OF the eS-
ecutive committee of Tammanv Hall
The reporter had not covered the field Of poll
tics before and totally ignorant Of the
peculiar characteristics Of the smooth shaven
leader of the XXIXth District Accordingly he |
walked up 10 Mr. Carroll and, extending his |
hand pleasantly, said
MIR. Carroll. I want 10 ask you what was
the result of the meeting
"Eh." the answer Mr.. Carroll turned |
his back on the speaker.
Il want 10 learn the outcome Of the meeting |
whether YOU took any action or not''' persisted |
the newspa per man. not At all daunted 10y the |
GOODNESS of his reception
Mr.. Carroll turned around on his heel. stared |
the reporter in the eve minute, smiled bllndly |
and then mumbled:
Dunno
Thank YOU" remarked the reporter after a
moments awkward pause Il am very glad 10 |
have met YOU Mr.. Carroll. and by the way, |
what good weather having"
Dunno" was the scarcely audible reply. as |
the Tammany deputy boss brushed past him and |
disappeared ont of the door.
Before Mr.. Croker went to England after the |