New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-23
HENRY ID. PURROY DEAD.
S"ccHmbs to an ATTACK of Heart
Disease at Saratoga after DriUe.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE rR1B1rNE.

saratoga, n. Y, Aug. 22.-Ex-County Clerk
| Henry D. Purroy. of New-Yorz City and Sara
! toga, died suddenly from heart disease at 5:04
o CLOCK this afternoon at his cottage No 1O6
ReSent-st, where he passed his summers EarIv
IN the day. accompanied by his brother Chief
Charles D. Purroy, of the New-York Fire De-
partment who arrived yesterday, ne drove to
the White Sulphur Springs. at the south end
OF Saratoga Lake, and return a distance of six
teen miles
Ihey returned to the cottage about / o'clock
this afternoon: On alighting from his carriage
MI Purroy spoke of feeling faint and was as
sisted into the house. aHe continued to grow
worse, despite medical attention, and sue
cumped to the attack. Mr.. Purroy, who was
also eX-Flre Commissioner and ex-presdent of
the Board Of Aldermen of New-York City, made
Saratoga his summer home for over ten years
He was ffty-five years Old His widow sur
yves him. He leaves besides his brother, Chief
FurroY, two sisters, Mrs Mitchell and Miss
Josephine Purroy, Of New-York City. The
funeral Will take place at the Church of ST.
Francis Xavier. in New-York City, but the date
has not been fixed.
Henry d. Purroy, ex-presdent OF the Board Of
aldermen, eX-Fire Commissioner, and for many
years one of the powers of Tammany Hall, was
born in this city in 1S4S. His father John B. Pur-
roy, was Of Spanish stock. He was a well known
American republics. The Spanish blood showed
plainly in Mr. Purroys appearance. He was over
six feet tall. of stocky build, with lowering brows
and swarthy complexion. His mother was Irish,
and in his mental makeup and personal sympathies
he was much Irishman.
Nj Purroy was educated in the Holy Cross Col
lege at Worcester, Mass, and was graduated from
st. John College at Fordham. After his gradua-
ton he spent few months in a mechanics shop
but soon turned his attention the law. and was
admitted TO the bar in 1869. He formed the law
firm Of Purroy & Butzel, which was continued for
many years, and in spite of his many political
activities he continued to practise law more or
less constantly till the time of his death. He
worth it is thought, not than 100000, and it
was always said of him that he was not in poll
tics for the money he could get. He married, in
1895 Miss Catherine l. Hillsburgh.
From lis earliest youth Mr. Purroy took a deep
interest in politics and while yet in college began
to take an active part in them. AS he
he went to work in earnest, and from that
time until 1896, when Inc Van Wyck administration
came in. he was continually oficeholder. and
TIL the time Of his death he exercised great in
duence through his organization, the Little Tam
many.
Mr.. Purroy's methods in politics were autocratic
in the extreme. He would tolerate opposition,
and had been known to use physical force to carry
an argument against an opponent His desire
throughout his career was to dominate things,
see the wheels go round and feel that he
furnishing the motive power He was never ac-
cused Of making money through his ofices-that
a thing for which he did not He
always loyal to his friends and bad enemy.
He was always completely able TO dominate his
organization, and to carry it with him whether
he working for Tammany or against it.
Mr.. Purroy took his first lessons in politics from
John Kelly, and soon became one of KeIy's most
able leutenants. He organized a machine under
Kelly. and it, and his first Office was that of
alderman from the Twenty-tbird and Twenty
fourth wards which he in 1874, when twenty
six years old. Two years later he became Presi-
dent of the Board, and the next year he was made
sachem of Tammany Hall
at that time it looked if he would be a great
power in the hall. He had thoroughly organized
his district had introduced the social character
istcs which have since become SO popular into his
clubs and was in measure independent. But in |
1851 ne was made Fire Commissioner by Mayor |
GraGe and / lite later he was driven from Tam
Hall in its atfscE o f6 ne REUSED 10 support the
Ized Little Tammany, Joined forces with the County
Commissioner bv MaVnr Cree IN ~ nue. Flre
afterward he petoneS Ts1 1Ce iss9 ana soon
LEVITT had refused 10 let the Irish hao fly from the
County Democracy at that time wished him to OPP |
pose Judge Donohue also had something to do with !
but organized the Purroy Democracy in opposition
the campaign He was reappointed F'iTe TnJoi
sioner, and slipped hack into Tammany again His |
chief credit for the b stdT OF 9 gIEe 10 MN me
the department was brought that time In 1850 /
he was elected county clerk by Tammany. ana in |
1895 he reelected. "
His final separation from Tammany dates from |
Mr.. Croker's retirement. He had always been a |
warm friend Of the boss. and many thought that he
would succeed him. He not satisfied with |
Sheehan as leader, and withdrew from and bitterly
the organization under him. He was an |
ardent supporter of Bryan, although he had advo-
Gated the gold plank at the Chicago convention bur
he supported Roosevelt in the latters campaign for
Governor, and twice supported Low for Mayor /
OF late years he had appeared little the political
but he held till his death the control of his
own organization. and showed many indications of |
return 10 power through its instru-