The St. Louis Republic., 1904-03-27
Mayor Announces That Police
Commissioner McAdoo Has
His Full Support in War on
Gambling Element.
MURPHY HOLDS UP HIS HANDS.
fammany Chieftain Braves Re
sentiment of Rowdy Element
and Dissension in Wigwam
fsr to Give Good Government.

REPUBLIC SPECIAL
.sts New York, March 26.-Mayor George B.
Mcclellan served notice upon the gam
bling element generally and the opponents
of Charles f. Murphy particularly last
night that ''the nd'' Is riveted down in
.s New York and that he intends to see that
It is kept down.
mo one can doubt that the Id Is on, and
that the LID will stay on
In his most emphatic manner. Mayor
Mcclellan made this declaration at the
dinner of the Lotos Club. at which he was
the principal guest. In other words ear
rying the same meaning he repeated the
statement several times during his address
and evoked for himself enthusiastic ap-
plause.
Since DR.. Parkhurst coined the now-fa-
nous phrase, by saying just after the
elections last November that "the lid Of
hell will be taken of on January L. the
2 dato when Mayor Mcclellan took up the
reins Of government at the City Hail.
everything in Gotham has been the lid"
DR.. Parkhurst, like a great many other
reformers. has been agreeably surprised
by the fact that ''the lid" is fastened
down even more firmly than during the
administration Of Mayor Low.
This has caused much bitter feeling
among number Of the Tammany leaders.
who expected that New York would be
''wide-open" town after the success of
Tammany. 1t is this sentiment that the
Mayor and Charles F. Murphy are now
combating.
PROBLEM FOR TAMMANY.
Fixed in their determination to carry out
antielection pledges, both Mayor McCIel-
Ian and Murphy are facing the most seri-
Gus and complex situation that has con-
fronted Tammany Mayor and Tam
many Hall leader in many a year. In
their policy Of keeping the city from again
becoming wide open they are being as
sailed from within and without their or
ganization by fifteen Tammnny district
leaders, who are fighting savagely to tear
off the lid" and throw it away.
Both Mayor Mcclellan and Mr.. Murphy
are standing solidly behind Police Com
missioner McAdoo in his fight to suppress
the poolrooms and gambling-houses that
have been opening up.
Before Commissioner McAdoo took the
appointment as head OF the Police Depart
'ment he had thorough understanding
with the Mayor and the Tammany leader,
and the rule he now is enforcing was then
determined upon 1t will be carried cut If
It means that high officials of the Police
Department are to be dismissed and that
certain district leaders of Tammany Hall
nte brought into open revolt.
II YCommissioner McAdoo is perfectly able
to cope with the situation as 1t exists"
said Mayor Mcclellan, when questioned on
the situation. He has my utmost conf
dence and approval in the course he is fol-
lowing. and can count on my hearty sup
port. The pledges which I made to the
people in the last campaign were made to
keep, and am keeping them"
MEETING IN THE WIGWAM.
The majority of Tammany leaders are
lined up Loyalty with Mayor Mcclellan and
Mr. Murphy in this crisis, even though
some of them would like to see little
more moderation exercised toward the
Sporting element. But the mutterings of
the minority have become louder and
slouder as the days pass, until this week,
with the opening of the racing season in
the East at Bennings, the open defiance
seems near at hand.
Head and front among the disaffected
leaders is Alderman Timothy P. Sullivan
iof sthe Sixth District, and the vice chair
man of the board. He has been gath
ering about him leaders whose interests
have been affected in one way or another
until he has formidable number OF fol- |
lowers. Whether the Sullivan contingent |
Will dare to make fight against the lead |
ership OF Mr.. Murphy is yet problematical. |