New-York tribune., 1904-10-02
D. CADY HERRICK, JUrGf-BOSS OF ALBANY.
HOW7 HE DRAGGED JUDICIAL ERAINE IN MUD AND
DUST OF P4RTTSAN POLITICS.

a a p@lS.-'is @ -s".is feature of The Albany machine
t-as c9ie l" ne called Cleveland machine. when
In reailty Il was D. Csdy Herrick machine.
Il has been urged as q cause for praise OF D.
Cady Herrick that he was the political antag-
onist OF ex-senator David b Hil Certainly
th2t mucH abused statesman would seem, on the
strength q this utterance of newspaper hard
ly h.s champion. to have deserved some little
credit hitherto unbestowed for his long time
opposition to =. Cady Herrick and for once at
least for having arrayed mis- forces on the side
o. decency ana morality and against corruption
and vice
CAREER OF THE CANDIDATE
Iustice D. Cady Herrick. better known to the
citizens Of Albany the Judge Boss. was born IN
lS41 I'm Esperanco. village in the rock ribbed
Democratic county OF Schoharie But his po-
htical life is identified exclusively with the city
and county Of Albany. In the day when he went
20 the capital city Albany was a Democrat tic
balliwack. ruled by Daniel Manning. suhse-
Quently Secretary Of the Treasury IN CIoveIand's
first Cabinet The rule Of the Manning machine
differed little from that Of other Democratic ma
chimes OF The day. and the foundation OF its rule
lay IN the fact taat the secret ballot was stiU
unknown. Indeed. future historian may find
the decline OF Democratic rule in upstate cities
coincident wi;h The Introduction OF 4 system OF
voting which gave protection 10 the voter
The young Sehoharie lawyer entered politics
through the side door which he carefully closed
behind him. The side door was the Young Mems
Association Of Albany. q society which lad its
own politics. It's own elect ions and STRANGELY
enough. its own irregularities al its polls The
Young Mems Association developed local leaders
Samuel Hand and Clinton Cassidy whose names
are stiu remembered in Albany grew wise" in
this organization. The scandal OF vote buying
attached itself to this organization and persisted
IN 49, when Herrick made his first public ap-
pearance before the voters Of Albany as a candi-
date for District Attorney. he was defeated
then, but in 1880 was elected. and later he be-
came Corporation Counsel Of the city.
The political careers Of Alton B. Parker and D.
Cady Herrick crossed for the first time IN 1885.
when the present Democratic national candidate
engineered the election OF David B. H!n as Gov
ernor in one OF the most venaI campaigns in the
States history. The. previous year had seen the
election 10 the Presidency Of Grover Cleveland
and the appointment OF Daniel Manning as Sec
refary OF the Treasury. and on the shoulders OF
Herrick fell the mantle OF political leadership.
No one preteads that the Manning machine as
D Cady Herrick inherited II was d gentle or a
kindly political instrument. Indeed the friends
OF the Judge-Boss have been accustomed 10 ex-
cuse Democratic excesses under his rule as due
70 the condition Of the machine as it came 10
-44A@4- II u Aei4lrtl4peftt4
was not until D. Cady Herrick had been in the
saddle for years that TluI1-rsrtis-a uprising
overwhelmed bis rule and fatally shattered his
machine
HILL-EERRICK STRIFE.
After David 3. I'm had been elected Governor
largely by the Efforts OF A. 3. Parker who Sc
cured appointment to the Supreme Court bench.
Governor Hill then began his long struggle.
never wholly successful. 10 Gust Herrck from
control The bad blood between President
Cleveland ana Governor hin aided the situation.
and for the three years there was a struggle
over federal and State patronage. for the Her
rick machine for obvious reasons. vas forced 70
ally itself with the Cleveland administration. but
the limits Of this contest were larger than the
boundaries OF Albany County. for Herrick and
Hill were playing for the Democratic state
leadership. For tie next few years Herrick and
Hill divided the title OF State Democratic leader
IN 1891. nrovoked. so the legend goes, by the
declaration 4 David =. Hill that he couldn't get
the nomination. .. Cady Herrick successfully
landed both the nomination and election for Jus
tice OF the Supreme Court. Here one may note
the highest point in the power Of the Judge-Boss
His fight against D. B. Hill had up 10 this time
peen at most a drawn battle. His machine
engineered not by civic reformers, but by men
such as Gene" Wood John p Masterson. Nor
ton Chase. James ". Eaton and James Nc
Intyre. had not yet reached the point where its
offence against public decency insufferabla
Ballot box stuffing, repeating and brutality
marked its methods. but its exeesses were as yet
not too outrageous for a county long noted for
political corruption to endure.
But events were hurrying a climax. As an
elected justice Of the Supreme Court, D. Cady
Herrick still grasped the reins OF power. The
scandal OF the Judge-Boss grew and spread
hsv aaD7s
other than respect for judicial dignity urged
Herrick TO give up his position State COM
mitteeman.
He wouldn't abandon his friends" say Justice
Herricks apologists: thus showing little rever.
ence for the Parker tradition Of judicia! dignity
As State committeeman and Judge Boss he
fought Senator David g. HilrE snap convention
OF February. 1892. worked with William c
Whitney for the denomination OF Grover Cleve-
land. and not until Cleveland's election had as
sured him Of the power OF dictation of federal
patronage in his bailiwick did the Judge-Boss
abate one jot or little Of his political activity
or resign as State Committeeman.
Says THE New-XorI1 World" OF this period
IN Justice Herrick's life. In a sketch Of him
printed September 20. 1904:
Justice Herrick gave up the position in the State
committee anS II s only taT to say r, t9a5 b never be
served any committee or been a delegate TO any
real local political boss undeniable. No man
was nominated without his consent step in
camuaign was taken without his advice His
benchmen filed all the Offices. his enmity meant
political destruction
4 POLITICAL UPRISING.
The year 1893 marked the elimination Of a
generation OF political shame in the county OF
AIaary Already public Indignation was on the
verge OF revolt. only peculiar conditions had
nrevented a civic uprising. Says ''The World
a. the same sketch Of September 20: