New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-12-06
O'BRIEN FOR HAYES'S JOB.
CHOSEN BY THE MAYOR.
Mr. McCIeIlan's Secretary TO Be
Fire Commissioner.

| Mayor Mcclellan told his callers at the City
Hall yesterday that he had decided to appoint
his secretary, John II. O'Brien, Fire Commits
sioner to succeed Nicholas ]. Hayes who was
elected Sheriff. Mr.. O'Brien was the Mayors
campaign manager. and the escape OF the city
ticket from defeat is credited In large part to
Mr.. OBrien.
Mr. OBrien came to New-York from Buffalo
in the winter of 1902. He was a newspaper
man before becoming the Mayors secretary
He has unusual ability and adaptability, and
his friends confident that he will be a wor-
thy successor to Commissioner Hayes.
Any really first class man who wants to be Po-
! lice Commissioner, and will post bond guar
anteeing that he will not be criticised, can have
the job at Mulberry-st. on the asking.
Mayor Mcclellan is longer admirer OF
| Commissioner MeAdoo. A year ago the Mayor
told his friends, and Mr.. McAdoo's friends, that
| as long as he remained at the City Hall Mr..
| McAdoo should be the Police Commissioner, If
| he wanted the place. But Mr. McAdoe is human
Like his predecessors. he has been the target
of the verbal hammer throwers Many of the
| missiles have hit him, and the crash has been
heard more than once by the Mayor in City
Hall Park
The Mayors grievance against McAdoo seems
to be, according to the best information obtain
able, that Mr.. MeAdoo was too much under
the influence of Captains Bourke and Eggers
and William Howell secretary to the Commits
sioner. The influence of these gentlemen, 1t
is said at the City Hall, has been damaging
to the morale of the force.
The rupture between Commissioner McAdoo
and the Mayor is said to date from the period
following Deputy Commissioner Lindsley's
death. Commissioner McAdoo had man picked
out for the place. When he suggested the name
RI lotta ke
him So Commissioner McAdoo thought that
the Mayor was interfering with something not
properly within his province, and he decided not
TO name any for the place.
James ]. Martin, who sat in the Police Board
in the early COS might be appointed but for the
record of the old board. The Mayor Is sensitive
to criticism by the newspapers, and he is afraid
that II he appoints Martin as McAdoo's success
sor the papers will say that he has gone from
bad TO worse.
It is about the same as settled that Water
Commissioners John T. Oakley and Bridge Com
missioner George E. Best will have to go. II
the Mayor get good machine men for the
places he will make the filling of the positions
a political family matter and please the machine
With the prospect of four years at the City
Hall ahead of him his friends say that he isn't
particular whether he pleases the district lead
not.
Unless Commissioner Oakley gets a good place
there is going to be music in the Tammany
camp Mr.. Oakley is one of the most popular
men In the organization, and has spent much
time and money working for Tammany Hall.
1t isn't that he could not make living If thrown
his own resources but his removal from the
Water Department without some sort of salve
to ease the pain will make the wigwam ring
with denunciation of Mcclellan and Murphy.
Charles F. Murphy and the Mayor are be-
Iieyed to have a perfect understanding. Mr..
Murphy IS in position to say that the Mayor
must be allowed to follow out his own policy |
Murphy is wealthy. If he is retired from CON
troll of the organization account of not OPP /
posing Mcclellan it be done without any I
danger that he will be dispOssessed for failure /
to pay rent. It looks If Murphy would |
retain control of the organization and that Nc /
Clean would essay the role of the reformer, |
as far as is prudent for a Democrat with pain |
in his destiny" DESTROYS Of regaining lost
prestige