New-York tribune., 1905-04-23
THE DOODLE ALDERMEN.


Indeed, it would seem that the fate Of the
Doodle aldermen OF the board of 1884 had been
forgotten by their SUCCESSORS. 1t was then that
Jacob Sharp bought enough members to OBJ
tain a franchise for a street railroad iE Broad
way. II was brought out I'm the trials that fol-
lowed that S5O0.OOO Of bonds OF the old 7th-ave.
railroad had been sold to pay the bribes. AS
result of various prosecutions five aldermen
were sent TO Sing Sing. and several other
members would also have been served the same
way had they not run away to Canada. Jake
Sharp was also convicted and sentenced to con-
fnement for four years and a half in State
prison. together with a fine Of $1,000. This
judgment was later set aside and Sharp was
released on heavy bail He died the following
year.
A TYPICAL ALDERMANIC SPEECH.
Some Of the speeches made in the aldermanic
chamber of the City Hall stand unparalleled as
examples of gutter oratory. Here is one by
way OF illustration, spoken by Alderman Bridges
June % 1902. in regard to the proposition to
bestow the names Manhattan. Williamsburg
and BlackwelPs Island on the new Fast River
bridges He said:
They is no use OF given such new tangled
names TO them bridges. allays has believed
that a feller cud call a spade a spade. The
same way they ought ter call bridge bridge.
When wuz born me father said ter me:
Another little bridge, eh? Well as long as
yer has ter be carried round you'll be
pinsion bridge; and wen yer grow up and join
the army and ride a horse you'll be a canter-
lever
AN me name is Bridges. and I ain't
ashamed. either. Even if I am Bridges won't
let 'em walk over me, but I'll give everybody a
lift
Now. why don't you call them bridges Nos
/. ?. 3. etc. II you call 'em that you'll make
the other fellow know watts in your nut, and II
he don't his thinlIn' machine is too much
the bum ter be broke up fer junk"
During the session Of a Board Of Aldermen
there Is most likely to be some kind Of horse
play going on. The ''swiping Of watches" is a
favorite sport among the members of this body
and frequently the joke is carried so far that its
victim comes 20 believe that he has actually
lost his timepiece.
When Seth Low was Mayor. and happened te
be IN the chamber one day. Little Tim Sui
uvan. leader Of the Tammany contingent
"swiped" the watch OF David Holmes a member
for the 18th District. AS soon as Mr.. Holmes
realized his loss he started a great hue and cry,
ana had detective summoned. who made
thorough but vain search. Finally Mr.. Fornes
the president OF the board, who lCsNd not served
long enough TO know all the tradS6ons Of that
body. tapped for order and said:
Il have just been agreeably surprised by the
presentation Of watch. I wish to thank the
members for their kindness and appreciation,
and hope that in return may
Beg pardon" shouted Mr. Holmes. ''but that
is my watch! Some one pinched' It a few min
utes ago.?
Mr.. Fornes at first was considerably taken
aback but finally he smiled at hearing the
Mayor say:
Don't you know that everything stolen in the
Board OF Aldermen is returned?"
In the days OF the doodle aldermen" there
@as Tar less formality in taking graft" than
nowadays The members then used to have
what they called their present boxes" along
the corridor leading into the chamber. If any
one wanted permit a franchise or anything
else, he only needed to drop an appropriate
present into the boxes. Once IN while the
tedium OF the ordinary routine Of receiving
presents was broken by one alderman stealing
anOtheT's box.