The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-03-31

FROM the New \ Ork w orld
~ oBERT A VAN WICK, former
|" Mayor of New York, babe fare
~ well to the country of his birth.
He sailed on the Kaiser Wilhelm II. for
Bremen, whence he will go to Paris, to
reside permanently. He will not give up
his American citizenship nor his MEM
bershlp in the Democratic club, but he
has cast his last vote here, and will re-
turn only at times on business.
Mr.. Van Wyck has had this step in
mind two years. A year ago when he
returned from Europe he decided to re-
turn to the French capital to live. He
will be Joined in Paris by Charles w.
Morse, his close personal friend and as
sociata in ice-trust stock deals, to con-
clude the purchase of the mansion at
the head of the Champs Elysee once oc-
cuped by DR.. Evans, the American dem
list who died in Paris and left a large
estate. A little more than year ago
Van Wyck and Morse had a plan TO
transform the mansion into modern
hotel, but the project was abandoned.
They offered $700O0O for the mansion and
grounds, but the executors demanded
100000 1t is expected that they will in-
crease their bid, in view Of the steady in
crease in real estate values, to sum
nearer the figure named by DR.. Evans
executors. The mansion has command
ing position nearly opposite the unhappy
home of the Castellanes. and occupies
an entire block, with a frontage of about
800 and a depth of 1000 feet.
The former Mayor has two automo-
biles in Paris and has engaged an exS
perienced chauffeur to guide him and
his friends over the best roads In Eu-
rope. He will not visit New York again
until the early summer of 1907, and then
will not remain longer than a week or
ten days. After that the intervals OF re-
turns. In all probability. will become
longer Mr.. Van Wycls's severance of all
social and political ties will be as COM
plete as the cutting loose from old as
soclates by Richard Croker.
Mayor Van Wyck's fortune was ac-
quIred during and after his term of Of
flee. There have been many Mayors who
had greater fortunes than he before they
became incumbents. There is none who
went in with so little and came out with
so much. His wealth is estimated at So
900, 900. lie has made more than half of
1t since he left office. He is credited with
having made nearly sl,OO0OOo in American
Smelling shares in the last year.
All his investments have been fortunate.
He was interested in the Peoria Gas
combine, and was said to have large
block of dividend-paying shares in south
ern coal lands and railroads. In 1869 he
was a clerk earning si2 a week. In 1872
he was graduated from the Columbia law
school, and soon after Joined Tammany
He shifted from Tammany to the county
democracy in 1850 after an attack on John
Kelly In 1856 he returned to Tammany.
Croker took him up and was respon-
sible for his subsequent political sue
cesses.
His first office of Importance was that
was elected in 1883. The salary was s10.-
900 a year. Out of this he made liberal
contributions to the Tammany campaign
find. in 1895 he was reelected and made
chief Justice, and in 1897 Croker put him
up as the Tammany candidate for Mayor
He made one speech of 1871 words in that
campaign. He was elected to serve four
years, from January 1, 1895
Van Wycks connection with Ramapo
and the ice trust illustrated his utter con-
tempt for public opinion. 1t was proved
beyond question BY the Nazet investigat-