Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-31
POLITICS AND FICaTINC MIX
Many Gotham Leaders Have Shown
Prowess with Their Fists.
TAMMANY BOWS TO BRUrsERs
Tweed, Kelly, Croker, Mclaughlin,
~suIhvsn, Foley, DuRne, Morris
sey ssd other Vote Getters
Literally FouEbt way.

LttrEAihs OuA"h WV
NEW YORK. Jan. s0.-"Nearly all the
big fighters and political leaders in my
Younger days sprang from the old volun-
feer fire department. said the old New
York sporting man to a group OF friends
the other night as they discussed the good
old DAYS when the boys ran with the ma
chine and gained in some Instances political
prominence by fighting many hard fist bat
ties, There was the old Americas Bis
six. a famous fire company that lay at
the corner Of Henry and Gouverneur
streets. 1t was organized in 1870 under the
Inspiration OF Boss Bill Tweed. I recall
that David NJ. Smith was the first fore
man and that Tweed succeeded him. Tweed
was a big, powerful man in those days
and would not back up stream for any mai
on the east side of the town. Tweed showed
his fistic ability and gameness in many
a hsnd-to-hand fight with rival fire CON-
panles. The way he sailed in with his big
brass trumpet, smashing heads right and
left. on those strenuous occasions was a
caution.
1T was Tweed's hard fighting that made
him the political leader OF Tammany hall.
Among the other noted foremen of Big
DIX were bOD bIUNuf n Edimclf AANh
Chase. Dick Kimmens. Bill Dunnelly and
Tony Burke, all good men in a scrap.
Burke, by the way, was the last chief Of
Big six, just before the old volunteer de-
pertinent gave way to the paid organiza-
ton which exists todsE.
Gave Birth to Club.
From the old Big six grew the Ameri-
Gus club. the greatest political organization
OF its day. Its summer club house and
grounds at Greenwich, Conn, was the
scene OF many extravagant feasts enjoyed
by The Tammsny leaders in those days.
1t was there that Tweed reigned in all his
splendor, surrounded by Peter B. Sweeney,
slippery Dick Connolly. Prince Harry
Genet, John I. Hoffman, A. Oakley Hall,
Commodore Joe TookeG, Frank Duffy,
Matt Brennan, Thunderbolt Mike Norton,
Senator Tom Dreamer, Colonel Jim Fisk,
Colonel Bill Brown, Ben Wood, Pat Kee-
nan, Judge Barnard. Chief John Decker of
the old fire department, Fatty Walsh, Col
onei Fellows and a host OF other noted
democrats. Bill Dunnelly was the presi-
dent Of the Americas club for many years,
and q right royal host he was.
Another great fighter followed Boss
Tweed as the leader of Tammany Hall,
WHO III MS younger udgs Wds ItduN "
scrap at the droop of the hat. Any man
who knew John Kelly forty years ago will
recall his fighting face and his well-knit
frame. With his beard shaved off Kelly
would have passed for a typical prize
fighter. Many a rough-and-tumble scrap
around election time proved Kelly TO be
Just what nature had intended him fora
physical fighter as well as a leader among
men. 1t was his pugnaclty that made John
Kelly the undisputed leader Of Tammany
for many years.
Dick Early Days.
Dick Croker followed Kelly as boss. In
his early life Croker worked In the ma
chine shops OF the Harlem railroad, where
nc developed his strength. and grew up as
hard as nails. He soon went to the head
of his class as a fighter while still in his
teens, winning many a hard battle before
he was %. One Of Croker's first notable
victories was over Reddy Haskins in =
formal battle that was fought in a cellar
on the East Side. Croker's next opponent
was Pat Kelly, whom he defeated in a
hard mill in a saloon at Third avenue and
Thirty-fifth street. Probably the most
noteworthy battle in which Croker had a
hand was the one with Dicky Lynch, a
well known pug, which took place in Jones
Wood one fine Sunday morning in 1866. 1t
was a terrific battle, lasting nearly one
hour, Croker beating his man so hard that
the latter had to be carried out OF the
rims in a helpless condition, After this
victory Croker was matched with Matt
Green and Denny Leavy. both OF whom he
defeated in his characteristic bulldog style.
These pugilis.lc honors soon gave Croker
much prcstise with the fighting element on
the East Side, and at the age OF Is he was
elected an alderman with the consent OF
Tweed.
Sheriff Jimmy o'Brien was also a
noted fighting leader of those days, and it
was o'Brien's reputation as a fighter that
attracted the attention Of Jim Fisk. Jay