New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-12-02

evening.
best. but Re had been really III only week
He had his dinner served 10 him IN bed
last evening at o'clock, and half an hour
later he was stricken. He sank into a coma
and died twenty minutes later, without re-
gaining consciousness.
Mr.. Gilroy was one OF the first Of these
who came 10 be called practical politicians
He set his mind 10 his career and made
Of II what he could Born IN Ireland on
January g. $40. his parents brought him
here when he was FIVE years old. He ap-
peared in the public schools in 1915 and re-
NAMED there s0r ten years, when he be-
came printer. Even while setting type at
the case he became Interested in politics
and dabbled in il now and then. one
night, when he was twenty years old, he
laid down mis- stick and said:
This is the last stickful I'll ever set I
think I have brains enough 20 earn my
living IN another way"
Boss" Tweed had already had his eyes
on the young printer. and Gilroy had his
first political job as a clerk in the Board Of
Public Works first AZ $500 and later at an
increase Of $500. He had done some per
soma work for Tweed, and this was his
recorpense. He studied the city. politics
and Tammanv. OF which he was a member.
assiduously, and his shrewdness made him
G power IN the machine before most per-
sons realized nc was even a small cog in IL
The records show that from 1853 10 1870
ne was sixth clerk Of the Croton Aqueduct
department" one Of the innumerabe clerks
Tweed put on the citys payrolls The
boss must have recognized how valuable
Guroy was FOR the latter soon became his
messenger. and then went 10 Albany as a
legislative clerk. His real work was look
Ing after Prince Harry Genets private
business.
Genet was convicted fed. surrendered
and was imprisoned but Gilroy me UP
out Of the muck without a stain, his friends
said They called him 'on the level" Tam
many gave him the clerkship OF Part 7 OF
the Superior Court az 5000 a year. He left
that 10 take an assistant clerkship in the
10Th District Court. iu Kingsbrdge A few
months later Judge Henry T. MCGOWAN
made him clerk Of the 9Th District Court in
Harlem. with a salary OF 5000 and he held
% this for eight years.
People outside the charmed circle did not
know how strong GIroy really was until
iu 1854 he was selected 70 manage the
campaign Of Mayor Hugh J. Grant. He
ran 80 on business basis which was char
aeterfstic of an his political transactions,
his adferents said. Tammany paid him
back. for the next year, when the Tiger
gained aeeen5ency again Gilroy became
Deputy County Clerk, at 5000 a year
While he was County Clerk Judge Donohue
appointed him receiver for Mitchell, Vance
4 CO.. and this called forth much adverse
Hfg nG
rnanaaemsnt and astuteness. The estimates
OF the tota assets Of the firm were $4,000
vet Dc turned over more than three times
as much To- creditors when he wound up
affairs
For five months in 1889 ne was under
sheriff az $3.50 a year by appointment Of
Naro- Grant. who then made him Commits
s.orar or Public Works at 5000 he
worked hard and late. and said his ambi-
zion was to make New York the best kept
and best paved city in the world. Three
wears later. when ne was Mayor, the work
was COINS on a fine rate.
This having project seems 10 have been
his net. for he had not been three weeks
ir the MAYORS chair when he tackled il
e,ayy ike a much later Mayor he delved
trt. -rt classics but only 10 the extent
.tst re had huge Latin tones translated
f.- mis- benefit and read with glee the howl
frr. az the Romans over bad streets and
,.rir, frouriee. he also planned a bridge
'.,-e- tho Harlem Ship Canal az 22tn street.
. ,-.tar fr-ssure station and tower at
-1att st~ect and Harlem River the i'm
,,.,,,e,oert II the CrOtOn watershed and
.l.. t,r.1af-g az the Harlem River Speedway
,.yb. 70 was his pet sOrrel tnat heIpeo
t... a.. ,,~o. the apur0priatiOn OF Sl'Z5VVp
FOR trc Speedway. FOR the sorrel was an
everyday part Of his life. People useu u
watch the house a. 80 West l-ist street.
around The corner from Mount Norris PARK,
every morning at S o'clock Ihe soIIei
bIfersg d. light driving wagon "ouiu
draw. I'D iu 'front.' OF the door, ana conh-
pacflr b1Ht man. with gray IN his halr ana
n5stacbe. would get in and drive 7"aS.
Tr. .fa-or always drove for an nour "eh'
hon. and then came downtown Oy the
"I.. Getting 10 his Office at % O'CLOCK
r.. term I'm the Mayors office was
.r,r,b f,r him. for he declined renomlna-
.is- On. srou became president Of the
Twelfth ward Bank. serving In that ca
yacitr tbre, or four years. lie was srahu
s1chem " Tammany IN ISL
since he left the bank he had engaged AN
little activ, business other than the hiaH-
agement Of his property in ana arounu Fdi
Kockawav whore he built me nome.
About ten wears ago he was III ana so'u
his town house iD l2lst street ana ever
since had lived az Far ROckaway.
he leaves six daughters ard ip'I s"ii7'
Tic funeral ar.ansemeuts viii be an
LG-IceL Later.