Evening journal., 1912-07-12
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Tammany Leader Who
Was Worthy Of the
SObriquet Honest"
By Holland

Among the many famous leaders
that Tammany Hall has had since
its inception in the early days of the
Republic, John Kelly easily ranks
among the more famous, for it was
he who. when Il seemed probable
that Tammany Hall would 20 to
pieces as a result of the exposure of
the corruption practiced by the
Tweed ring. reorganized Tammany
to the satisfaction of the better ele-
ment of the Democratic party and
brough back to it much of its old
prestige. From the time of the over
throw of the Tweed ring in the early
seventies until 1884, or two years be-
fore his death, John Kelly was re-
garded as the autocrat and dictator Of
the Tammany organization.
One of Mr. Kellys shrewd politi-
cal moves was TO bring about the
nomination and election of the late
William r. Grace, merchant prince,
as mayor of New York city in 1880
Il knew John Kelly intimately"
Mayor Grace said to me at the time
Of Mr.. Kelly's death, both as a poll
tician and as a business man, and
politics justihes the statement that it
is possible for politics even in New
York city to be dominated by abso-
lutely honest men so far as money
matters are concerned.
81 was once talking with Mr. Kelly,
several years before became
mayor" continued Mr. Grace, "about
the emoluments which some of the
office holders of New York city then
frequently received, and | said to him
that | presumed the chamberlain OF
New York city, who is a sort of cash
cir OF the city's funds, got the larg-
est amount received by any Office
holder in the way of fees sometimes
running, as knew, as high as
| $4,000 year.
~Mr Kelly told me in reply that
the fattest paying Office anywhere in
the world through the receipts OF
lawful fees was that of sheriff of New
York county.
Yes, | replied, 1 know that the
gross fees are very large, but the
sheriff has so pay the entire expense
of his Office excepting rent, out of his
fees. lie has great many deputies
and large clerical force, and these
eat into the fees which he receives
very heavily.
"Grace, said he to me, L am
going TO tell you what ! receive in
the way of lawful fees from the city
of New York in the two terms just
after the civil War during which
served as sheriff | figured up after
went out of office what my net fees
were don't believe you can guess
IL didn't venture to make any
guess. but ! must say that was
amazed when Kelly told me that his
net fees we're a little over 100000,
every penny OF which was lawfully
collected That is fact never pHb-
licly known.
Kelly then said to me: While il
was perfectly lawful for me to col
lect those fees as sheriff. yet I al
ways felt as though there was some
thing wrong about It. therefore de.
cided to bring to the attention of the
Legislature the fact that a sheriff OF
New York was collecting fees which
made his Office the richest in the
world and that / believed the great.
er part of the fees ought to go to the
county or State Of New York, share
and share alike, that the community
ought to get the benefit Of them
felt that il had been paid for my
services as sheriff one-tenth part Of
the money I received in fees. I would
have been fairly we'll paid.
"'I found. however, that whenever
/ made the suggestion that the Legis.
lature should change the law anC
provide that the sheriff receive a fix
ed salary. turning all of the fees pait
to him over to the county of New
York, could not get one memhei
of the Legislature of either party tC
accept my views. You see. both par
ties counted upon the New Yorl
county sheriff's Office for many per
quisites'
q then raelized," said Mayor
!