New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-02-04

Senator Grady. long known as the silver
tongued orator OF Tammany Hall" had a
rather checkered political and private life
lie was born in this city on November %,
1852, and was educated at parochial schools
the De La Sale Institute and Manhattan
College.
After he left college he worked for D.
Appleton & Co While there he studied
law and later was employed by William G.
Whitney. His first political place was in
the County Clerks office. This was in 1874.
In 1875 he was census enumerator. He was
elected TO the Assembly In 1871, and was re-
elected each year until 1881. when he was
made a State Senator. While in the Sen
ate he declared war on Grover Cleveland,
then Governor. Mr.. Cleveland was so an
noyed and hampered by Grady's activity
that he wrote the following remarkable
letter 10 John Kelly, then leader Of Tam
many Hall:
Ny Dear Sir: 1t is not without hesita-
tion that j write this / have determined
TO do so, however. because see no reason
why ] should not be entirely frank with
YOU. / am anxious that AIr. Grady should
not be returned to the next Senate. i 90
sonal comfort and satisfaction are involved
in this matter, but | know that good legis-
lstion, based upon pure desire TO pro,
mote the best interests OF the people, and
the Improvement Of legislative methods are
also deeply involved. I forbear to write In
detail Of the other considerations having
relation to the welfare or the party ana
The approval TO be secured by a change for
The better in the character of its repre-
sentatives These things Will occur 10 you
without suggestion from me. Yours very
= A
truly, INV En- |I'HN rhAND'
This letter brought Grady into especial
nrominence. Kelly did not permit him 10 be
returned to the Senate, honoring Mr.. Cleve-
lands request. Grady took the stump
against Cleveland in 1884, but later be-
came reconcIled. and In 1888 made speeches
for him. Grady was appointed a police
ius,ice by Mayor Grant in 1891, and was
IeeisIated out Of office In 1895. After w.
pourke Cochran was driven out of Tam
many Hall Grady was regarded as Tam
rnarv,s chief orator. He always "obeyed
orders" in the accepted Tammany way and
II was his submission to the will of the
boss in 1906 that brought to him "the
dirtiest DAVIS work Of my career" as he
axnressed It. when, on instructions from
Murnbv. he nominated William r. Hearst
for Governor in the convention at Buffalo.
Croker Scared by Cutlery.
In 1897 Croker decreed that Grady. who
WAS very close TO him, should be nominated
for District Attorney. A great howl went
IN from both within and without the or
qan,zation. and Croker was reluctantly
comnelled to abandon the idea, and he
dominated Colonel Asa Bird Gardiner
GRADY was then sent to the Senate.
-pte was Democratic leader in the Senate
for ten years while his party was in the
minority. In 1910, when the Republicans
lost control of that body, he wanted the
majority leadership but was thrust aside
FOR Robert f. Wagner. He was one Of the
strongest opponents OF Governor Hughes's
anti-racetrack bills. He and John Raines
made the bipartisan compact which held
nm other Hughes reform measures and con-
troIled much legislation. He was also num-
bered among the few who voted TO dismiss
the charges against lothian p. Aids.
In 1908 Mr.. Grady gained a lot of unde
sired notoriety as result OF raid made
mon Bob Daviss poolroom clearing
hou.a IN Fulton street. A deposit slip found
IN Davis's safe showed that somebody con-
nected with the clearing house had depos-
tied or prepared TO deposit 500 to Senator
Grady's credit in the Windsor Trust Com
nanv II was in connection with the dis
closures following this raid that the story
got out about the alleged betting Of 5000
bv Senator Grady on Azelina in the fifth
race For months following this Mr.. Grady
when esrtooned was always astride Aze-
lima.
Senator Gradys name also was men,
toned In the IRE insurance investigation,