The Washington herald., 1912-07-07
Cincinnat1s New Mayor Tells Hon
Boss Cox Finally Was Opertfropn
Henry T. Hunt, Now Only "a, Goes Ont
to Reform City, Pulls Cox from the
Throne and Elects Himself
Mayor of Ohio ToWn.
By JAMES B. MORROW.

hair and an almost mournful counte-
nance, took leisurely walk one autumn
morning. Herewith began the downfall
of George B. Cox, the mightiest boss
in America.
Il had long heard about political con-
ditions in Cincinnati" Henry T. Hunt,
the young man, said to me. He is now,
at the age of thirty-four, mayor Of the
city. There was no acting, no rhetoric
ing, no gr,macing-just homely MARIA
tive by an Unconditional citizen in blue
clothing and tan shoes thaS needed pol
isting. Several years ago 1 went into
the Silver Moon region, SO named after
a saloon in the neighborhool. on tour
of observation. 1t was election day. A
friend accompanied NE. We wanted TO
check up the shameful and sensational
reports that certain academic gentlemen
were circulating with the facts as We
found them.
Il saw a polling place at the side of a
street. Negroes We're coming out carry
ing white tickets in their hands The
tickets had been given them by chal-
lenger inside the booth and meant that
the negroes had voted according to IN
structions. There are little room, In
which were clerks and d cashier, on the
other side of the street l saw the ne
groes go in and hand their tickets 10 the
cashier and saw the cashier pay each
of them a one-dollar bill. l looked up
a policeman and demanded the arrest OF
the person who was handing out the
money He refused to act. saying that
the polling place was not on his beat.
The Cashier Moved His ONCE.
Morrison Waite, nephew of former
Chief Justice of the United States Su-
preme Court, who was running for Of
alnnov with
me to the city hall Members of the
board of elections heard my complaint,
smiled at one another and curtly advised
me TO swear out warrants on my own
responsibility. When attempted to do
so / learned that all the clerks at
Police Court were of in the wards
hustling. 1 returned to the Silver Moon
neghborhood. Warning had been tele-
phoned ahead OF me, however, and the
cashier was nowhere to be seen.
II followed a stream Of negroes who
were leaving the polling place with the
same white cards in their hands, walk
Ing through a vacant lot and disap-
pearing under a bridge. I found the
cashier under the bridge paying out
money as before. Again I hunted for
q policeman, took him to the bridge
and had him witness the proceeding.
He saw the cashier pay the negroes and
the negroes give the cashier the cards
they had brought from the election
booth. 1 ordered him to take the CASH
Ter into custody. I can't do it, he
said Go and get warrant
az am a lawyer I informed him,
and assure you that you have full
authority. as you well know, If you
know anything. to arrest on sight when
the law is being violated
But he would not act. I meant to
push the case afterward. but was told
1t would do no good. Elliott H. Pen
dleton, a man of property, education,
and culture, who was engaged in an
effort to clean up Cincinnati politically,
heard of my experiences and put me on
reform committee. In a year or two
was elected to the State Legislature.
My active interest in driving George
q. Cox out of the government Of this
county and city began the day 1 Wis
tied the Silver Moon district and saw
votes bought and sold openly like mer-
chandise"
Would Have Made Cox Laugh.
The potentialities of an autumn walk
Is, properly enough, the primary theme
of this interview with Mayor Hunt
Cox. no doubt, would have laughed-if
he ever laughs, which is Improbable
had he seen young Hunt, not long out
Of Yale University and the Cincinnati
law School, starting away on his COM
cal quest for electoral wickedness. On
that particular November morning Cox
was the accepted master of Cincinnati,
with its 3s5.00O inhabitants, 400 fac
tories and 10000 mechanics and work
Ing people. Judges of the courts hum
bly, made the sign of obedience in his
presence. Cannon-voiced and iron
listed men from the precincts crept up
10 him like frightened spaniels. Bank
ers gladly called him brother" Man
ufacturers longed to have him num-
bered among their shareholders. And
here was an ant gnawtng away at the
base OF the Pyramids!
I'm his boyhood Cox drove a butchers
wagon" Mayor Hunt told me. when I
lsked him for a sketchy description or
he greatest individual boss ever developed
~ American politics. From being
,ouncer In a saloon, he was put behind
he counter as a bartender and event.
aally owned a place of his own at Dead
Mans Corners, in the red light district.
de got into precinct politics, then ward
politics, and then State politics. Begin
ling with one councilman, he increased
his ownership to two councilmen, and
heH to- five. and finally made the laws
" the ciV and controlled all the public
,fices in Cincinnati and Hamilton County.
De was boss, no matter which political
,arty carried the election.
I'm the meantime. he had moved out of
his own saloon! and established himself
an ONCE over another saloon nearer
% the center of business. Here he BAR
Tained. haggled and gave orders. meet
ng his workers and others. After the
Rbors Of the day he would sit In the sa-
Don below, drink beer and listen to the
eports of his agents. He loved money,
Ind his fortune grew. His cigars and
beer were paid fer by those who came
With news or for instructions or were
lie seldom did any talking himself, but
made motions with his hands and harsh
noises deep in his; throat.
Gets Into Big Business.
by and by re got into a large car
building concern; into a manufacturing
company, whose goods were made by con-
rict labor, and, into a trust company of
which he was elected president He also
invested in millinery establishment and
. theatrical enterprise in New York.
Some of his ventures were disastrous.
but am told he is still a millionaire.
During the many years of his rule in
Cincinnati. Cox had the expert assist
tnce of August Herman, who had been
l printer, and of Rudolph K. Hynicka.
they were smart politicians and they,
100, have become opulent and influential.
Berman. known as Garry is president
~ the Cincinnati baseball club. and is
connected with many large business un-
sertakings. 1t is said that his personal
expenses amount to $4,000 year. As
ipender. he is wholly unlike Cox. Herr
nan ran the city hall"