Bridgeton pioneer., 1913-09-18
MAYOR GAYNOR'S
PERSONAL SIDE
Anecdotes About New YOrk'S
Late Executive.
CASE OF THE DUFFY BOY.
Former Justices Advocacy of Lads
Cause Reused Clamor of Public
Sentiment That Resulted In His
Nomination and Election to the
Mayoralty.

Sentiment That Resulted In His
Nomination and Election to the
Mayoralty.
Many anecdotes are told of the late
William ]. Gaynor, mayor Of New
York, whose sudden death while on the
way to Europe to recuperate his failing
energies on the eve of a municipal
election has added somewhat to the
complexities of the political situation
in that city.
The story Of how he became conspic-
uous for the mayoralty nomination
four years ago well illustrates the
character of the man and casts
strong side light on his peculiar fidel-
ity, often in the face of precedent and
adverse public opinion, to what he be-
heved was right. Twice before he had
been offered the mayoralty nomination
and twice he had refused it, and once
he was strongly put forward for the
gubernatorial nomination Of his state.
But the politicians were afraid Of him.
His independence of thought and ut
terance had won him strong follow
ing among the better class of citizens
and his decisions on the bench had
gained him much distinction and pop
ularity, yet it is probable that he would
never have been mayor of New York
had it not been for the Duffy case and
the notoriety that attended it.
The Duffy Case.
The story is so familiar as hardly to
need repetition at length. On May 90,
1908, he wrote to George B. Mcclellan
then mayor of New York city, and told
how Brooklyn boy named George B.
Duffy had been arrested, photographed
by the police and branded as a felon
by having his name entered in the in
deX of bad characters. This happened
on June II, 1907. Duffy was discharg-
ed by magistrate, as no complaint
had been made against him. After
that Duffy was, according to Gaynor,
ARRESTED again and again on sight and
without warrant or cause, except that
he was in the Rogues' gallery and
therefore to be hunted"
His advocacy of the lads case led to
lengthy discussion in the newspapers
Of the police practice of photographing
all prisoners indiscriminately and ulti-
mately to radical changes in New
York's police methods. Public opinion
demanded his nomination, and his cleo
ton followed.
The late mayor of New York had a
great fondness for long, lonely tramps,
and many a fact he learned at first
hand about the workings of the city
departments which the chief executive
of big city seldom learns, even by
hearsay.
One winter morning soon after his
Inauguration a long line of wagons
were drawn up in New York street
waiting to be loaded with snow which
had fallen during the night. While
the street cleaners were shoveling the
snow into the wagons the drivers were
standing around gossiping. A sharp
eyed, inquisitive pedestrian stepped up
to one of the drivers and inquired in
an apparently casual way, "Don't you
men shovel snow too?"
mot when the city removes it," re-
piled the man, with merry laugh.
"but when it is removed by contrac-
tors we do, you bet"
Commissioner Gets Instructions.
Within an hour the commissioner of
streets received letter from Mayor
Gaynor, who. as it happened, was the
curious citizen, directing that all driv-
ers employed by the city be forthwith
ordered to shovel snow.
Always a great lover of dumb ami
mails, on another occasion on a hot
July day as the mayor was walking
about the city he noticed that many
horses were suffering from overload
ing. He at once. notified the police
commissioner to instruct the force to
be more vigilant in enforcing the law
against cruelty to animals land to give
the horse the benefit of every doubt"
His unique originality as a letter
writer gained him a fame that was
almost international in extent, and his
quaint usage of little known words and
apt references to the classics eainad