The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-05-20
cox, CINCINNATI POLITICAL BOSS,
 IS DEAD AT B
Had Noted Career in Politi- cal and Amusement
 Worlds.

1 Cincinnati, May 20-George B. Cox, politician and theatrical magnate, 1 died at his home here early this morning. MT. Cox was stricken with paralysis Feb. 29, from which he never recovered although death is said to have been from pneumonia which developed in the last few days. George Barnsdale Cox was one of l the most widely known professional ] politicians in Ohio, a baseball mag nate, a banker and part owner of one 1 of the largest theatrical syndicates in the country. Born in Cincinnati, April 29, 1868, he began his career as newsboy, and later became a saIoonkeeper at Dead Mans Corner as the locality at Carlisle and Central avenues, Cincinnati, was known be- cause of the numerous murders in the neighborhood. Cincinnati was wide | open'' in those days and unbrid1ed sa- | looms and gambling hourished. Cox, l however, kept his place orderly and established a reputation for physical | courage that he maintained through 1 out his career.
 He Immediately became leader in ] local politics and soon spread his in fluence until he virtually controlled 1 the Republican machine in Hamilton county, obtained a powerful hold on state politics and yielded an influence | in national campaigns.
 l Early in his political career Cox was elected to the city council. That, | however, was the only elective office to which he ever aspired. He found | the inner circle conferences of. his l party far more to his liking than the open work of the platform. As leader of the Republican party in Hamilton county, he selected as his chief lieu tenants August Hermann, now chair I man of the National Baseball Com l mis and president of the Cincinnati baseball club, and Rud Hynicka, who later became closely associated with 1 MT. Cox in theatrical ventures. In i the division of authority between these two Cox assigned Hermann to the city of Cincinnati and Hynicka to Hamilton county outside of Cincin- nati. For years the word of these two men in their separate fields was final.
 In 1884, during the B1aine-C1eve- land campaign, Cox's circle of inf1u- ence widened. At that time the Re
 publicans declared for protective tariff and the idea appealed to Gin cinnati as rising manufacturing city. Cox was awake to the possibilities, 1 formed the famous "Blaine Club" l and asked to be allowed to direct the | congressional campaign. In this po- | 1itica1 fight he won, Hamilton county | giving Blaine a, substantial plurality.
 Coxs work in connection with the candidacy of William Howard Taft for the presidency, occasioned sur prise among political observers. When the former President was Secretary | of War, he delivered an address at Akron O., supporting Myron T. Her rick for governor of Ohio. In this address he took occasion to say that l if he voted that year he would cast a straight Republican state ticket, but would not support the Cincinnati city ticket placed on the ballot by the Republican organization. This was construed as a direct slap at the Cox organization, but contrary to expec- | tations, Hamilton county was solid for Taft when he was a candidate for l President a short time later and it was known that Cox used his inf1u- ence in swinging the state for Taft.
 When Cox announced his retire naent from politics in 1909, Hermann and Hynicka continued the organiza- tion which was considered intact un- l til it was beaten in the mayora1ty race in Cincinnati a little more than three years later.
 Cox as a young man was an en- thusiastic baseball fam. He organized and was a member of the ''Osceo1as,'' during. the strenuous days of baseball when fights were frequent. The motto of the club was ''Win, Tie or Fight" 1 where the trouble was the thickest.
 Later he was associated with Aug ust Hermann in the ownership of the l Cincinnati Nationals. The il1-for- tunes of that club pa11ed on Cox, however, and when he became tired of supporting a 'ttai1-ender'' he sold his stock.
 MT. Cox was president of the World Film Corporation, one of the largest picture producing and distributing l concerns; chairman of the board of directors of the Shubert theatrical interests, vice presidential the Marcus Loew amusement enterprises, and was interested in the Keith vaudeville circuits. He was president of the Cincinnati Trust Go. and held stock in various realty companies which have constructed theatres in New York city.
 The Am erican steamer Cacique ar rived at Hong Kong China in a. dam