New-York tribune., 1919-06-21
Van Wyck Called
Devery Best Chief
New York Ever Had
Most-Talked-Of Police Off
cial in This or Any Other
American City for Ten
Years of His Life

William S. Devery, former Chief of
Police Of New York City, whose death
is told Of elsewhere in The Tribune,
was for mQre than ten years the most
talked about police official in this or
any. other American city.
Mayor Van Wyck, in the late nine
ties, in defending his appointment of
Devery as head Of the Police Depart
ment, said that he was the chest chief
of police New York ever had"
But under the Van Wyck admins
rtation,, the New York police depart
ment became a byword the world
around. Tammany Hall stood by
Devery for many years, but soon after
Charles F. Murphy worked to the top
many organization about eighteen
years ago, the Tammany men, at the
lnstigation of Murphy, threw "the Big
Fellow" overheard. He fought them
for the control of the old Ninth AS
sembly district until he was politically
dead.
Retiring from the police force. he
became successful real estate specu-
Iator. Apparently he retired from the
foilce Department with abundant
means.
Picturesque Figure
"Big Bill" as he was known to
friends and enemies throughout his is
tumultuous career, was one Of the most
picturesque figures that ever occupied
the public eye. He was the dominant
attraction even in situations from
which he emerged worsted, and years
after. he retired from active work he
was better rem mbered than his most
successful opponents.
ne was a big man, broad and tall,
with immense strength that did not
leave HIM even when he began to gain
weight through inactivity. He had a
faculty for making friends as fast as
men ranged themselves against him
ana at the most disastrous stage Of his
career his adherents might have out
numbered those whose main object was
to take him out Of power.
Devery rarely lost a FRIEND and he
never worried about keeping an enemy.
capable OF stormy rage at times, his
proverblal good nature always asserted
itself and left him laughing at attacks.
Insults glanced from his conscious
ness, and he would have felt that some
thing was lacking if the attacks of re-
formers had ceased. One Of his most
treasured possession was a series of
thlrty-six scrap books, devoted to carl
catures and bitter lampoons Of himself,
Ihey were indcxed and catalogued, so
that he could turn to the things he
wanted to show visitors.
Laughed Over Insults
When / get old I'll have all the
friends | need in these here scrap
books" he used to say. II don't be-
NJ +ho,s
hard as I've been, but l can sit in NV
library now and get more hearty LAUGHS
out OF those things than out Of any
show | ever saw.
"My family isn't hurt by it. because
they know me for what am. And thew
don't hurt me; they just add to the
fun l get out of living. Why there are
things in those books by people that
never saw me, let alone knew me, that
would make your hair stand up."
Attacks on Devery were almost as
common in the West and South as in
his New York stamping ground. and
probably no cartoonist in the country
"Big Bill" '"NA "'
He had a knack of phrase making
and an aptitude for nicknames that
rarely has been equallcd by tho most
successful politicians. He used this
gift on friend and opponent until his
terse characterizations of others were
at least as famous as their more
lengthy attacks on him. His favorite
phrases were couched in the arpot of
tho majority, and for years he invented
more slang than the sporting writer's.
Joined the Force at "a
There was no position in the Police
department which Big Bill did not
know as we'll as the top of his desk.
after ne moved to Headquarters. He
he joined tho police force, and he gave
it the most active years of his life. For
tnrec years he was patrolman, and
virtually nothing was heard from him.
At the end of that time he becaHe
roundsman and began his fauous
career of thief catching as we'll as his
equally we'll known penchant for get
ting into trouble. In one capacity or
another he represented the law in near
ly all the troublesome precincts Of the
city, and he earned special commenda-
tlon from his superiors on almost in
Vulnerable occasions.
He had an undoubted genius for
snaring lawbrcakers when he wanted
to, and became the most valuable as-
sistant to Chief Inspector Byrnes, who
was celebrated as hunter of Grim
inals. No one Of his day knew more
Of the possibilities of police work. for
he went on up to sergeant, then to
captain, and finally became chief Of
the force.
A Prodigal Spender
Devery always said Of himself that
no had tho touch Of Midas. Unpromis-
ing things turned to gold almost with
ont effort for him. Throughout his
life hs spcnt prodigally, but no always