The New York herald., 1922-09-18
Twenty Years of Murphy.


years; the second, JOHN KELLY, twelve
years; the third. RIcHARD CROKER,
| fourteen years. The fourth, CHARLES
+. MURPHY, will tomorrow have been
master of the Hall twenty years.
Whatever the reasons for MURPHY's s
long tenure, there was no mystery in
his attainment OF the leadership OF
the Democratic organization of New
York county. The fittest survived.
When CROKER went to Europe, imme-
diately after the disgraceful Van
wyck administration had been
ousted, he left LEWIS Nixon to hold
the leadership until he returned. just
as he had left JonN G. SHEEHAN to
hold 1t in 1896. NIxoS's pride was
great, and. vexed by the interference
OF CRoKER's kitchen cabinet with his
every act, he resigned his phantom
I leadership in May. 1909.
The district leaders OF Tammany
chose in NIxoN's place the triumvi-
rate which DEvERY nicknamed Sport,
Two Spot and Joke. They were dis
trict leaders: MURPHY of the Gas
House District, DAN MCMAHON of the
/ West Side and LOUIS F. HAFFEN OF
| The Bronx. Four mon tbs later, on
| September 10, 1902, the triumvirate
met the fate Of all triumvirates. 1t
died peacefully, however. for II was
HAFFEN himself who introduced a
resolution at meeting of the execu-
tive committee OF the Hall declaring
that the experiment of the committee
of three had proved the desirability
of individual responsibility in leader
ship" and that the powers and duties
OF the committee should be hereafter
! exercised and performed by CHARLES
+. MURPHY"
Some believed that MURPHY would
step aside If CROKER returned, but
CROKER was through. The leaders
wanted more jobs and fewer swallow
tail functions at the Democratic
Club. MURPHY, ten years leader Of
his district, was practical man. He
had made fortune In liquor stores
and real estate. He had been o Dock
Commissioner. He knew the ropes
He was OF the people. He had been
street car driver. factory hand
and an amateur ball player OF parts.
4 MURPHY was chosen boss by vote
Of 26 to 8. OF the leaders who voted
for him only three are district lead
ers to-day: FRANK ]. GOODWIN,
WILLIAM DALTON and PETER DooLING.
The Sullivans, by whose grace MUIR
PLY was elected boss. have disap-
peared. The whole lower East Side
group of leaders that supported
MURPHY is gone-not only from poll
tics but from the earth. Little TIM
and Big FLoRRIE SULLIVAN, JOHN f.
AHEARN, the picturesque JULIUS HAIR
BURGER. JOHNNY OAKLEY, PAT KEENAN,
Of the silk hat, JOE ScULLY, for years
City Clerk, and two Murphys. MIKE
and Tom.
or the nine men who voted against
MURPHY all but two are dead or out
of politics. These two are THOMAS
f. FOLEY, who is next to MURPHY the
most powerful man in the Demo
cratic organization, and PERcIvAL T.
NAGLE, now Sheriff of New York. In
1902 they, with JOHN #. CARROLL
JOHN B. SEXTON, JAMES ]. MABrrN,
BARNEY MARTIN, FRANK LANTRY, PAT
KEAHoN and PAT RYDER, preferred
CARROLL as leader. At the last mo-
ment Big TIM SULLIVAN, who voted
the East Side leaders as bloc, de-
cided that MURPHY's election suited
his own interests best.
There have been revolts against
MURPHY, but he has not been seri-
ously menaced. When a new district
leader is elected the Chief buys him
with job or shuts him out of the
executive committee. In recent years
he has employed conciliation rather
than force. The good old days when
| ltdutlo Alhc l1ENfAh1 anu ANASl>ts NClt
elected from the Fourteenth street
temple are gone. So tactful is the
boss that, although the organization
gives women equal representation on
the executive committee and women
are active in Tammany politics. not
one Of the fair sex has enjoyed the
distinction OF being thrown out OF
the Hall.
\ Mr.. MURPHY ends his second dec
ade as securely in power as wher
he began his first. Some Of the lead.
ers dislike him, but they dislike one
another too. There is no man in the
organization around whom a rebel.
lion against murphy could be gath.
cred. FOLEY has personality and
power. but he Is heartily for MUIR.
PLY. Most Of the other district lead.
ers are single cylinder men.
Holding his job has been easier for
MURPHY than having his own way al
the polls, even in this normally
Democratic city. In his twenty years
the Democratic Mayoralty ticket has
won five timcs-twice with Nc.
CLELLAN, once with GAYNoR and
twice with HYLAN. Mayor McCLELi.As