Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1924-04-25
TAMMANY HALL
CHIEFS DEATH
Is BIG SHOCK
National Democratic Conven-
tion Will Feel Absence of
Charles F. Murphy
DIED THIS MORNING
Once a Street Car Driver,
Murphy Became Leader of
Worlds Greatest Machine

NEW YORK, April 25:-Charles
F. Murphy, leader of Tammany Hall,
died today.
ing at his residence at 305 East 18th
street.
Acute indigestion was the cause of
death.
Murphy succeeded the late Rich
ard Croker as chieftain of the coun-
trys most famous political organiza-
ton. He was native New Yorker,
having been born here June 20, 1858.
A street car driver who became
leader of the most powerful political
organization in the world and as
such played a prominent part in the
naming of mayors and governors
and nominees for the presidency
such is the life story of Charles f.
Murphy. -
Although denied the advantages
of education because of family cir
cumstances he showed qualities of
leadership early in life and from
boyhood had been a leader of a
circle of one kind of another. In all
of them he was uniformly success
full, a result that may be said to
nave UctH uue lO HlS iOydlly "
friends, his shrewdness and his sec
retive manner. He never discussed
his plans with any except his oldest
lieutenants and rarely spoke for
publication. Whenever he consented
to be interviewed he usually covered
what he had to say in q sentence or
two. AS result he came generally
to be known as "Silent Charlie"
Mr.. Murphy's political leadership
began in the eighteenth. assembly
district in 1892, when he became
district leader after the death of
Edward Hagan. He had built up a
large following in the district and it
was said that Hagan owed his posi-
tion as leader largely to the infu-
ence and financial support with
which Murphy backed him. On his
death-bed Hagan named Murphy as
his successor and from that time
the rise of the future leader of the
Democratic party in New York City
was rapid.
After Robert A. Van Wyck as
sumed offices as mayor in 1898 he
named Murphy commissioner of
docks and ferries. The Van Wycll
administration was the last under
the leadership of the late Richard
Croker. For several years prior to
the election of Mayor Van Wyck, the
government of New York City had
been subjected to severe criticism,
finally resulting in the appointment
of the Lexow committee to make a
complete investigation into the af-
fairs Of the CITY,. Sensational testt-
mony had been anticipated from Mr..
Croker, but before the committee
began its hearings the Tammany
leader went to Ireland, purchased an
estate and remained there nearly
three years.
Croker returned to New York and
resumed his place as Tammany lead
er to manage the VanWyck cam
paign. Criticism of the city govern
ment continued throughout the Van
Wyck administration, eliminating
in the appointment Of the Mazet
committee by Theodore Roosevelt,
then governor, to investigate various
departments, especially that of the
police. Croker relinquished his lead
ership in the spring of 1901 and re-
turned to Ireland.
That move eventually provided
the opportunity for Mr.. Murphy to
become leader. Although not con-
sidered as the immediate successor
of Croker, Lewis Nixon had been
named chairman of the finance COM
mittee, which carried with 1t the
(CoufinJad On page 81