Evening star., 1935-10-31
WALKER RETURNS !
TO NOISY GREETING
City Officials Are "Busy,'
but Faithful Rally for
Celebration.
BY the Associated Press.

NEW YORK, October 3l.-Entirely
unofficial" was New York's welcome
today to its former playboy mayor,
Jimmy Walker.
Walker and his wife, the former
Betty Compton. actress. returned home
today on the liner Manhattan. They
arrived at Quarantine at noon. ending
their three-year self-imposed exile in
France and England.
Their welcome was noisy, with
boats carrying bands and boisterous
friends down the bay to meet the
ship. But 1t was purely personal"
Inquiries brought few reports Of city
or Democratic party officials who
attended the welcome. Most of them
were reported "out of town" or very
busy" One began his week end" on
Tuesday his secretary said. There was
no comment from Hyde Park, where
President Roosevelt arrived today.
Fireboat Out Of Plans.
Police were assigned to the pier
with the careful explanation that they
| were going to handle the crowd. No
mention was made of a fireboat to
send the conventional welcome Of
water skyward.
But the enthusiasm Of the faithful
was undimmed. Lighters, tugs and
yachts went along with the usual
two revenue cutters to Quarantine.
Among the organizations chartering
craft were the Friars, the Lambs
Club and the Grand Street Boys As
sociation, which claims Walker as
vice president.
New York's former mayor, sheaf
Of invitations in his hand, re-
iterated that he Is through with poll
tics. Standing on the deck Of the
Manhattan, he said Of his years in
public ONCE:
I'm like the Irish mother with 13
children. I would not take million
dollars for any one Of them, but I
would not give q dime for another" !"
Quit Under Fire In 1892.
It was Walkers return to "the
people Of New York." In whose hands
he said he would leave his case when
he resigned under the fire of the
Seabury Investigating Committee and
an investigation Of his affairs by Gov.
Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1882.
On September 10, ten days after
he resigned, he started a short trip
to Europe. He was given a rousing
welcome on his return. Tammany
leaders thronged about him. Two
months later he left again.
Sailing on the same ship was Miss
Compton. whom he married in France
after he and Mrs. Janet Allen Walker
were divorced in Florida in 1888 He
made his home near London, writing
newspaper column and working on
his autobiography.
Even then life was not entirely
placid. There was talk of deporta-
ton unless he registered properly as
an alien. He was threatened with
involuntary bankruptcy. 1ntimations
OF income tax exasion brewed in
Washington.
Road Clear, Comes Home.
A few weeks ago the Department
Of Justice announced it had COM
pleted its investigation and no tax
charges would be lodged. Reports
that Walker would return to New
York soon became prevalent.
Arrest on sight, however, awaits one
OF his secretaries should he attempt
to return to the city. Russell T.
Sherwood, now living In New Jersey,
never explained to the satisfaction
of the Seabury Committee the source
and disposition of millions of dollars
which passed through his hands.
Sherwood said he did not plan to be
on hand for the welcome.
Charles Hand, another of Walkers
secretaries while mayor, planned to
greet his former chief. Hand Is pub
licity director for the United States
Line, operators Of the Manhattan.