The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1937-12-02
BY JOSEPH w. LaBINE

1y SSSA-A - ANSA1A4NA-
NEW YORK'S racket-bust-
/ Y ing Messiah may be the
Republican party's Messiah as
well. A 35-year-old political
"youngster" from Owosso,
Mich, who stalked both the
Tammany tiger and organized
crime down Manhattan's jungle,
now looms in many minds as
the logical C. o. P. choice for
White House honors in 1910.
His name is Thomas E. Dewey.
His rocket-like career as special
prosecutor for New York city has
been in the limelight only two years,
but he is almost certain to be Of
fered the Republican nomination for
governor next year. If he accepts,
if he wins, and if he does not "stum-
BILE" in the meantime, Tom Dewey's
praises may be sung and re-sung
from many Republican campaign
platform in 1910.
Dewey is himself a singer. He
graduated from the University of
Michigan with every intention of fol-
lowing an operate career. A Chi
cago vocal teacher encouraged him
to study in New York. While carry
ing out this advice he took law as a
side line, graduating from Column
bia university in 1925. Now he man.
ages what is facetiously called a
Singing school" for Manhattan's
hoodums, an institution where the
greats and small-fry of gangdom
are urged to talk
Started With "Waxie" Gordon.
Dewey's career as Nemesis of
organized crime began when
George z. Medalie, widely known
trial lawyer and United States at
torney for lower New York, en-
couraged the young barrister to en-
ter his Office. Dewey's efforts
brought the notorious Wake"
Gordon to justice in 1888. 1t was in
this case that the Michigan school
boy first displayed his talent for
unorthodox legal procedure. He ar
rested Gordon and the other princi-
pal defendants before his office had
sufficient evidence to hold them; he
pinned his hopes on witnesses to be
secured through secret raids.
"Waxie," beer baron whose pow
er rivaled that of Al Capone in Chi
cago, had an income of 81 SIG, 500 in
1880 and 1881, according to internal
revenue officials. Like his col
leagues in the racket, he kept few
records. Dewey's investigations
probably taught Gordon more about
his financial standing than he ever
knew before.
For a short period late in 1888
Dewey was United States district
attorney for lower New York, Media
lie having resigned. A successor
was appointed by President Roose-
welt and the Owosso lad went back
to private practice, field which
was netting him about $4,000 a
year when he accepted the Hercu-
lean task of cleaning Manhattan S
Augean stables in 1885. That job
paid S16,695.
Grand Jury on Rampage.
1t started with a non-conformist
grand jury, an independent bunch
of rascals who defied the Tammany
district attorney and set out to get
at the bottom of a crime business
that was mulcting New Workers out
of millions of dollars each year.
They got plain mad when witness
after witness refused to testify, fear
full of punishment at the hands of
gangdom's gunner. Several DELHI
crate tests convinced the jurors that
there were underworld spies in the
district attorneys office.
While press and public chafed at
their inaction, the jury asked for a
special prosecutor. District Attor-
ney Dodge rejected all their nomi-
nees, including Dewey, whose in
! hoSpitable treatment of Wake"
Gordon had not been forgotten. It
| was Governor Lehman's interven-
ton that caused Dewey's eventual
! appointment on June %, 1885. The
war had started.
When Charles Lucky" Luciano
heard about Dewey he dubbed him
''boy scout" So did tom the
Bull" Pennochio and Little Davy
Betillo, who were among Luciano's
henchmen. From his splendid apart
ment atop the Waldorf-Astoria Luz
ciano ruled New York's rackets,
but he was man of mystery whose
name must be whispered even