The Wyandotte herald. (Wyandotte, Mich.) 1879-1943, 1941-01-31

number. He's a member OF that
eray-clad colony behind gray stone
walls in a palace known as Sing
Sing. AS perhaps you know, ms
sentence is from four to eight years.
Prosecuted by Thomas E. Dewey,
he was convicted of using his pollti-
cal influence to help Dutch Schultz
and his hoodlumS to run pennies.
nickels and dimes Of Scrubwomen,
laundresses, elevator operators and
other little people into millions OF
dollars a year in racket known
as numbers" Hines case went to
the highest court in the state.
There the fight stopped. Hines, who
had been at liberty under $50, 900
bonds and who was at the race track
when he received the news that the
court of appeals had upheld his con-
yiction. gave UP then. At once. he
made arrangements to take that trip
up to Ossining.
ONLY a few years ago, had there
been the suggestion in the Eleventh
district that some day Jimmy Hines
would go to prison, there would have
been laughter. Hines was not only
all powerful in his district but pow
erful over the entire city as well.
He had friends among other lead
ers and in some instances, power
over them. AS a result, his word
was law in various councils. If he
had so desired he easily could have
been elected leader of Tammany
Hall. But he preferred to reign In
his district as an absolute political
monarch. That was what he was. A
somewhat pudgy. grayish man with
a twinkle in his eye, soft-spoken,
seldom moved to anger, he issuedor-
ders and the boys always carried
them out.
Jimmy Hines was the last of the
old-line district leaders. Just how
many thousands of dollars he con-
tributed in one form or another OF
charity, possibly never will be
known. One of Hines closest friends
once told me that Hines never kept
track of what he gave away. When
it was known that he would be at
his Monongahela Democratic club,
there was always crowd on hand.
Mostly they were down at the heel.
White, black and yellow, they were
all waiting for Jimmy Hines. Each
had trouble or a problem. Hines
listened to the troubles and prob
lens. Most of the troubles could
be cured with a dollar or so. 1t
was always forthcoming. Hines paid
rent, hired doctors, sent around coal
or groceries, did a thousand and
one things for residents of his dis
trict. And when the time came, his
district voted right.
Following the old axiom that chill
dren of today are voters of tomor-
row, Hines always made much of
the youngsters in his district. Each
year, he gave a June Walk" in
Central park. No invitations were
necessary; the children merely
came one by one, or in groups as
organizations. Many were gaily cos
TUNED. Ice cream, peanuts, pop
corn, soft drinks, with milk for ba-
bieS, all were provided in quaint
ties. Should supplies run out, there
never was any trouble. More were
ordered and charged to Jimmy
Hines. Once when bad boys stole
all the ice cream, Hines merely
laughed and within half hour twice
as much as had been taken was de-
livered.
We lived al 444 Central Park West,
which figured much in the testimony
in Hines trial, when he was q resi-
dent there. Every morning, there
was long line of men and women
waiting for Hines to come out. But
no one ever saw Jimmy Hines il
his home unless he so wished. Ev.
cry employee of the house was his
friend. Daily he tipped each a min
imum of 81. Elevator men, hall
boys, porters and even firemen hat.
ed to see Jimmy Hines move to an
other address. But other tenants
were relieved. Those who waited
for Jimmy Hines out in front were
not always ornamental.
Recipients of Jimmy Hines boun-
ty never asked where the money
came from. 1t was all right with
them so long as their wants were
filled. To them, their leader was
more or less of patron saint. II
he wanted little thing like a vote,
that was all right. Even today,
there are many who believe that
Jimmy Hines was unjustly convict
ed. But he is behind gray stone
walls IN gray uniform and instead
OF beng Jimmy Hines, he's No.
987l9.
iBell SNndiC.tp- WNI-