Charles, Son of Dennis

The name of Tammany has long had an evil smell in the nostrils of the country. Its meaning has perhaps been little appreciated outside of New York State. It might perhaps have been otherwise in the future, had not an accident happened. A political boss worked late in his office one night. He went home apparently in the best of health. He slept. At 8:50 the next morning he awakened with a pain in his chest. A doctor was summoned. At 9:30 the political boss was dead. Charles Francis Murphy had passed away. New York did not know what to make of the sudden news. For almost 22 years Murphy had been Tammany leader. He had elected three mayors of New York City--McClellan, Gaynor, Hylan. He had elected three governors of New York--Dix, Sulzer, Smith. He had fought once in the national arena on behalf of Champ Clark at Baltimore in 1912--an'd had been worsted badly when Bryan attacked him and helped place Woodrow Wilson on the throne. Once again he was about to have ventured into national politics. He controlled 22 Representatives in the House of Representatives. He backed a candidate for the Democratic nomination who was gaining in prestige so rapidly as to be taken seriously by his opponents--Governor Al Smith. What might Charles F. Murphy have come to? From boss of New York City, he had grown to Democratic boss of the state. He had placed his foot in the national arena. But he is gone. Governor Smith's fortune, such as it is, must be guided by other hands. The death of Murphy has thrown one of the largest single factors out of the Democratic political field this year. Whatever happens at the Democratic Convention, it is safe to say that it will be something other than it would have been had Murphy lived. And who was Murphy? He was the son of Dennis Murphy. At 19 he got a job on a street car and saved $500 in two years. Then he opened a saloon, and shortly afterward began to play the political game on a small scale. The one saloon grew to four saloons. His political fortunes prospered likewise. His saloons had the reputation of being orderly places; no women were admitted. His political ventures were not always of such good repute. In 1902 Richard Croker abdicated as Tammany leader. His successor lasted only four months. After that there was a triumvirate of which Murphy was one. Four months later and ever since there has been only Charles F. Murphy. The only important office he ever held was, for a time, that of Dock Commissioner. Of late he held no office at all, not even in the Tammany organization. He could not be voted out or dismissed. He bossed because he was the boss. Money came to him--from somewhere ; he bought a country house and began to dine at Delmonico's. Sometimes he had political reverses. Following Baltimore and Champ Clark in 1912, there came the election of Mayor Mitchell in New York City on a reform ticket. Murphy said: "I am going to remain leader of Tammany Hall as long as I live." He did. He devoted his attention to consolidating his power. The character of his candidates improved. Fewer and fewer scandals came back to roost on Tammany's doorstep. Murphy's power grew. It continued ever growing until one morning at 9:30 when Charles F. Murphy died.