The Boss v. the Bishop

When the law finally jailed Boss Tweed, the Tammany Hall czar gave his occupation as "statesman." His successor many times removed, Carmine De Sapio, was more modest when he testified recently in his own defense. Known as "The Bishop" in his glory days, De Sapio called himself an "ex-political leader."

When De Sapio took over the Manhattan Democratic organization 21 years ago, he was a progressive innovator. He led in nominating good-government candidates like Robert Wagner for mayor and Averell Harriman for Governor. He broke the Irish monopoly that had previously ruled Tammany. The Bishop liberalized organization rules to such an extent that a new generation of rebels was able to oust him--ironically, with Wagner's help. The kind of scandal that often tars machine politicians never seriously stained him until after his retirement. Last year he was charged in a bribery conspiracy; last week he got a two-year sentence. The situation was hardly unique, but the scale seemed all wrong. The millions that Tweed stole could never be accurately computed. Witnesses put De Sapio's cut in this case at a piddling $7,500.

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