Rhinelander Waldo
Encyclopedia
Rhinelander Waldo was appointed the 7th New York City Fire Commissioner by Mayor William Jay Gaynor
on January 13, 1910. He resigned on May 23, 1911, less than two months after the deadly Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire
to accept an appointment as the 8th New York City Police Commissioner
. On December 31, 1913, he was dismissed by the outgoing Acting Mayor, Ardolph Kline. Among other achievements in office, Waldo contributed to the motorization of both departments.
to Francis Wilson Waldo, a stockbroker who died in 1878, and Gertrude Rhinelander Waldo
. He joined the Seventeenth Infantry Regiment
of the United States Army
as a Second Lieutenant in 1899, after the United States had occupied the Philippine Islands in the Spanish-American War
. In the course of nearly four years in the Philippines, he served under General Arthur MacArthur, Jr.
, was on the staff of General Leonard Wood
during the Moro rebellion
, and commanded a battalion of Philippine Scouts
. He resigned from the Army in 1905 with the rank of Captain, and became New York's First Deputy Commissioner of Police in January 1906, at the age of 28. He married Virginia Otis Heckscher on April 20, 1910 in New York City
.
Waldo, who had served as New York City Fire Commissioner since the beginning of Mayor Gaynor's term in January 1910, was in office at the time of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire
which occurred on March 25, 1911 and killed 146 people.
On June 9, 1911, only 17 days after taking office as Police Commissioner
, Waldo founded the Motor-cycle squad, organized under the Office of Street Traffic Regulation Bureau
. Another of his early acts as Police Commissioner was the appointment of three "Strong Arm" anti-vice squads and their commanders — one of whom, Charles Becker
, was later executed for complicity in the July 1912 murder of the bookmaker Herman Rosenthal (shortly after Rosenthal had told the press of extortion by Becker and other police).
Acting Mayor Ardolph Kline's elected successor, John Purroy Mitchel
, indicated before taking office at noon on January 1, 1914, that he would not keep Commissioner Waldo in office. Waldo tendered his resignation effective at midnight December 31, 1913, after transferring or accepting resignations from most of the department's senior officers and specialists. Amid much confusion and discord, Mayor Kline (who had taken office after Mayor Gaynor's death in September 1913) refused to accept Waldo's resignation (which would have left the Department without leaders for the first 12 hours after New Year's Eve
) and fired him instead.
He died on August 13, 1927 in Garrison, New York
of septicemia.
in the 1981 film, Ragtime
, despite the age difference (Cagney was 81 years old when he filmed this movie; the real Rhinelander Waldo was only 32 at the time in which the movie was set and died at age 50.) However, in E.L. Doctorow's original novel Ragtime
(published in 1975), Waldo's role is minor while Charles S. Whitman
, the real-life Manhattan District Attorney
at the time, performs most of the fictional words and deeds that the film based on Doctorow's book would later assign to Waldo.
William Jay Gaynor
William Jay Gaynor was an American politician from New York City, associated with the Tammany Hall political machine. He served as mayor of the City of New York from 1910 to 1913, as well as stints as a New York Supreme Court Justice from 1893 to 1909.-Early life:Gaynor was born in Oriskany, New...
on January 13, 1910. He resigned on May 23, 1911, less than two months after the deadly Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City on March 25, 1911, was the deadliest industrial disaster in the history of the city of New York and resulted in the fourth highest loss of life from an industrial accident in U.S. history...
to accept an appointment as the 8th New York City Police Commissioner
New York City Police Commissioner
The New York City Police Commissioner is the head of the New York City Police Department, appointed by the Mayor of New York City. Governor Theodore Roosevelt, in one of his final acts before becoming Vice President of the United States in March 1901, signed legislation replacing the Police Board...
. On December 31, 1913, he was dismissed by the outgoing Acting Mayor, Ardolph Kline. Among other achievements in office, Waldo contributed to the motorization of both departments.
Biography
Rhinelander Waldo was born on May 24, 1877 in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to Francis Wilson Waldo, a stockbroker who died in 1878, and Gertrude Rhinelander Waldo
Gertrude Rhinelander Waldo
Gertrude Rhinelander Waldo was an American heiress known for commissioning the Rhinelander Mansion located in Manhattan at 867 Madison Avenue on the south-east corner of 72nd Street, designed in the 1890s by Kimball & Thompson and completed in 1898...
. He joined the Seventeenth Infantry Regiment
17th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 17th Infantry Regiment is a United States Army infantry regiment. While the 17th Infantry Regiment was organized on January 11, 1812, it was consolidated with the 3rd Infantry due to extremely heavy losses at Frenchtown, and lost its identity two years later until May 3, 1861, when it was...
of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
as a Second Lieutenant in 1899, after the United States had occupied the Philippine Islands in the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
. In the course of nearly four years in the Philippines, he served under General Arthur MacArthur, Jr.
Arthur MacArthur, Jr.
Lieutenant General Arthur MacArthur, Jr. , was a United States Army General. He became the military Governor-General of the American-occupied Philippines in 1900 but his term ended a year later due to clashes with the civilian governor, future President William Howard Taft...
, was on the staff of General Leonard Wood
Leonard Wood
Leonard Wood was a physician who served as the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, Military Governor of Cuba and Governor General of the Philippines. Early in his military career, he received the Medal of Honor. Wood also holds officer service #2 in the Regular Army...
during the Moro rebellion
Moro Rebellion
The Moro Rebellion was an armed military conflict between Moro revolutionary groups in the Mindanao, Sulu, and Palawan and the United States military which took place in the Philippines as early as between 1899 to 1913, following the Spanish-American War in 1898...
, and commanded a battalion of Philippine Scouts
Philippine Scouts
The Philippine Scouts was a military organization of the United States Army from 1901 until the end of World War II. Made up of native Filipinos assigned to the United States Army Philippine Department, these troops were generally enlisted and under the command of American officers, however, a...
. He resigned from the Army in 1905 with the rank of Captain, and became New York's First Deputy Commissioner of Police in January 1906, at the age of 28. He married Virginia Otis Heckscher on April 20, 1910 in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Waldo, who had served as New York City Fire Commissioner since the beginning of Mayor Gaynor's term in January 1910, was in office at the time of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City on March 25, 1911, was the deadliest industrial disaster in the history of the city of New York and resulted in the fourth highest loss of life from an industrial accident in U.S. history...
which occurred on March 25, 1911 and killed 146 people.
On June 9, 1911, only 17 days after taking office as Police Commissioner
New York City Police Commissioner
The New York City Police Commissioner is the head of the New York City Police Department, appointed by the Mayor of New York City. Governor Theodore Roosevelt, in one of his final acts before becoming Vice President of the United States in March 1901, signed legislation replacing the Police Board...
, Waldo founded the Motor-cycle squad, organized under the Office of Street Traffic Regulation Bureau
New York City Police Department Transportation Bureau
The NYPD Transportation Bureau is one of the nine bureaus that comprise the New York City Police Department and is currently headed by Bureau Chief James Tuller...
. Another of his early acts as Police Commissioner was the appointment of three "Strong Arm" anti-vice squads and their commanders — one of whom, Charles Becker
Charles Becker
Charles Becker was a New York City police officer in the 1890s-1910s and who was tried, convicted and executed for ordering the murder of a Manhattan gambler, Herman Rosenthal in the Becker-Rosenthal trial. Becker was the first American police officer to receive the death penalty for murder...
, was later executed for complicity in the July 1912 murder of the bookmaker Herman Rosenthal (shortly after Rosenthal had told the press of extortion by Becker and other police).
Acting Mayor Ardolph Kline's elected successor, John Purroy Mitchel
John Purroy Mitchel
John Purroy Mitchel was the mayor of New York from 1914 to 1917. At age 34 he was the second-youngest ever; he is sometimes referred to as "The Boy Mayor of New York." Mayor Mitchel is remembered for his short career as leader of Reform politics in New York, as well as for his early death as an...
, indicated before taking office at noon on January 1, 1914, that he would not keep Commissioner Waldo in office. Waldo tendered his resignation effective at midnight December 31, 1913, after transferring or accepting resignations from most of the department's senior officers and specialists. Amid much confusion and discord, Mayor Kline (who had taken office after Mayor Gaynor's death in September 1913) refused to accept Waldo's resignation (which would have left the Department without leaders for the first 12 hours after New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
) and fired him instead.
He died on August 13, 1927 in Garrison, New York
Garrison, New York
Garrison is a hamlet in Putnam County, New York, United States. It is part of the town of Philipstown and is on the east side of the Hudson River, across from the United States Military Academy at West Point...
of septicemia.
Fictional portrayals of Waldo
Waldo was portrayed by James CagneyJames Cagney
James Francis Cagney, Jr. was an American actor, first on stage, then in film, where he had his greatest impact. Although he won acclaim and major awards for a wide variety of performances, he is best remembered for playing "tough guys." In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked him eighth...
in the 1981 film, Ragtime
Ragtime (film)
Ragtime is a 1981 American film based on the historical novel Ragtime by E. L. Doctorow. The action takes place in and around New York City, New Rochelle, and Atlantic City in the first decade of the 1900s, and includes fictionalized references to actual people and events of the time. The film was...
, despite the age difference (Cagney was 81 years old when he filmed this movie; the real Rhinelander Waldo was only 32 at the time in which the movie was set and died at age 50.) However, in E.L. Doctorow's original novel Ragtime
Ragtime (novel)
Ragtime is a 1975 novel by E. L. Doctorow. This work of historical fiction is primarily set in the New York City area from about 1900 until the United States entry into World War I in 1917...
(published in 1975), Waldo's role is minor while Charles S. Whitman
Charles S. Whitman
Charles Seymour Whitman served as the 41st Governor of New York from January 1915 to December 1918. He was also a delegate to Republican National Convention from New York in 1916.-Biography:...
, the real-life Manhattan District Attorney
New York County District Attorney
The New York County District Attorney is the elected district attorney for New York County , New York. The office is responsible for the prosecution of violations of New York state laws....
at the time, performs most of the fictional words and deeds that the film based on Doctorow's book would later assign to Waldo.
See also
- Philippine–American War (then known in the U.S. as the "Philippine Insurrection")
- Moro RebellionMoro RebellionThe Moro Rebellion was an armed military conflict between Moro revolutionary groups in the Mindanao, Sulu, and Palawan and the United States military which took place in the Philippines as early as between 1899 to 1913, following the Spanish-American War in 1898...
- New York Police Department
- Fire Department of New York
- RagtimeRagtime (film)Ragtime is a 1981 American film based on the historical novel Ragtime by E. L. Doctorow. The action takes place in and around New York City, New Rochelle, and Atlantic City in the first decade of the 1900s, and includes fictionalized references to actual people and events of the time. The film was...
- A 1981 motion picture (based on the novelRagtime (novel)Ragtime is a 1975 novel by E. L. Doctorow. This work of historical fiction is primarily set in the New York City area from about 1900 until the United States entry into World War I in 1917...
by E.L. Doctorow) featuring a fictionalized Rhinelander Waldo portrayed by film legend, James CagneyJames CagneyJames Francis Cagney, Jr. was an American actor, first on stage, then in film, where he had his greatest impact. Although he won acclaim and major awards for a wide variety of performances, he is best remembered for playing "tough guys." In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked him eighth...
, in his last role in a feature filmFeature filmIn the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
.
Other sources
- GAYNOR PUTS WALDO IN CROPSEY'S PLACE; Tells Him to Banish Favoritism from Police as He Did from Fire Department - New York Times article: May 24, 1911, page 1 retrieved on June 21, 2008. This article reprints (among several other documents) a letter from outgoing Fire Commissioner Waldo to Acting Fire Chief John Kenlon, in which he claims, "During my administration I inaugurated the use of motor apparatus. I believe this will become more general and greatly increase the efficiency of operation." However Donald J. Cameron's article on "firefighting" in The Encyclopedia of New York CityThe Encyclopedia of New York CityThe Encyclopedia of New York City is a comprehensive reference book on New York City. Historian and Columbia University professor Kenneth T...
(edited by Kenneth T. JacksonKenneth T. JacksonKenneth Terry Jackson is a professor of history and social sciences at Columbia University. A frequent television guest, he is best known as an urban historian and a preeminent authority on New York City, where he lives on the Upper West Side....
, Yale 1995, ISBN 0-500-05536-6) says that the Department started installing motor engines in 1907 and completed the process by 1922. - MAYOR STAYS AWAY FROM WALDO DINNER; Much Comment Among 600 Guests at Testimonial to Commissioner. NO EXPLANATION GIVEN Mr. Kline Was Chairman of Committee That Arranged Function and Was to be Toastmaster. The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, Tuesday, December 30, 1913, page 2, retrieved on June 20, 2008 - This story reports Commissioner Waldo's farewell remarks, including a review of his own record.
External links
- Photographic portrait of Rhinelander Waldo from about 1908 retrieved on June 20, 2008
- Original (TIFF or QuickTime) of the same image from the Library of CongressLibrary of CongressThe Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
.