Fun Fact #436 "The Insurgents"

 Fun Fact #436

“The Insurgents”

Since 1786, a group known as “The Society of Saint Tammany” (also called “The Columbian Order” or “Tammany Hall”) had grown to dominate the politics of New York in a series of “Burrows”. By 1900 The Society had formally organized under Charles Murphy who was seen as relatively quiet most of the time aside from increasingly backing Tammany members in other states. Their bribes to police and placement of Tammany members in key positions in the Judicial, and legislative branches allowed them virtually free reign of the city.

Then in 1911, FDR was elected to the New York Senate where he quickly organized a number of other senators to launch an investigation into Tammany Hall. This group became informally known as “The Insurgents” and although it alienated FDR from many in positions of power, it gained him the support of his Uncle President Theodore Roosevelt and mass appeal by people whom Tammany Hall had harmed. Yet his troubles with Tammany were not over yet as one burrow –that of Bowery Street– survived. Led by a new leader (Timothy Daniel “Big Tim '' Sullivan) they set their sights on regaining control and their first step was to remove FDR.