Anthony Allaire
Encyclopedia
Anthony J. Allaire was an American firefighter, drillmaster, military and law enforcement officer. A longtime police inspector for the New York City Police Department
, he was responsible for the breakup of numerous street gangs, most notably the Slaughter House Gang
and the Dutch Mob
, as well as the capture of murderer Daniel McFarland in 1869.
on February 17, 1820. Allaire came from a prominent military family, his maternal grandfather had served in the French and Indian
and American Revolutionary War
s while his father had been a veteran of the War of 1812
and the Mexican-American War. His uncle, Colonel John Lamb
, had been wounded while fighting alongside General Richard Montgomery
at the Battle of Quebec
. Allaire was brought to New York City at an early age and, around 1848, he became a drillmaster for one of the many target companies existing in the city at the time.
He worked as a blacksmith
for two or three years and later joined the Fireman's Brigade
and attached to "Engine 41" at Delancey and Attorney Streets. Popularly known as the "Old Stag", the company was notorious for its heated rivalry with Boss Tweed
's "Big Six Engine Company". Allaire officially joined the Metropolitan police force
on August 24, 1860 and stationed at the Eighteenth Precinct. In May 1861, he was promoted to a roundsman and then a sergeant three months later.
, the Board of Police Commissioners
began plans to raise four regiments to send out to the front. Allaire was serving as drillmaster to a small group of men on Rikers Island
and was one of the first to volunteer his services to the Union Army
. He and his men were organized as Company E and incorporated into the 123rd New York Volunteer Infantry. Allaire was elected its first commander.
Allaire quickly rose in rank until his eventual appointment as lieutenant colonel
of the regiment. He saw action at Port Hudson, Marksville Plains
, Fort Bisland
, Cross Roads and Vermillion
as well as engagements along the Red River
. During General Philip Sheridan
's campaign against General Jubal Early in 1864, Allaire was placed in charge of guarding a Union pay train
carrying $3 million in special back pay for Sheridan's troops and defended the train against Confederate guerillas
. Allaire was mustered out June 6, 1865. On December 3, 1867, President
Andrew Johnson
nominated Allaire for the award of the grade of brevet
brigadier general
to rank from March 13, 1865 for "meritorious conduct on the field" and the U.S. Senate confirmed the award on February 14, 1868.
and, as well as serving with the famed "Steamboat Squad", he "broke up dens or vice and crime" along Chatham Street. Allaire was reportedly the first police officer to successfully gain entrance to these establishments.
He became widely known for combating the many street gangs which were active in New York during the post-Civil War era. While precinct captain of the Eighteenth Precinct, he was active against criminal elements in the notorious Forth Ward and the New York waterfront. His campaign against the Slaughter House Gang
, a group of river pirates based at Johnny Dobbs's saloon at Water Street and James Slip, eventually resulted in the breakup of the organization with the help of the "Steamboat Squad".
Allaire, then captain of the Fourth Precinct, was the chief investigator of the murder of Albert D. Richardson
, one of the editors for the New York Tribune
, who had been shot by Daniel McFarland over a love affair with McFarland's wife. Despite an exhaustive manhunt, Allaire managed to track down McFarlane who was hiding out at his brother's stationary store on Broadway. In a desperate attempt to lure him out of hiding, Allaire sent a letter to McFarland imitating his brother's handwriting and signature allowing him to set up a trap to capture him at the Westmoreland Hotel on the corner Seventeenth Street
and Fourth Avenue
. Allaire brought the accused man to the dying Richardson at the Astor House where he identified McFarland as his attacker.
In 1877, Allaire declared war upon a vicious gang of criminals active in the east side area between Houston and Fifth Street known as the Dutch Mob
. Only recently assigned to the local Eighteenth Precinct, Allaire led a "strong-arm squad" to drive the Dutch Mob
out of the area. Among its members, Johnny Irving, Mike Kurtz
, Dutch Chris, Billy Porter
and Little Freddie were all arrested and imprisoned. Several of these men received long jail terms in part to Allaire's efforts.
Allaire was also responsible for capturing the infamous forger gang headed by Joe Elliot, Charley Becker and Clem Harris after they had attempted to pass a worthless $60,000 check on the New York Safe Deposit Bank. Becker turned state's evidence soon after his arrest and the others were given long prison sentences.
, the Ohio Society of New York, the Association of Exempt Firemen, the Association of the Nineteenth Army Corps and the Noah L. Farnham Post of the Grand Army of the Republic
. Despite his accomplishments however, he was never able to advance to the rank of police inspector due to physical disability and increasingly poor health. The position of chief police inspector eventually went to Captain Alexander S. Williams
and Peter Conlin. On October 7, 1902, after 42 years of service, Allaire was retired on a pension by Police Commissioner John Nelson Partridge
after being found unfit for duty by the Board of Surgeons.
Suffering from Bright's disease
during his final year, he fell seriously ill while at a summer resort in central New Jersey. His request to be taken back to his home was granted and, being nearly blind, insisted on dictating his notes to his son-in-law Lester Ketcham as part of his memoirs. Allaire died at his West 91st Street home on August 9, 1903. Survived by his wife, a son and two daughters, he was buried at New Rochelle.
As a result of the construction of I-95 the most graves from the Allaire Family Cemetery in New Rochelle were moved to St Pauls Church in New Rochelle in the 1950s. However, as the photo caption in this article mentions, Anthony J Allaire's grave was relocated to Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.
New York City Police Department
The New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City...
, he was responsible for the breakup of numerous street gangs, most notably the Slaughter House Gang
Slaughter House Gang
The Slaughter House Gang, known as the Slaughter Housers, were a prominent street gang in New York's Fourth Ward during the late 1840s to the mid 1860s....
and the Dutch Mob
Dutch Mob
The Dutch Mob was a New York pickpocket gang during the late nineteenth century.Formed during the late 1860s by Little Freddie, "Sheeny" Mike Kurtz, and Johnny Irving, former members of the Italian Dave Gang, the Dutch Mob soon became one of the largest pickpocket gangs in the United States...
, as well as the capture of murderer Daniel McFarland in 1869.
Early life and the NYPD
Anthony Alliare was born in Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
on February 17, 1820. Allaire came from a prominent military family, his maternal grandfather had served in the French and Indian
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
and American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
s while his father had been a veteran of the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
and the Mexican-American War. His uncle, Colonel John Lamb
John Lamb (general)
John Lamb was an American soldier, politician, and Anti-Federalist organizer.-Career:He was born January 1, 1735 in New York City. He was the son of Anthony Lamb. His father was a convicted burglar who was transported to the colonies in the 1720s...
, had been wounded while fighting alongside General Richard Montgomery
Richard Montgomery
Richard Montgomery was an Irish-born soldier who first served in the British Army. He later became a brigadier-general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and he is most famous for leading the failed 1775 invasion of Canada.Montgomery was born and raised in Ireland...
at the Battle of Quebec
Battle of Quebec (1775)
The Battle of Quebec was fought on December 31, 1775 between American Continental Army forces and the British defenders of the city of Quebec, early in the American Revolutionary War. The battle was the first major defeat of the war for the Americans, and it came at a high price...
. Allaire was brought to New York City at an early age and, around 1848, he became a drillmaster for one of the many target companies existing in the city at the time.
He worked as a blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
for two or three years and later joined the Fireman's Brigade
New York City Fire Department
The New York City Fire Department or the Fire Department of the City of New York has the responsibility for protecting the citizens and property of New York City's five boroughs from fires and fire hazards, providing emergency medical services, technical rescue as well as providing first response...
and attached to "Engine 41" at Delancey and Attorney Streets. Popularly known as the "Old Stag", the company was notorious for its heated rivalry with Boss Tweed
Boss Tweed
William Magear Tweed – often erroneously referred to as William Marcy Tweed , and widely known as "Boss" Tweed – was an American politician most notable for being the "boss" of Tammany Hall, the Democratic Party political machine that played a major role in the politics of 19th century...
's "Big Six Engine Company". Allaire officially joined the Metropolitan police force
New York City Police Department
The New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City...
on August 24, 1860 and stationed at the Eighteenth Precinct. In May 1861, he was promoted to a roundsman and then a sergeant three months later.
Military career
At the start of the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, the Board of Police Commissioners
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...
began plans to raise four regiments to send out to the front. Allaire was serving as drillmaster to a small group of men on Rikers Island
Rikers Island
Rikers Island is New York City's main jail complex, as well as the name of the island on which it sits, in the East River between Queens and the mainland Bronx, adjacent to the runways of LaGuardia Airport. The island itself is part of the borough of the Bronx, though it is included as part of...
and was one of the first to volunteer his services to the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
. He and his men were organized as Company E and incorporated into the 123rd New York Volunteer Infantry. Allaire was elected its first commander.
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
of the regiment. He saw action at Port Hudson, Marksville Plains
Battle of Mansura
The Battle of Mansura was fought near Mansura, Louisiana, on May 16, 1864, during the Red River Campaign of the American Civil War. A Union force defeated elements of the Confederate States Army.-Background:...
, Fort Bisland
Battle of Fort Bisland
-Sources:* Ayres, Thomas, Dark and Bloody Ground : The Battle of Mansfield and the Forgotten Civil War in Louisiana, Cooper Square Press, 2001.* Parrish, T. Michael, Richard Taylor, Soldier Prince of Dixie, University of North Carolina Press, 1992....
, Cross Roads and Vermillion
Battle of Vermillion Bayou
The Battle of Vermillion Bayou was fought on April 17, 1863, the third battle in a series of running battles between Union Major General Nathaniel Prentice Banks and Confederate Major General Richard Taylor...
as well as engagements along the Red River
Red River Campaign
The Red River Campaign or Red River Expedition consisted of a series of battles fought along the Red River in Louisiana during the American Civil War from March 10 to May 22, 1864. The campaign was a Union initiative, fought between approximately 30,000 Union troops under the command of Maj. Gen....
. During General Philip Sheridan
Philip Sheridan
Philip Henry Sheridan was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. His career was noted for his rapid rise to major general and his close association with Lt. Gen. Ulysses S...
's campaign against General Jubal Early in 1864, Allaire was placed in charge of guarding a Union pay train
Payroll
In a company, payroll is the sum of all financial records of salaries for an employee, wages, bonuses and deductions. In accounting, payroll refers to the amount paid to employees for services they provided during a certain period of time. Payroll plays a major role in a company for several reasons...
carrying $3 million in special back pay for Sheridan's troops and defended the train against Confederate guerillas
Guerrilla warfare in the American Civil War
Guerrilla warfare in the American Civil War followed the same general patterns of irregular warfare conducted in 19th century Europe. Structurally, they can be divided into three different types of operations—the so-called 'People's War', 'partisan warfare', and 'raiding warfare'...
. Allaire was mustered out June 6, 1865. On December 3, 1867, President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
nominated Allaire for the award of the grade of brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
to rank from March 13, 1865 for "meritorious conduct on the field" and the U.S. Senate confirmed the award on February 14, 1868.
Return to New York
After being mustered out of the military in July 1865, Allaire returned to the police force as a roundsmen and reinstated at his former rank five days later. He was assigned to the Fifteenth Precinct until his promotion to captain on May 23, 1867. He was put in charge of a number of precinct houses throughout ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
and, as well as serving with the famed "Steamboat Squad", he "broke up dens or vice and crime" along Chatham Street. Allaire was reportedly the first police officer to successfully gain entrance to these establishments.
He became widely known for combating the many street gangs which were active in New York during the post-Civil War era. While precinct captain of the Eighteenth Precinct, he was active against criminal elements in the notorious Forth Ward and the New York waterfront. His campaign against the Slaughter House Gang
Slaughter House Gang
The Slaughter House Gang, known as the Slaughter Housers, were a prominent street gang in New York's Fourth Ward during the late 1840s to the mid 1860s....
, a group of river pirates based at Johnny Dobbs's saloon at Water Street and James Slip, eventually resulted in the breakup of the organization with the help of the "Steamboat Squad".
Albert D. Richardson
Albert Deane Richardson was a well-known American journalist, Union spy, and author.-Timeline:*Born in Franklin, Massachusetts, October 6, 1833*Obtained first job with newspaper, Pittsburgh Journal, 1851....
, one of the editors for the New York Tribune
New York Tribune
The New York Tribune was an American newspaper, first established by Horace Greeley in 1841, which was long considered one of the leading newspapers in the United States...
, who had been shot by Daniel McFarland over a love affair with McFarland's wife. Despite an exhaustive manhunt, Allaire managed to track down McFarlane who was hiding out at his brother's stationary store on Broadway. In a desperate attempt to lure him out of hiding, Allaire sent a letter to McFarland imitating his brother's handwriting and signature allowing him to set up a trap to capture him at the Westmoreland Hotel on the corner Seventeenth Street
17th Street (Manhattan)
17th Street is an east-west running street between First Avenue and Eleventh Avenue in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. Traffic runs one way along the street, from east to west excepting the stretch between Broadway and Park Avenue South, where traffic runs in both directions.17th Street...
and Fourth Avenue
Park Avenue (Manhattan)
Park Avenue is a wide boulevard that carries north and southbound traffic in New York City borough of Manhattan. Through most of its length, it runs parallel to Madison Avenue to the west and Lexington Avenue to the east....
. Allaire brought the accused man to the dying Richardson at the Astor House where he identified McFarland as his attacker.
In 1877, Allaire declared war upon a vicious gang of criminals active in the east side area between Houston and Fifth Street known as the Dutch Mob
Dutch Mob
The Dutch Mob was a New York pickpocket gang during the late nineteenth century.Formed during the late 1860s by Little Freddie, "Sheeny" Mike Kurtz, and Johnny Irving, former members of the Italian Dave Gang, the Dutch Mob soon became one of the largest pickpocket gangs in the United States...
. Only recently assigned to the local Eighteenth Precinct, Allaire led a "strong-arm squad" to drive the Dutch Mob
Dutch Mob
The Dutch Mob was a New York pickpocket gang during the late nineteenth century.Formed during the late 1860s by Little Freddie, "Sheeny" Mike Kurtz, and Johnny Irving, former members of the Italian Dave Gang, the Dutch Mob soon became one of the largest pickpocket gangs in the United States...
out of the area. Among its members, Johnny Irving, Mike Kurtz
Mike Kurtz
Michael "Sheeny Mike" Kurtz was an American burglar and gang leader in New York City during the mid-to late 19th century. He was one of the co-founders of the Dutch Mob, along with Little Freddie and Johnny Irving, during the 1870s...
, Dutch Chris, Billy Porter
Billy Porter (criminal)
William O'Brien , better known as Billy Porter but also known by the alias William or Billy Morton, was an American burglar and underworld figure in New York City during the mid-to late 19th century. He and partner Johnny Irving were longtime members of the Dutch Mob along with Little Freddie and...
and Little Freddie were all arrested and imprisoned. Several of these men received long jail terms in part to Allaire's efforts.
Allaire was also responsible for capturing the infamous forger gang headed by Joe Elliot, Charley Becker and Clem Harris after they had attempted to pass a worthless $60,000 check on the New York Safe Deposit Bank. Becker turned state's evidence soon after his arrest and the others were given long prison sentences.
Retirement and later years
In his later years on the force, he was the official drillmaster for the department and was in charge of police parades. He was also involved in the Freemasons, the Loyal LegionMilitary Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States
The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, also known by its acronym MOLLUS or simply as the Loyal Legion, is a United States patriotic order, organized April 15, 1865, by officers of the Army, Navy, or Marine Corps of the United States who "had aided in maintaining the honor,...
, the Ohio Society of New York, the Association of Exempt Firemen, the Association of the Nineteenth Army Corps and the Noah L. Farnham Post of the Grand Army of the Republic
Grand Army of the Republic
The Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, US Navy, US Marines and US Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. Founded in 1866 in Decatur, Illinois, it was dissolved in 1956 when its last member died...
. Despite his accomplishments however, he was never able to advance to the rank of police inspector due to physical disability and increasingly poor health. The position of chief police inspector eventually went to Captain Alexander S. Williams
Alexander S. Williams
Alexander S. Williams was an American law enforcement officer and police inspector for the New York City Police Department...
and Peter Conlin. On October 7, 1902, after 42 years of service, Allaire was retired on a pension by Police Commissioner John Nelson Partridge
John Nelson Partridge
John Nelson Partridge was the Police Commissioner for Brooklyn and Fire Commissioner for Brooklyn in the 1880s before the merger into New York City. He was the New York Superintendent of Public Works, and the New York City Police Commissioner from 1902 to 1903.-Biography:He was born in 1838 In...
after being found unfit for duty by the Board of Surgeons.
Suffering from Bright's disease
Bright's disease
Bright's disease is a historical classification of kidney diseases that would be described in modern medicine as acute or chronic nephritis. The term is no longer used, as diseases are now classified according to their more fully understood causes....
during his final year, he fell seriously ill while at a summer resort in central New Jersey. His request to be taken back to his home was granted and, being nearly blind, insisted on dictating his notes to his son-in-law Lester Ketcham as part of his memoirs. Allaire died at his West 91st Street home on August 9, 1903. Survived by his wife, a son and two daughters, he was buried at New Rochelle.
As a result of the construction of I-95 the most graves from the Allaire Family Cemetery in New Rochelle were moved to St Pauls Church in New Rochelle in the 1950s. However, as the photo caption in this article mentions, Anthony J Allaire's grave was relocated to Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.
Further reading
- Costello, Augustine E. Our Police Protectors: History of the New York Police from the Earliest Period to the Present Time. New York: A.E. Costello, 1885.