George W. McClusky
Encyclopedia
George W. McClusky or McCluskey (1861 – December 17, 1912) was an American law enforcement officer and police inspector in the New York City Police Department
. He was popularly known as "Gentleman" or "Chesty McCluskey", the latter name given to him by NYPD Police Chief William "Big Bill" Devery, and was the longtime head of the NYPD Detective's Bureau at the turn of the century
. He was also, at one time, the youngest inspector on the police force.
, George McClusky joined the New York City Police Department
as a patrolman in 1882. He rose more slowly in rank than many of his peers, becoming a roundsman in 1895, then sergeant and police captain within the next two years. When Theodore Roosevelt
was appointed head of the Board of Police Commissioners
, McClusky was reassigned as a patrolman. His rank would rise and fall more than any other officer in his 30 years on the police force. Indeed, he soon regained his former rank under Mayor William Strong and was considered one of the rising stars in the NYPD during the 1890s.
McClusky was considered an ideal undercover detective as his clothes and "aristocratic" manner provided him with an excellent cover. He was credited for a number of high-profile arrests during his early career as a police detective. Among these was the capture confidence man John McDermott whom he pursued through Europe until finally tracking him down at New York's popular Delmonico's on May 28, 1890. McDermott was dining with Sir Robert Peel
and Viscount Clifford Talbot, having befriended them on his return voyage to the United States, when McClusky confronted the trickster. An altercation then occurred, the English noblemen angered at McClusky's accusations towards their friend, however McClusky was able to convince the men of McDermott's intentions and prevented them from becoming another of his victims. A protege of Police Inspector Thomas F. Byrnes, McClusky accompanied Byrnes when he investigated the attempted murder of financier Russell Sage
in 1891.
and Timothy "Big Tim" Sullivan
which, at the time of McClusky's removal, generated around $3 million from payoffs to corrupt politicians and police officials according to the New York Times.
Following this, Devery was quoted as saying "I'll put a man in charge of the Detective's Bureau that people can talk to. McClusky is to chesty to be of any use. "Chesty" George, that's what he is". This was in reference both to his "manly" appearance as well as his familiar "dandy
"-style of dress and the nickname would remain with him throughout his career. One summer evening, he visited the Hotel Knickerbocker wearing "a straw hat of a colored check pattern with a six-inch brim". A hat designed who was also in the hotel took a sketch of the hat and had his firm manufacturing them. A few days later, McClusky allegedly saw his hat in a Broadway store under a sign which read "Step in and buy a Merry Widow. The kind wore by Inspector McClusky, the swellest cop in the world".
Two years later, McClusky became a police inspector and assigned to the Fifth District by Commissioner Francis V. Greene
. At 42 years old, he was the youngest man in the NYPD to hold the position. Greene also returned him to the detective's bureau and soon went after the Morello crime family
, an early Sicilian mafiosi
organization, whose investigation would come into conflict with U.S. Secret Service chief William Flynn
then investigating the "Barrel murders". McClusky immediately went on the offensive ordering the arrest of a dozen known members of the Morellos. The arrests were met by fierce and violent fighting which in some cases, again according to the New York Times, ended only when suspects heads were "slammed into the pavement to overcome resistance". Among those arrested were Giuseppe Morello
, Lupo the Wolf, Vito Cascio Ferro
, and 24-year-old Tommasso "The Ox" Petto. Petto, the Times claimed, had "fought like a wild beast" until a police officer knocked him out in "a stunning blow" with a blackjack
.
He later marched the Morellos though the streets of Little Italy
. Although McCluskey claimed that the three paddy wagons which had been scheduled to transport them to the courthouse had not shown, it has been speculated that McClusky wanted to humiliate the Morellos by parading them "before their countrymen as the Romans had paraded their captives". Italian police were also known to use this tactic. The mafiosi however received a sympathetic response from the large crowd which had gathered. A movement in the crowd cased detectives to believe a rescue attempt was being made to free the prisoners and police "broke up the crowd ... knocking down some men and boys". Flynn criticized McClusky's recklessness, noting the mobsters now had time to "get their stories straight", however the NYPD had brought significant attention to organized crime
in New York. Vito Cascio Ferro fled from the city, living in New Orleans for a time, before returning to Sicily where he resided as a powerful figure in the Mafia for several decades.
McCluskey's return lasted only a short while and he was removed once more in 1905 when William McAdoo
succeeded Greene as commissioner. His career did not improve under the Cropsey administration as he was demoted to captain and sent to Morrisania Station. His rank was eventually restored under Police Commissioner Rhinelander Waldo
after his appointment in 1911.
McCluskey was present when the survivors of the Titanic were received by Mayor William J. Gaynor and Commissioner Waldo, the police inspector handling crowd control
with 12 mounted police officers and a squad of plainclothes men who established an area covering a two block radius which was closed to the general public barring passes from the federal government or the Cunard line.
at a recent shore dinner and took a leave of absence on September 18. His condition did not improve however and a physical examination found he was suffering from acute anemia
. The following day, a more thorough examination by Dr. Charles E. Nammack found his blood contained only 27% of red corpuscles found in normal blood. McClusky's health grew continually worse over the next few months. Dr. Nammack later diagnosed his condition as a rare form of anemia. The doctor later explained further "Little is known of the rare form of anemia from which the Inspector suffered. It is called progressive pernicious anaemia, and of the 1,200 cases known to the medical profession, only six recoveries are reported". A blood transfusion
, he claimed, would be been ineffective as McClusky's heart and other organs were undergoing a general breakdown. In the last weeks of his life, the red corpuscles in his blood fell to 9%.
He finally died at his West Seventeenth Street home on the night of December 17, 1912. His three sisters Mary, Margaret and Ida McClusky were with him at the time of his death. The latter two sisters were unmarried and still lived with McClusky. Mgr. Matthew A. Taylor of the Church of Blessed Sacrament was also in attendance to administer extreme unction. Funeral services were held by the church at his residence the following day.
Although his last wishes were to have a small and quiet ceremony with no oration, the large attendance and number of floral tributes made the service more elaborate than was intended. Among those present at the funeral included Chief Inspector Max F. Schmittberger
, former Police Inspector Cornelius Hays, former Police Chief John H. McCullagh
, former Congressman Edward J. Dunphy
and former fire chief Edward Croker. At around 10:00 am, his body was removed from his home and carried to the hearse by seven pallbearers from Traffic Squad 3. These men were Patrolmen Brune, Matthews, Kennedy, Juna, Maloy, Shine and Young. A requiem mass was held at the Church of Blessed Sacrament before his body was buried at Calvary Cemetery
.
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 popularly known as "Gentleman" or "Chesty McCluskey", the latter name given to him by NYPD Police Chief William "Big Bill" Devery, and was the longtime head of the NYPD Detective's Bureau at the turn of the century
Turn of the century
Turn of the century, in its broadest sense, refers to the transition from one century to another. The term is most often used to indicate a non-specific time period either before or after the beginning of a century....
. He was also, at one time, the youngest inspector on the police force.
Early life and police career
Born 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...
, George McClusky joined the New York City Police Department
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...
as a patrolman in 1882. He rose more slowly in rank than many of his peers, becoming a roundsman in 1895, then sergeant and police captain within the next two years. When Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
was appointed head of 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...
, McClusky was reassigned as a patrolman. His rank would rise and fall more than any other officer in his 30 years on the police force. Indeed, he soon regained his former rank under Mayor William Strong and was considered one of the rising stars in the NYPD during the 1890s.
McClusky was considered an ideal undercover detective as his clothes and "aristocratic" manner provided him with an excellent cover. He was credited for a number of high-profile arrests during his early career as a police detective. Among these was the capture confidence man John McDermott whom he pursued through Europe until finally tracking him down at New York's popular Delmonico's on May 28, 1890. McDermott was dining with Sir Robert Peel
Sir Robert Peel, 3rd Baronet
Sir Robert Peel, 3rd Baronet GCB, PC was a British Peelite and later Liberal politician. The eldest son of the prime minister Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet, he was educated at Harrow and Christ Church, Oxford and entered the Diplomatic Service in 1844...
and Viscount Clifford Talbot, having befriended them on his return voyage to the United States, when McClusky confronted the trickster. An altercation then occurred, the English noblemen angered at McClusky's accusations towards their friend, however McClusky was able to convince the men of McDermott's intentions and prevented them from becoming another of his victims. A protege of Police Inspector Thomas F. Byrnes, McClusky accompanied Byrnes when he investigated the attempted murder of financier Russell Sage
Russell Sage
Russell Sage was a financier, railroad executive and Whig politician from New York, United States. As a frequent partner of Jay Gould in various transactions, he amassed a fortune, which passed to his second wife, Margaret Olivia Slocum Sage, when he died...
in 1891.
"Chesty" George and the NYPD Detective's Bureau
In 1897, McClusky was made chief of the NYPD Detective's Bureau. Through evidence largely collected by himself, he was able to arrest murderer Roland B. Molineux. He remained in the bureau for three years before his demotion by Police Chief William "Big Bill" Devery in 1900. Devery was alleged to have been part of a gambling syndicate consisting of himself, Frank FarrellFrank J. Farrell
Frank J. Farrell with William S. Devery were the first owners of the New York Highlanders . They purchased the Baltimore Orioles on January 9, 1903 for $18,000 and moved it to New York City....
and Timothy "Big Tim" Sullivan
Timothy Sullivan
Timothy Daniel Sullivan was a New York politician who controlled Manhattan's Bowery and Lower East Side districts as a prominent figure within Tammany Hall. He was euphemistically known as "Dry Dollar", as the "Big Feller", and, later, as "Big Tim"...
which, at the time of McClusky's removal, generated around $3 million from payoffs to corrupt politicians and police officials according to the New York Times.
Following this, Devery was quoted as saying "I'll put a man in charge of the Detective's Bureau that people can talk to. McClusky is to chesty to be of any use. "Chesty" George, that's what he is". This was in reference both to his "manly" appearance as well as his familiar "dandy
Dandy
A dandy is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance, refined language, and leisurely hobbies, pursued with the appearance of nonchalance in a cult of Self...
"-style of dress and the nickname would remain with him throughout his career. One summer evening, he visited the Hotel Knickerbocker wearing "a straw hat of a colored check pattern with a six-inch brim". A hat designed who was also in the hotel took a sketch of the hat and had his firm manufacturing them. A few days later, McClusky allegedly saw his hat in a Broadway store under a sign which read "Step in and buy a Merry Widow. The kind wore by Inspector McClusky, the swellest cop in the world".
Two years later, McClusky became a police inspector and assigned to the Fifth District by Commissioner Francis V. Greene
Francis V. Greene
Francis Vinton Greene was a United States Army officer who fought in the Spanish-American War. He came from the Greene family of Rhode Island, noted for its long line of participants in American military history.-Biography:...
. At 42 years old, he was the youngest man in the NYPD to hold the position. Greene also returned him to the detective's bureau and soon went after the Morello crime family
Morello crime family
The Morello crime family is the direct ancestor of the Genovese crime family, the oldest of New York City's Five Families.-From Corleone to America:...
, an early Sicilian mafiosi
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
organization, whose investigation would come into conflict with U.S. Secret Service chief William Flynn
William J. Flynn
William J. Flynn was the director of the Bureau of Investigation from July 1, 1919 to August 21, 1921.Born in New York City Flynn began his government career in 1897 after receiving a public school education. His first assignment was as an Agent in the United States Secret Service...
then investigating the "Barrel murders". McClusky immediately went on the offensive ordering the arrest of a dozen known members of the Morellos. The arrests were met by fierce and violent fighting which in some cases, again according to the New York Times, ended only when suspects heads were "slammed into the pavement to overcome resistance". Among those arrested were Giuseppe Morello
Giuseppe Morello
Giuseppe "the Clutch Hand" Morello , also known as "The Old Fox", was the first boss of the Morello crime family and later top adviser to Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria. He was known as Piddu and his rivals the Castellammarese knew him as Peter Morello...
, Lupo the Wolf, Vito Cascio Ferro
Vito Cascio Ferro
Vito Cascioferro or Vito Cascio Ferro , also known as Don Vito, was a prominent member of the Sicilian Mafia. He also operated for several years in the United States...
, and 24-year-old Tommasso "The Ox" Petto. Petto, the Times claimed, had "fought like a wild beast" until a police officer knocked him out in "a stunning blow" with a blackjack
Blackjack
Blackjack, also known as Twenty-one or Vingt-et-un , is the most widely played casino banking game in the world...
.
He later marched the Morellos though the streets of Little Italy
Little Italy
Little Italy is a general name for an ethnic enclave populated primarily by Italians or people of Italian ancestry, usually in an urban neighborhood.-Canada:*Little Italy, Edmonton, in Alberta*Little Italy, Montreal, in Quebec...
. Although McCluskey claimed that the three paddy wagons which had been scheduled to transport them to the courthouse had not shown, it has been speculated that McClusky wanted to humiliate the Morellos by parading them "before their countrymen as the Romans had paraded their captives". Italian police were also known to use this tactic. The mafiosi however received a sympathetic response from the large crowd which had gathered. A movement in the crowd cased detectives to believe a rescue attempt was being made to free the prisoners and police "broke up the crowd ... knocking down some men and boys". Flynn criticized McClusky's recklessness, noting the mobsters now had time to "get their stories straight", however the NYPD had brought significant attention to organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
in New York. Vito Cascio Ferro fled from the city, living in New Orleans for a time, before returning to Sicily where he resided as a powerful figure in the Mafia for several decades.
McCluskey's return lasted only a short while and he was removed once more in 1905 when William McAdoo
William McAdoo (New Jersey)
William McAdoo was an American Democratic Party politician who represented New Jersey's 7th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1883 to 1891, and served as New York City Police Commissioner in 1904 and 1905.-Biography:McAdoo was born in Ramelton, County Donegal,...
succeeded Greene as commissioner. His career did not improve under the Cropsey administration as he was demoted to captain and sent to Morrisania Station. His rank was eventually restored under Police Commissioner Rhinelander Waldo
Rhinelander Waldo
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...
after his appointment in 1911.
McCluskey was present when the survivors of the Titanic were received by Mayor William J. Gaynor and Commissioner Waldo, the police inspector handling crowd control
Crowd control
Crowd control is the controlling of a crowd, to prevent the outbreak of disorder and prevention of possible riot. Examples are at soccer matches, when a sale of goods has attracted an excess of customers, refugee control, or mass decontamination and mass quarantine situations . It calls for gentler...
with 12 mounted police officers and a squad of plainclothes men who established an area covering a two block radius which was closed to the general public barring passes from the federal government or the Cunard line.
Death
In late-1912, McClusky became mysteriously ill while in charge of the Fourteenth Inspection District. It was first believed he had become sick with ptomaine poisoning after eating shellfishShellfish
Shellfish is a culinary and fisheries term for exoskeleton-bearing aquatic invertebrates used as food, including various species of molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms. Although most kinds of shellfish are harvested from saltwater environments, some kinds are found only in freshwater...
at a recent shore dinner and took a leave of absence on September 18. His condition did not improve however and a physical examination found he was suffering from acute anemia
Anemia
Anemia is a decrease in number of red blood cells or less than the normal quantity of hemoglobin in the blood. However, it can include decreased oxygen-binding ability of each hemoglobin molecule due to deformity or lack in numerical development as in some other types of hemoglobin...
. The following day, a more thorough examination by Dr. Charles E. Nammack found his blood contained only 27% of red corpuscles found in normal blood. McClusky's health grew continually worse over the next few months. Dr. Nammack later diagnosed his condition as a rare form of anemia. The doctor later explained further "Little is known of the rare form of anemia from which the Inspector suffered. It is called progressive pernicious anaemia, and of the 1,200 cases known to the medical profession, only six recoveries are reported". A blood transfusion
Blood transfusion
Blood transfusion is the process of receiving blood products into one's circulation intravenously. Transfusions are used in a variety of medical conditions to replace lost components of the blood...
, he claimed, would be been ineffective as McClusky's heart and other organs were undergoing a general breakdown. In the last weeks of his life, the red corpuscles in his blood fell to 9%.
He finally died at his West Seventeenth Street home on the night of December 17, 1912. His three sisters Mary, Margaret and Ida McClusky were with him at the time of his death. The latter two sisters were unmarried and still lived with McClusky. Mgr. Matthew A. Taylor of the Church of Blessed Sacrament was also in attendance to administer extreme unction. Funeral services were held by the church at his residence the following day.
Although his last wishes were to have a small and quiet ceremony with no oration, the large attendance and number of floral tributes made the service more elaborate than was intended. Among those present at the funeral included Chief Inspector Max F. Schmittberger
Max F. Schmittberger
Maximilian Frances Schmittberger was an American law enforcement officer and chief police inspector for the New York City Police Department from 1909 until his death in 1917. He and Captain John Price were both wardmen closely associated with Inspector Alexander "Clubber" Williams while a precinct...
, former Police Inspector Cornelius Hays, former Police Chief John H. McCullagh
John H. McCullagh
John H. McCullagh was an American law enforcement officer and police captain in the New York City Police Department. Popularly known as "Farmer John", he was a protege of Captains Jeremiah Petty and George W. Walling and battled such notorious gangs and river pirates such as the Tub of Blood...
, former Congressman Edward J. Dunphy
Edward J. Dunphy
Edward John Dunphy of New York City was a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York from 1889 to 1893. He was a Democrat.-External links:...
and former fire chief Edward Croker. At around 10:00 am, his body was removed from his home and carried to the hearse by seven pallbearers from Traffic Squad 3. These men were Patrolmen Brune, Matthews, Kennedy, Juna, Maloy, Shine and Young. A requiem mass was held at the Church of Blessed Sacrament before his body was buried at Calvary Cemetery
Calvary Cemetery, Queens
The Roman Catholic Calvary Cemetery in Queens has the largest number of interments of any cemetery in the United States.The offices of Calvary Cemetery are located at 49-02 Laurel Hill Blvd. in Woodside in the New York City borough of Queens, New York. The cemetery is managed by the Trustees of...
.
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.
- Friedland, Martin. The Death of Old Man Rice: A True Story of Criminal Justice in America. New York: New York University Press, 1996. ISBN 0-8147-2659-3
- Schechter, Harold. The Devil's Gentleman: Privilege, Poison, and the Trial that Ushered in the Twentieth Century. New York: Ballantine Books, 2007. ISBN 0-345-47679-4