Thomas C. T. Crain
Encyclopedia
Thomas Crowell Taylor Crain (May 25, 1860 New York City
- May 29, 1942) was an American lawyer and politician from New York
. He was New York County District Attorney
from 1930 to 1933.
, near the old Tammany Hall
in Manhattan
. He was the son of Dunham Jones Crain
who was appointed U.S. Consul in Milan
in 1877. Thomas Crain accompanied his father to Italy
but returned in 1881, and began the study of law. He was admitted to the New York City Bar in 1884, and commenced practiced with Cockran & Clarke
. Later he became a partner in Kenneson, Crain & Allen.
In 1887, he became a member of the Tammany General Committee, representing the 7th Assembly District. In 1889, Mayor Hugh J. Grant appointed him as his private secretary, and in February 1890 as City Chamberlain to succeed Richard Croker
who had resigned. He remained in office until May 1893, when Mayor Thomas Francis Gilroy appointed Joseph J. O'Donohue to the office.
He was Tenement House Commissioner
from 1904 to 1905 when he resigned following a dispute with Mayor George Brinton McClellan, Jr. in the wake of a fire at 105 Allen Street that killed 18 people, mostly children. Fire officials said windows and fire escapes were blocked. Charges were made that the department had not properly inspected it although Crain said the records showed inspections twice a month.
He was the presiding Judge in the 1911 trial of Triangle Shirtwaist Factory
owners Max Blanck and Isaac Harris.
He was a judge of the Court of General Sessions from 1906 to 1924. In 1914, his wife Agnes (Clarke) Crain died. In 1921, he was elected a sachem of the Tammany Society. In January 1924, he was appointed by Governor Al Smith
to the New York Supreme Court
(1st D.) to fill the vacancy caused by the election of Irving Lehman
to the New York Court of Appeals
. In November 1924, he was elected to succeed himself.
In November 1929, he was elected New York County District Attorney
. He convened a grand jury to look into the Arnold Rothstein
murder and it adjourned saying it could not solve the case. In 1930, he convened a grand jury to investigate job buying Magistrate George F. Ewald. When the jury did not indict, Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt
convened a jury and got an indictment. In 1930, he announced a war against rackets which produced few results. Charges were filed against him for general negligence, urging his removal. This was common procedure by Anti-Tammany reformers since the precedent of 1900 when Governor Theodore Roosevelt
removed D.A. Asa Bird Gardiner
. This time the charges were ultimately dismissed by Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt
.
After leaving the D.A.'s office at the end of his term in 1933, he became a New York Supreme Court referee. He died on May 29, 1942.
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...
- May 29, 1942) was an American lawyer and politician from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He was New York County 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....
from 1930 to 1933.
Biography
Crain was born on May 25, 1860 on 14th Street14th Street (Manhattan)
14th Street is a major crosstown street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The street rivals the size of some of the well-known avenues of the city and is an important business location....
, near the old Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was a New York political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society...
in Manhattan
Manhattan
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...
. He was the son of Dunham Jones Crain
Dunham Jones Crain
Dunham Jones Crain was an American politician and diplomat from New York.-Biography:...
who was appointed U.S. Consul in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
in 1877. Thomas Crain accompanied his father to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
but returned in 1881, and began the study of law. He was admitted to the New York City Bar in 1884, and commenced practiced with Cockran & Clarke
William Bourke Cockran
William Bourke Cockran , commonly known as Bourke Cockran, was a United States Representative from New York and a noted political orator.-Biography:...
. Later he became a partner in Kenneson, Crain & Allen.
In 1887, he became a member of the Tammany General Committee, representing the 7th Assembly District. In 1889, Mayor Hugh J. Grant appointed him as his private secretary, and in February 1890 as City Chamberlain to succeed Richard Croker
Richard Croker
Richard Croker, Sr. was an American politician, a leader of New York City's Tammany Hall.-Biography:...
who had resigned. He remained in office until May 1893, when Mayor Thomas Francis Gilroy appointed Joseph J. O'Donohue to the office.
He was Tenement House Commissioner
Tenement House Commissioner
New York City Tenement House Commissioner* William Francis Deegan * Thomas Crowell Taylor Crain 1904 to 1905....
from 1904 to 1905 when he resigned following a dispute with Mayor George Brinton McClellan, Jr. in the wake of a fire at 105 Allen Street that killed 18 people, mostly children. Fire officials said windows and fire escapes were blocked. Charges were made that the department had not properly inspected it although Crain said the records showed inspections twice a month.
He was the presiding Judge in the 1911 trial of Triangle Shirtwaist Factory
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...
owners Max Blanck and Isaac Harris.
He was a judge of the Court of General Sessions from 1906 to 1924. In 1914, his wife Agnes (Clarke) Crain died. In 1921, he was elected a sachem of the Tammany Society. In January 1924, he was appointed by Governor Al Smith
Al Smith
Alfred Emanuel Smith. , known in private and public life as Al Smith, was an American statesman who was elected the 42nd Governor of New York three times, and was the Democratic U.S. presidential candidate in 1928...
to the New York Supreme Court
New York Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in thestate court system of New York, United States. There is a supreme court in each of New York State's 62 counties, although some smaller counties share judges with neighboring counties...
(1st D.) to fill the vacancy caused by the election of Irving Lehman
Irving Lehman
Irving Lehman was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals from 1940 until his death in 1945.- Biography:...
to the New York Court of Appeals
New York Court of Appeals
The New York Court of Appeals is the highest court in the U.S. state of New York. The Court of Appeals consists of seven judges: the Chief Judge and six associate judges who are appointed by the Governor to 14-year terms...
. In November 1924, he was elected to succeed himself.
In November 1929, he was elected New York County 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....
. He convened a grand jury to look into the Arnold Rothstein
Arnold Rothstein
Arnold Rothstein , nicknamed "The Brain", was a New York businessman and gambler who became a famous kingpin of the Jewish mafia. Rothstein was also widely reputed to have been behind baseball's Black Sox Scandal, in which the 1919 World Series was fixed...
murder and it adjourned saying it could not solve the case. In 1930, he convened a grand jury to investigate job buying Magistrate George F. Ewald. When the jury did not indict, Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
convened a jury and got an indictment. In 1930, he announced a war against rackets which produced few results. Charges were filed against him for general negligence, urging his removal. This was common procedure by Anti-Tammany reformers since the precedent of 1900 when Governor 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...
removed D.A. Asa Bird Gardiner
Asa Bird Gardiner
Asa Bird Gardiner was a controversial American soldier, attorney, and prosecutor. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the American Civil War in 1872, it was rescinded when the supporting documentation was not found...
. This time the charges were ultimately dismissed by Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
.
After leaving the D.A.'s office at the end of his term in 1933, he became a New York Supreme Court referee. He died on May 29, 1942.
Further reading
- CRAIN SUCCEEDS CROKER in NYT on February 7, 1890
- THE MAYOR'S APPOINTMENTS in NYT on May 2, 1893
- MAYOR M'CLELLAN'S APPOINTMENTS in NYT on December 23, 1903
- Dunham Jones Crain, his father's obit, in NYT on May 18, 1908
- Mrs. Dunham Jones Crain, obit of his mother, in NYT on August 21, 1914
- Death notice of his wife, in NYT on September 24, 1914
- NEW TAMMANY SACHEMS in NYT on February 8, 1921