City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works Publications and Research Lehman College 2003 Robert Anderson Van Wyck (1847-1918) Janet Butler Munch CUNY Lehman College How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/le_pubs/314 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] VAN WYCK, ROBERT ANDERSON (27 July 1847 - 15 November 1918), judge and mayor. Born in New York City, Van Wyck was graduated from Columbia Law School, practiced law, and rose from city court judge to chief judge of that court. With Tammany Hall's backing, Van Wyck, a Democrat, was elected the first mayor of greater New York in 1897. In 1898, the city was consolidated into its current borough form of government. Van Wyck took his orders from Tammany boss Richard Croker, and massive patronage, graft, vice, and malfeasance marked his administration. The notorious Ice Trust Company scandal caused Van Wyck the most trouble. The city had granted a company a virtual monopoly to land its ice on city docks, eliminating competition and forcing up prices, and the mayor himself held company stock valued at $678,000. Though the bar called for Van Wyck's removal from office, he was ultimately cleared of all charges. The scandal, however, was a blow to Tammany and dis- credited Van Wyck's administration. In 1900, be lost the mayoral election to the Republican candidate Seth Low, who ushered in municipal re-form. After leaving office, Van Wyck resumed his law practice. He died in Paris, France. Further Reading: Mazet Committee, Investigation of Offices and Departments of the City of New York by a Special Committee of the Assembly..., 1899; New York World, 17 October 1901; New York Times, 16 November 1918. Janet Butler Munch Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2003 M.E. Sharpe, Inc. .