Biography Thomas Woolsey Thorne

1 biography

1.1 , police career
1.2 new york draft riots
1.3 later career
1.4 death

biography
early , police career

born near newburgh in orange county, new york in june 1823, father well-to-do farmer , mother member of prominent woolsey family. moved new york city young man , worked house , ship carpenter. time, assistant stage carpenter @ old bowery theater, thalia theater, , involved in construction of steamboats on hudson river.

he first lived in thirteenth ward , became active in whig politics. in 1851, appointed watchman revenue service , subsequently became custom house inspector. on july 25, 1853, thorne became officer in municipal police force , assigned thirteenth ward under command of captain thomas s. steers, father of captain henry v. steers of city hall police. same year, elected rank-and-file officers represent them when speaking board of commissioners on concerns on expensive , fantasical uniform . although himself critic, agreed wear new design , later became strong supporter of new uniforms. when metropolitan police department formed in 1817, thorne among majority of old municipals under mayor fernando wood left join new police force.

he officially joined metropolitan police on april 23, 1857 patrolman and, within month, had won promotion sergeant. left thirteenth ward , stationed in seventh, eleventh , thirteenth precincts. became police captain on september 16, 1861, , posted fourth precinct. precinct notorious corruption , referred resort of thieves , desperados of worst kind . around time thorne closed headquarters of daybreak boys, dive bar located in slaughter house point, contributed eventual break of river pirates , went long way in cleaning new york waterfront.

new york draft riots

within year, thorne had cleaned precinct , reassigned twenty-sixth precinct, located in basement of new york city hall. still in command of precinct @ time of new york draft riots in 1863, , had 5 officers dress in civilian clothes move freely among rioters , inform of plans.

on first night of riot, set out city hall relieve besieged defenders of new york tribune. met @ printing house square captain jacob b. warlow , squad, returning tour of new york waterfront, , decided combine forces. around 100 patrolmen, , captain warlow led squad against mob attacking offices of new york tribune. attacked rear, clearing building of rioters , putting out small fires had been set, , mob fled in disorder park row , city hall park met police squad under police inspectors daniel c. carpenter , john s. folk.

later career

in late-1866, thorne returned fourth precinct take on command captain bryan, had resigned post, before returning city hall on july 2, 1869. following removal of police inspector william jameson office, on april 20, 1872, thorne appointed replacement. held position until may 31 when resigned head street cleaning bureau. under jurisdiction of nypd, laws changed year later allow police officer oversee bureau and, on february 14, 1873, thorne reinstated on nypd being promoted patrolman sergeant , captain in 1 day. considered @ time rapid rise in rank in history on police force.

thorne remained in charge of street cleaning bureau and, following promotion police inspector, assigned third district after reorganization of inspection districts in 1875. area comprised eastern half of city above forty-second street. while in command of district headed investigation murder of abraham weisberger, jewish peddler, body had been found in lydig s woods. 3 african-americans, william thomas, william watson , charles ellis, convicted of murder , hanged @ tombs on december 17, 1875. board of commissioners credited thorne conduct of high-profile case. in riots during summer of 1877, commanded 400-man reserve police force, both patrolman , mounted police, in support of police inspector william murray , captain thomas f. byrnes.

he subsequently transferred first inspection district , remained there until replacement inspector william murray. returning third district, on appointment of inspector byrnes, third , fourth districts consolidated , placed under command of inspector george w. dilks. thorne put in charge of third district, comprised west side of city below forty-second street, , remained there rest of career. while commander of precinct became concerned on accusations of illegal gambling in twenty-second precinct and, although these charges directed towards captain alexander s. williams, williams acquittal of these charges indirectly vindicated him.

thorne had married twice, having son , daughter first marriage, before marrying wealthy young widow in 1873. brother-in-law latter marriage old time yachtman commodore charles cheesebrough. although there no issue second marriage, 2 lived next 12 years.

in 1884, , captain alexander clubber williams attended boxing match between john l. sullivan , greenfield @ madison square garden. under orders mayor edson, walling closed fight , had thorne , williams arrest both men. on january 19, 1885, thorne again involved in controversy when assigned police supervisor in boxing match between john l. sullivan , paddy ryan @ madison square garden. had been ordered new york mayor william r. grace stop match @ slightest hint of violence , 30 seconds first round, stamped ring, seized ryan feet , ended match .

death

on afternoon of march 19, 1885, thorne left precinct attend meeting superintendent george w. walling , other inspectors. remained on duty @ police headquarters until 7:15 am when left building return office on east twenty-ninth street. on way uptown, stopped mercer police station visit captain john j. brogan. after having breakfast, thorne arrived @ office , received reports of captains of second inspection district. started out twenty-ninth street station house fell ill @ corner of broadway , twenty-ninth street.

he walked nearby lindo brothers jewelry store told 1 of owners, david lindo, felt sick. asked brandy and, when failed revive him, dr. hunt called west twenty-ninth street. thorne, @ suggestion, brought room while messenger brought sergeant , detective west thirteenth police station. asked wife sent for, died before arrival 20 minutes after had entered store. body removed home on west fourteenth street. funeral organized captain williams on family s behalf , held in front parlor of home 3 days later. when funeral procession began, around 1,100 policemen had formed in line stretching 8 sixth avenue. 3 police battalions under captains theron s. copeland, anthony j. allaire , george washburn escorted body calvary baptist church funeral. superintendent walling, inspectors thomas f. byrnes, george w. dilks , william murray, , captains william h. clinchy, joseph b. eakins, thomas killilea , john j. mount walked alongside hearse pallbearers. funeral procession included 16 carriages carrying thorne s family , friends delegation mecca temple of mystic shrine led potentate walter m. flemming. temple, palestine commandery of knights templar , eureka lodge, later received body burial @ woodlawn cemetery.