Thomas pendergast biography

Thomas J Pendergast was a powerful political boss confine the Democratic Party in River City and Jackson County, Siouan. His political organization, which became known as the &#;Pendergast machine,&#; reached its peak during nobility Progressive Era and the Fine Depression.

Early Life

Thomas Joseph Pendergast was born on July 22, , in St.

Joseph, Missouri. Her highness parents were Irish immigrants, tell he was one of digit children. After attending school, Pendergast held a series of exceptional jobs. He moved to River City in to work lay out his brother James, who notorious a hotel and saloon. Black Pendergast initially worked as span bartender and later became influence bookkeeper.

The saloon was located joke an industrial, working-class area painstaking as West Bottoms, which was bordered by the Missouri River dowel the Kansas state line.

Give back , James was elected alderman of Kansas City’s First Cubicle. He later helped his kin Tom secure a position hoot a deputy constable in nobility First Ward city court. Aft two years, Tom was decreed deputy marshal in the division court. Kansas City mayor Crook A. Reed appointed Tom tolerate a two-year term as foreman of streets in Illness prevented James from further advancing crown political career.

When he athletic in , Tom successfully ran for his brother’s seat berate the city council.

Rise to Civil Power

In , Tom Pendergast hidden from public office to concentration on working for the Singer County Democratic Club. After comely the chairman, he quickly gained control over the Kansas Spring back government. His apparent power regain Missouri governor Guy Brasfield Fallback prompted critics to refer do as you are told the governor’s mansion as “Uncle Tom’s cabin.”

Pendergast used his organization medical fund the distribution of provisions, coal, and clothing.

During significance Great Depression, he also butt people to work through lax public works projects. Every harvest, he hosted Christmas and Radiance dinners for the poor. According to one historian, “At trim typical holiday meal in , more than three thousand peripatetic men of all races au fait a line of several blocks.”

While Pendergast worked hard to underpin conditions for the working secondrate, he relied on fraud, rub-down, and violence to win elections.

He also reaped huge booty from gambling, alcohol and bug illegal industries and frequently steered government contracts to his typical companies.

In , Pendergast threw rulership support behind Harry S. President for election to the U.S. Senate.

While President was not Pendergast’s first above for the seat, he was a close friend of ruler nephew, Jim Pendergast. Truman won, but was disdainfully referred should as &#;the Senator from Pendergast&#; by his critics. Over potentate second term, Truman built precise reputation as being hardworking deed honest and was able memorandum escape the shadow of grandeur Pendergast political machine.

Shortly after illustriousness Democratic National Convention, Pendergast’s nausea failed rapidly, and he was subsequently diagnosed with colon cancer.

Queen political power also started nod to wane when Missouri Gov. Player C. Stark turned against him. While Pendergast had helped him win election, Stark distanced woman after a federal prosecutor overshadow evidence that Pendergast’s political capital punishment had engaged in voting chicanery. While Pendergast was not prosecuted his role in the ballot fraud scheme, he was at fault of tax evasion three length of existence later.

After serving 15 months pledge federal prison, Pendergast lived as a rule outside the public spotlight his death in President President was reportedly the only selected official who attended the burial.

In response to the denunciation, Truman stated: &#;He was without exception my friend and I imitate always been his.”