The Boss, and How He Came to Rule New York

Alfred Henry Lewis

The Boss, and How He Came to Rule New York is a vivid and dramatized account of the rise of a political powerhouse within the infamous Tammany Hall system. Written by journalist and novelist Alfred Henry Lewis, this semi-fictionalized narrative reveals the inner workings of urban political machines through the life and ascent of a character simply known as "The Boss." Structured like a political bildungsroman, the book traces the Bosss humble beginnings, his first contact with street-level politics, and his cunning maneuvering through elections, party factions, municipal contracts, and ruthless alliances. Each chapter builds on how influence is consolidated—from ballot battles to controlling city franchises, and from eliminating rivals to navigating legal traps. Lewis skillfully blends gritty realism with novelistic storytelling to portray the raw mechanics of power in late 19th-century New York. With chapters like "The Battle of the Ballots," "How the Boss Was Named for Alderman," "The Mulberry Franchise," and "The Victor and the Spoils," Lewis details the morally ambiguous world of political leadership, where public service and self-interest often clash. Despite its fictional framing, the novel draws heavily from real political events and figures, serving both as literary entertainment and historical commentary on the corruption, populism, and populist manipulation of the Gilded Age. Engaging, sharp, and timeless in its relevance, The Boss is an essential exploration of machine politics, urban governance, and the charismatic figures who shape democracy from the shadows.

Table of contents

• THE WORD OF PREFACE
• CHAPTER 1—HOW THE BOSS CAME TO NEW YORK
• CHAPTER 2—THE BOSS MEETS WITH POLITICS
• CHAPTER 3—THE BOSS SEES THE POWER OF TAMMANY
• CHAPTER 4—THE BOSS ENTERS THE PRIMARY GRADE OF POLITICS
• CHAPTER 5—THE BATTLE OF THE BALLOTS
• CHAPTER 6—THE RED JACKET ASSOCIATION
• CHAPTER 7—HOW THE BOSS WAS NAMED FOR ALDERMAN
• CHAPTER 8—THE FATE OF SHEENY JOE
• CHAPTER 9—HOW BIG KENNEDY BOLTED
• CHAPTER 10—HOW JIMMY THE BLACKSMITH DIED
• CHAPTER 11—HOW THE BOSS STOOD AT BAY FOR HIS LIFE
• CHAPTER 12—DARBY THE GOPHER
• CHAPTER 13—BIG KENNEDY AND THE MUGWUMPS
• CHAPTER 14—THE MULBERRY FRANCHISE
• CHAPTER 15—THAT GAS COMPANY INJUNCTION
• CHAPTER 16—THE BOSS IS DEAD; LONG LIVE THE BOSS!
• CHAPTER 17—THE REPUTABLE OLD GENTLEMAN IS MAYOR
• CHAPTER 18—HOW THE BOSS TOOK THE TOWN
• CHAPTER 19—THE SON OF THE WIDOW VAN FLANGE
• CHAPTER 20—THE MARK OF THE ROPE
• CHAPTER 21—THE REVEREND BRONSON'S REBELLION
• CHAPTER 22—THE MAN OF THE KNIFE
• CHAPTER 23—THE WEDDING OF BLOSSOM
• CHAPTER 24—HOW VAN FLANGE WENT INTO STOCKS
• CHAPTER 25—PROFIT AND LOSS; MAINLY THE LATTER
• CHAPTER 26—THE VICTOR AND THE SPOILS
• CHAPTER 27—GOLD CAME, AND DEATH STEPPED IN
• CHAPTER 28—BEING THE EPILOGUE