William O'Dwyer, Democratic mayor from 1946 to 1950. Immigrant from County Mayo at 20, bartender, hod carrier, New York City policeman, night-school lawyer and overnight hero in 1940 when, as Brooklyn D.A., he uncovered the infamous Murder, Inc. and sent seven of its killers to the chair. That made him mayor of New York, and a good job he seemed to be doing too?until he suddenly quit "because of health" to take a less taxing job as Ambassador to Mexico, and people soon after discovered that his aides had been shaking down bookies and oil-burner dealers for $1,500,000.
