Christy Sullivan Fades Away

In Congress, the little man who wasn't there is white-haired, droopy-eyed Christopher D. Sullivan. He wasn't there again last week. The 70-year-old leader of Tammany Hall had folded his tent after 24 years as Representative of New York's Thirteenth Congressional District, left the Capital as quietly as he entered it in 1917. He was gone for days before he was missed.

Washington was used to not noticing Christy Sullivan. In all his years in Congress, Christy had never made a speech. He attended few sessions, left the actual running of the Tammany bloc in Congress to shrewd, pugnacious Tom Cullen of Brooklyn. Ways & Means Committeemen, among whom hew:as third-ranking member, got used to seeing Christy lean over to Cullen, whisper: "Which way do I vote on this one, Tom?"

When most members of Congress were busy composing speeches for the benefit of constituents back home. Christy's thoughts wandered to the race tracks of Laurel, Bowie or Havre de Grace. Friends who thought his heart was in the right place never accused him of having his heart in his work. So when Louis Capozzoli decided to run for Congress from the Thirteenth District, Christy had no trouble making up his mind to retire. Louis Capozzoli was popular and might have been hard to beat. By retiring, Christy could continue as leader of Tammany Hall and go on dreaming his beautiful dream of a Tammany returned to power in Manhattan. But not if he were beaten in the Democratic primary by Louis Capozzoli. Like generals in a war, Tammany leaders don't remain long in power after they have been beaten.

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