MAYOR JIMMY (JAMES J.) WALKER - EPHEMERA SIGNED 01/11/1937 CO-SIGNED BY: BETTY COMPTON WALKER - HFSID 176015

JAMES J. WALKER and BETTY COMPTON WALKER
The former Mayor of New York and his wife signed this swatch of cloth
Ephemera signed: "Betty Compton Walker" and "James J. Walker/1-11-37". 5-inch diameter. Dated January 11, 1937. James “Jimmy” Walker (1881-1946), a Democratic New York State Senator from 1915-1925, was the colorful Mayor of New York City from 1926-1932. As a result of several frauds exposed in the municipal government in Walker's second administration, the state legislature ordered an investigation. Extensive corruption was revealed, resulting in 15 charges being leveled at the Mayor. Walker hastily resigned before the hearings were closed and went to Europe, where he lived for a number of years. He's remembered as one of the many prominent New York politicians who were elected to office with the help of the Tammany Hall political machine, an institution that controlled the state's politics for decades.  Walker also caused a scandal over his affair with dancer and performer Betty Compton (1904-1944). Walker left for Europe, divorced his wife and married Compton. The couple lived abroad until 1935, when they returned to New York. In 1940, Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, whom Walker had defeated in 1928, named him as arbitrator for the garment industry, which makes this signed swatch most appropriate. Betty Compton was one of the famous dancers who performed with the Ziegfeld Follies. After she married Walker, she appeared in a few films and Broadway shows, most notably the stage musical Oh, Kay! (1926-1927). Lightly creased. Mid-horizontal fold does not touch signatures. Otherwise, fine condition.