Lawrence Gresser Explained

Lawrence Gresser
Birth Date:	1 January 1851
Birth Place:	Kingdom of Bavaria
Office:	Borough President of Queens
Term Start:	1908
Term End:	1911
Predecessor:	Joseph Bermel
Successor:	Maurice E. Connolly

Lawrence Gresser (January 1, 1851 – January 30, 1935) was the Borough President of Queens, New York, USA from 1908 to 1911.^[1]

Gresser was born in the Kingdom of Bavaria. He was a shoemaker and emigrated to the United States. Gresser entered public service in Queens in 1898 and served as Commissioner of Public Works under Borough President Joseph Bermel. When Bermel suddenly resigned his office amid a political scandal in 1908, Gresser and Joseph Cassidy were contenders to take over the rest of his term. Cassidy was favored, having already held the office, but Gresser was named instead.^[2]

Gresser was elected to his own term in 1909,^[3] but barely six months into this term he was accused of abusing his office and being incompetent. These charges were brought to Governor Charles Evans Hughes, who appointed lawyer Samuel H. Ordway to investigate. After a lengthy investigation, Ordway recommended Gresser's removal for incompetence and inefficiency, and Governor John A. Dix removed Gresser from office on September 27, 1911.^[4] ^[5]

Notes and References

Web site: Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Gresham to Griffey.
News: Bermel Sails Away — Gresser In His Job — Ex-President of Queens Breaks His Promise to Stay for Kissena Park Inquiry — He Was Under Subpoena — But Ignored Grand Jury Summons and Went to Europe — Lively Fight Over His Successor. 20 November 2016. New York Times. May 1, 1908. 1.
News: Gaynor Wins; Tammany Loses All The Rest — A Clean Sweep by Fusion of All Offices Outside of the Mayoralty — Gaynor's Plurality 72,500 — But Fusion Has Carried the Board of Estimate and with It City Control — Whitman District Attorney — Beats George Gordon Battle for the Office by About 22,000 Votes — All Patronage to Fusion — Controllership, Aldermanic Presidency, County Offices, and Supreme Court — All Gone — Borough Presidents, Too — McAneny Wins in Manhattan, Gresser Carries Queens, Miller the Bronx — And Roesch Is Beaten. 19 November 2016. New York Times. November 3, 1909. 1.
https://books.google.com/books?id=tt4nAAAAYAAJ&dq=lawrence+gresser+queens&pg=PA483 Papers of John A. Dix
News: Gov. Dix Removes Gresser of Queens — Holds Borough President to Account for Department "Corruption and Incompetence" — Fraud in Culvert Work — More in Padded Payrolls and Petty Cash — Decision Out in Time to Let Cassidy Win. 21 November 2016. New York Times. September 27, 1911. 1.