Very important collection of original NY Daily News courtroom art for the trial of James Joseph Hines (December 18, 1876 – March 26, 1957), who was a Democratic Party politician and one of the most powerful leaders of Tammany Hall in New York City. All Illustrations by S.J. Woolf (Samuel Johnson Woolf 1880 - 1948), was active/lived in New York and by a Daily News staff artist named "Kidd" (see lots 184b and 184c which contains additional photos that go with this lot - this was necessary since Liveauctioneers only provides for 20 photos per lot and we have included 47 images to provide all the photos of the artwork for this trial). In the 1920s and 1930s, Hines maintained "absolute power" over his district and was arguably the most powerful political figure in Tammany Hall. As boss of Tammany Hall's Eleventh Assembly District in uptown Manhattan, Hines had access to various sources of wealth and developed close ties with many mobsters such as Lucky Luciano, leader of the city's dominant Luciano crime family. In 1938, Hines was accused of being involved in the numbers racket with racketeer Dutch Schultz and gangland lawyer, Dixie Davis and of violating the "lottery laws". He was alleged to have received a cut in the proceeds of the numbers racket and for providing protection for the numbers racketeers in Harlem and other sections of New York. He was also charged with influencing Magistrates Capshaw and Erwin to throw out numbers cases in which the other conspirators had an interest and to influence former District Attorney William C. Dodge to 'go easy' on policy (numbers) prosecutions. Manhattan District Attorney Thomas E. Dewey would successfully get Hines convicted on 13 counts of racketeering in February of 1939 in a N.Y. Supreme Court retrial. On March 23, 1939 he was sentenced to 4-8 years in prison, and was paroled on September 12, 1944. This collection consists of courtroom sketches in graphite, charcoal watercolor and gouache, by S .J. Woolf and also black and white watercolors and graphite drawings by "The News" staff artist named "Kidd". The Woolf artwork includes a total of 50 all unsigned but many with newspaper clippings on reverse with date of trail and attributing the sketches to Mr. Woolf - the others without clippings are clearly in his style and drawn on similar paper so unquestionably in his hand) - the largest measures 12 3/4" x 19 1/2". The "Kidd" artwork includes 12 mostly graphite sketches and 27 watercolors/charcoals - this grouping also with newspaper clippings attached to reverse indicating the illustrations were drawn by "Staff artist Kidd" who worked for The News - largest watercolors on artist board measuring 16" x 12". Note that many of the illustrations with foot notes attached indicating participants in the courtroom scenes including witnesses, the judge, Hines and prosecutor Dewey. The artwork was found in a local estate in a large envelope marked "The News / New Yorks Picture Newspaper". All sketches are guaranteed to be authentic from the 1938 period. The artwork on artist board are in very good condition and most sketches on paper with some tears and losses around border.