New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-06
THE HON. PADDY GLEASON.
HOW HE RUNS LONG ISLAND CITY.
BEING SOME ACCOUNT or THE RISE AND PROG.
REss OF A TIpPERARy LAD WITH
prRvRRSE TWIN.

OF SIX feet. But In the Dyes OF those hHecuonaw ana
odmIring worshippcrs to whom he refers as "my
people, his apparent altitude is beyond belief and
his weight is measured in tons. He is one Of the
smallest and shortest Of a family OF eight Tppcrary
boys. The other smallest and shortest one is his
twin. Paddy and his twin have always been one In
sympathy but two In sentiment One after another
Paddy's brothers all went to the war unii he and
his twin were the only ones left AZ last Paddy
could stand It no longer and said hc guessed he'd
enlist, too. All right, said HIS twin, you shall
not go alone. I'll 60 too. Which sidc VIII you
take -
40, I'm for the Stars and Stripes" said Paddy.
"vcry goodn replied his twin " thsi I'll take the
other sidea
"And he did, said Paddy, as he told the story.
He went and Joined Mosby. Bedad, he was that
pcrvcrse,
When man say that he and six brothers all
went to the war in the ranks and all came out
ing epaulettes from those Of captain to those OF
major general he is able TO say good doal 10 start
with. The Hon. Paddy Gleason can say It, and does
say It, too, whenever the occasion seems to him ap
proprate for Paddy docs not belve In hiding his light
under tusLel or In wearing gag when speech Is
desirable. He feels that his organs and faculties
wore given him for a purpose. lie Keeps his eyes
wide open in the confident belief that they
TO see with his tongue in working order, satisfied
that II was intended instrument for the convey
Of his views and opinions and his energetic fist
in condition to resist the dlctatorial otherwise OF
fensive word.
Paddy Gleason is one OF the common people, and he
glories in IT, He holds II tho proudcst heritage Of
this free and independent people that the least can
be greatest. Long Island City. he says, is a pure
democracy. There tho people rule-through him.
Tho hand that directs is the hand Of Gleason, the
voice that commands is the voice of Gleason but the
Inspiration comes from the people. What system Of
FREQ government could be moro perfect AS ono
Of the people in general, and as the entire
consolidated people Of Long Island City in particular
Paddy is foe to corporations To be sure, no Is a
corporation himself owning and operating street
railroads through Long Island City, to which he Is not
a foe. But with these two notable exceptions, and
more especially in his official capacity, Paddy regards
corporations With stern, relentless eye. "The
Standard OIL Company" says he, has here,
stolen streets, ripped them up at will, their
pipes nued with explosive matter everywhere, IN
creased our Insurance rates, and never paid the city
dollar for outragng IT, All these corporations have
acted the same way They have brIbed the city's
officials right and left, squatod all water
front, and are now cheating lis out OF the taxes due
from a large assessable estate. Tho Long Island
Railroad IS the worst of me lot and I'm going to have
II out with EN-. I've got the law with me and they
know It and II they don't get off tho highways where
they have no right to be- I'll rip up their tracks Just
as cut down their sheds They're saying that what
I want is "a stake Lemmc toll 'em right now that
the stake thatn buy will bust them'
II Is believed that Mayor Gleasons personal beauty
not less than the amplitude Of his fists has contributed
- his success as politician. He weighs go pounds
His girth astonshcs tapcline. His auburn mnstache
reaches far beyond the circle described b b cardinal
tinted checks. When he smiles his kenial face as
sumes the shape Of a westphalia ham and the
preston Of Chinese god about TO enjoy the sacrifice
| Of hundred coolies. These circumstances together
with his methods of dispensing 1usic, ar intensely ap
pealIng TO the Intelligent frecmen Of Long Island City
Recently he decided 10 raid gambling house that had
established itself near Calvary Cemetery. The Com
mtssioners of Police assured him that IT was useless
to do so since the gamblers had already prudently
hxedr the police justices, who would give them the
| TIP as soon as the warrants issued. The
Mayor consulted the charter and concluded that 10
conferred upon him the powers Of magistrate Any
how he said I'm gon' to 'em. Write out your
| warrants an I'll sign 'eni and then lay low till I
give you the wink That evening 1t was given out
hat the Mayor was going down TO the Cedarhurst
the next day, that he and his old enemies. the
two police Justices had become reconccd and that in
token OF their newborn love they werc going with
him as his guests. Color was gvon to this amazing
rumor by tho fact that the Mayor and tho police Jus
tccs took drink together In Tony Mer's that night
Sure enough, the next day all three got aboard the
1an together anu WeIe SOOil VI tHcr way W Ncuoi%
hurst
When they arrived the Mayor detached himself
from tho others and walked to a certain spot whore
his Private Secretary (he has four was waiting for him.
"Ah,' he said all ready, eh
dyes SIR She's all hitchcd up around the corner
there fresh and lively as a ktten.7 "sbe' tho
Mayors Hambletonian trotter, time, 2:lS L.
Then the Mayor went to the telegraph Office. ais
tbere anything here for man name 'cr Gleason ?"
he asked.
"The Hon. Patrick j. Gleasoni'
." That's him.
eyes; thrty-nve cents, please"
The Mayor took the telegram. 1t read, sixty-four
birds in the cage. Como home quick"
He did not 60 back to look after his friends tho
police justices. He had them whore he wanted them.
lie sprang into his buggy wagon and HE'D him off
straight for Police Headquarters, Long Island City
When he arrived he found the filled with gam
Hers and pool-buyers, all under arrest He took
his place behind the Captains desk and began to dis
ponso justice.
whats your name7' he asked the first man.
"Patrick j."
Discharged No man name Patrick J. can be
convicted In this court Call the next
The next was a notorious pooseller.
81 know you" said the Mayor, as he came up
And | Amt got time TO hear no Defence Ten
days!'
The next man said he was by occupation street
car driver "You can co. said the Mayor. Street
car drivers specially exempted from tho provisions
of the gamblln' statute. useter TO be streetcar
driver myself
His face lighted grmly he contemplated the fourth
victim lie was an anti. Gleason member Of the Board
Of Aldermen.
"Tut, tut, said the Mayor. Was you among those
bad men, Alderman
al wasn't buying pools, yer Honor. wasn't
doing nawthn' wrong
"P'raps you holdin' prayer meeting, Alderman
suggested the Mayor. grmly, while the populace
ros red and gave three che RS fer Paddy Gleason
The Alderman said he went therc to get information
upon which TO have the gamblers indicted
1" Did you get itl'
"No, had Jest gone In when the police came'
awell, then, you'll have 10 pay fine Of $o5, Alder
man. II is very painful TO me TO be fnfhg an honor
able member Of my Common Council for conserving
with blacklegs and thieves. But there's help for IT,
II you had got the information you went for might
have let you of cheaper, because 1t would have cost
you a good deal. But you didn't get II, you must
step up and settle At the meeting OF the Board to-
night suggest that you offer resolution commenting
the Mayor for his resolute and faithful performance OF