New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-10-22
A GREAT DAY FOR LONG ISLAND CITY.

a
The unexpected has happened in Long Island
CITY, and is all the more welcome because I'm
expected. Patrick j. Gleason. Mayor and
ringmaster, has been sentenced to spend five
days in Jail and to pay fine of $3.50. This is
not much, in comparison with his deserts but
it is great deal when the long immunity OF
this notorious BLACKBOARD and bully is conSid-
cred
The incidents of the assault were of kind
most familiar to Gleason, to his hangerS-on and
to the unfortunate community OF which he is
the official head. A newspaper reporter who
had had occasion to publish statements of fact
which did not please the Mayor, encountered
him in a Long Island City bar-room, was called
loafer knocked down twice and kicked and
beaten into helpessness. Gleason had often
before administered similar chastisement to in
dividuals who did not please him, taking care,
as in this instance, to select victims who were
smaller and weaker than himself. Nothing
worse than feeble threats of prosecution had
ever followed these characteristic diversions,
and it probably did not once occur to him,
drunk or sober, that the reporter Crowley would
prove an exception to the rule and refuse to
be either bought or inundated 1t is fair
to assume that Nc was surprised when a COM
plant was laid before the Grand Jury, startled
when an indictment was found, amazed when
he was convicted of assault in the third de-
gree, and absolutely paalyzcd yesterday when
he was sentenced TO imprisonment as well as
to pay fine.
Its probable also that the people OF Long
Island City have experienced similar emotions
=, nj, Eor thpy
have been disgraced by the official conduct and
personal habits of their Mayor, but respectable
citizens have had reason t. fear that they were
in minority and small encouragement to hope
for relief Their charter gives the Mayor al
most autOcratic powers, and these he has sup
plemented through ring of gamblers and rum
sellers until his brutal and filthy rule seemed
to be absolute. This successful prosecution
il, therefore, a surprising ard encouraging
event to all who are familiar with the maevo-
lent activities to which at least a temporary
halt has now been called.
Good men and women, not alone in Long
Island City but everywhere, are under perma-
nent obligations to those who have been in
strulnental in achieving this measure of jus
tce The complainant the Grand Jury, the
public prosecutor, the trial jury and the judge
have doubtless all felt pressure OF influence
on behalf of the Mayor WHICH it was harder to
withstand than those who have not lived under
his tyranny are able to appreciate. The stat
ute allows q much severer penalty than has
been inflicted, and no cause for leniency is ap-
parent on the surface; but Judge Cullen's lam
guage in passing sentence implied no sympathy
with the offender, and it must be assumed that
he satisfied his own conscience and Judgment
in ti1ng the punishment. At the last Gleason
probably expected a more than nominal fine
and would have paid it without delay. 1t is
the sentence to imprisonment which pierces his
tough hide. dismays his gang of hecers and
cheers the better part of the community.