New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-07
VEJNE'S UORST UI7NESS.

McKanc has made the worst possible Witness
against himself He has not only contradicicd
and pcrjurcd himself and become enmcshed Ill
n maze Of conflicting testimony. but he mas
also revealed his character and supplied an III
tclligiblc motive for the Outragcs for winch h'
has been indicted This he has done while
under cross-eXamnation. his counsel beng uii-
able TO keep him under restraint or To protect
him against his own indiscretion. Damaging rs
was his onslaught upon his own affidavit In the
mandamus proceedings. ii was less destructive
than The additions made from time to tiine
TO his previous testimony. These after
thoughts" not only tended 10 discrcdt nm rs
witness. since they convicted him or sup
pressing important details until II suited lis
convenience 10 bring them ont. but they also
laid bare the low cunning and trcklnesS "t Il
politician. who had never allowed anybody 10
get ahead OF him II II could he helped Inc
motive Of his campaign of lawlcsSnrss III
Gravescnd WAS disclosed by the witnesses own
manner in his frantic attempts To- get ahead
Of his own lawyers and the cross examiner
For example. when McKanc was holly pressed
10 explain why the body Of watchers was as
saulted AZ midnight. he advanced the theory
that they were not only drunk AMI disordcrly.
but were also bont upon taking possession 81
the registry lists at the Town Hall. heard
one Of the party say he added, So Here's the
Town Hall; let's get the rolls. This was new
testimony. Neither McKane himself nor any
body else had ever referred 10 an cutlery from
the watchers which would have Justified Their
arrest and detention General Tracy hbor"d To
induce him To explain why h. had suppressed
that important statement in giving his previous
testimony, and finally had 10 content himself
with the evasive answer, | wanted other Wit
ncsses 10 bring 1t out. The jury. however.
could hardly have failed 10 obtain an uncrring
impression Of McKanrs real character. The
crosscxaminer was after him. and II must ID"
shown that John Y. Mckane was hard man
10 beat. General Tracy was sharp lawyer. Ia
be sure but Boss McKanc knew all the tricks
Of the trade and seldom failed 10 get there
as quickly as the next man.
McKane's violations Of law ought 10 secure
his conviction ns issues Of fact without refer
ence TO the motives which inspired them. We
have not been able TO understand why the
prosecution has attached importance 10 con
struc'ive testimony bearing upon a political
motive and thereby ri>l,ci a ruling by the Court
/ Of Appeals upon It's competency. II. however.
a motive was required in order to render the
case Ineligible, McKane himself has supplied
| II In his own testimony.
! He has acquired absolute political power at
Gravcsend largely through his reputation OF
being 1.-THE smartest man alive" IL Is a
familiar tale on the sands OF Coney Island that
the Supervisor might be to-day Senator. Gov
crnor or President II he had not been devoted
10 the interests Of his own people, for no one
not even Boss Mclaughlin succeeded
in getting ahead OF him. When the nqusitive
Gaynor began to ask questions about the regis
try and to send detachnents of clerks. lawyers
and citizens after the lists, McKanc felt that his
reputation as Il politician who WAS smarter y
! than anybody else was at stake. He felt I'M
PEELED to justify his fame by making war oh
courts Of Justice and quashing their njuncilons
under his bootheels. Gaynor had smashed NJ
n good many jobs and rings. and had been too
shrewd for Mclaughlin. but he could not beat
John Y McKane. That was the spirit or the
lawbreakers bravado, and the witnesses man
ner In court distinctly revealed II.