The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-03-01
EXIT, BOSS McKANE.

| gentleman of much ability and many
and varied accomplishments will shortly
begin term of service for six years for the
people of New York in their justly cele-
brated institution at Sing Sing. He had
the misfortune of being born much too late
to have his qualities attain for him their
highest reward in the good things of this
earth. A few hundred years ago such a
man as John Y. McKsne would have become
a King of some little country, greatly ex-
| tended his dominions, founded a dynasty,
and passed into history AS John the Great"
or some similar grandiloquent appellation.
But in this plain, prosaic, law-abiding end
| of the 10Th century he falls into the
clutches of the minons Of the law, and will
! spend several Of the most valuable years
of his life mewed up inside of strong
walls, wearing close-cropped hair and a
striped suit, and engaged in some such me-
chanical employment as making shoes or
joining boards The village Of Grayesend
occupies little sandy point that juts out
into the bay of New York, and includes the
famous resort of Coney Island. 1t is the
| siamping-ground and outing-place of all
the roughs and toughs of both sexes of the
great city of New York. All the lower
forms of villainy developed in a population
of several millions came to the surface
there, and murder, robbery, theft, gambling
swindiing and debauchery were the leading
pursuits of the regular inhabitants John
Y. McKane became President of the village
and Superintendent of Police. He intro
duced Reform, with a big L and still larger
club. He was at once Legislator, Judge and
Executive. When a man, high or low, big
gambler or low tough, did not act to please
him, he dubbed him into leaving the place or
amending his conduct. Nobody was exempt
from this +" first-lawo About 80 times out
of every 100 he dubbed the right man and
at the right time. There was no appeal
from his decisions and his club. He brought
in order and a certain show of T, spectability.
stranger taking in the sights OF Coney Is
land was allowed TO leave with at least part
OF bis money, and he was no longer liable TO be
knocked down and robbed in broad daylight,
OF to be skinned alive in a gambling den.
In this he had the strong support of the
more decent of the saoon-keepers, gamblers,
race course sharps, etc, who wanted the
public to resort to the island and not be
driven away by downright violence
and robbery. In his way McKane was
very fair man, and was generally just.
He was kind, too, to the poor ard
unfortunate, and was always ready to
help them. Or course, he was "a po-
liiical bjss of the most tyrannieaI kind,
and cast the vote of Grayesend solid, just
as he pleased. Moreover, he would cast
just as many votes as he thought would be
necessary for the purposes he had in view.
The bosses in New York would inform him
how many votes they wanted from him in
order TO carry the State, and he never failed
to deliver the goods. There is hardly a
doubt that he elected Cleveland the first
time by giving the l 047 plurality by which
Cleveland carried New York. This ambi-
ton TO figure in State politics brought about
his downfall. Ii he had attended strictly
to his business ia Gravesend he would still
BE- fiourishing there, ruling the Community
with hisclub, amassing money, and presiding
with entire satisfaction over his Methodist
Sunday school, But last Fall some of the
candidates on the ticket which was running
in opposition to the Hill-Tammany machine
tried to keep from being over-slaughed
| by the votes which McKane would pile up
against them in the elastic polls of Grave
send, and exercised their legal privilege of
sending watchers to the polls. They were
backed by writs from the courts, and in
| Guided number of the very best citizens.
McKane laughed sardonically at the idea of
the courts attempting 10 exercise jurisdiction
over his barony, and impartially dubbed
and locked up every man sent down. But
of New York are stronger than his political
pull"