The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-02-16
STRIPES AWAIT HIM
John Y. McKape Nearing the
Gates of the Penitentiary.
The Famous Democratic Boss of Graves.
end Found Guilty of Fraud by a
Brooklyn Jury.

BROOKLYN, N. Y, Feb. 15.-The jury in
the McKane trial filed into the court room
this morning, and five minutes later the
prisoner appeared in charge of deputy
sheriff. He was surrounded by his counsel
and his faithful friends from Gravesend.
Mr.. Shepard and the counsel for the prose-
cution sat around their tables Clerk Byrne
asked the foreman of the jury if they had
agreed upon verdict.
I'VE have" was the answer.
What is it?''
Guilty"
The prisoner sat quiet, but his friends
were very much affected. The verdict may
mean an Imprisonment in State prison for
two years or ten, at the discretion of the
court. McKane Is now in the Raymond
street Jail awaiting the sentence, which is
to be pronounced upon him on Monday
morning at O'Clock. Only the clemency to
which the jury so earnestly recommended
him stands between John Y. McKane. the
ex-Czar of Gravesend, and a term of incar-
ceration in prison. In view of this the pris-
oner may receive something less than the
full limit of the law An appeal to the
General Term and to the Court of Appeals
stand in the way Of the execution of the
sentence, whatever il may be- but the law
yers who have heard the trial feel confident
that these appeals mean merely delay and
not reversal.
convicted. and for which he was indicted
jointly with John Rogers, Morton Morris
and John Overall. election inspectors of the
First district of GraveSend, was that he
did counsel. command, induce and produce
such inspectors to commit the crime of
which they. are accused, and did aid and
abet them" The issues were Joined before
Justice Bartlett, in a special court of oyer
and terminer and minor, on Jan p last.
Two days were spent In obtaining a jury,
and on the oath the taking of testimony
commenced. The prosecution was conduct
ed by special assistant attorney generals ap-
pointed by the Governor as the general
prosecutors requested their appointment
Last fall when it was desired to elect
and Thomas f. PearsaT to the Supreme
Court bench and thus make a partisan ma
icrity from the local courts to the highest
judicial bench in the State the people, ire
spective of party. rose and defeated the
project despite the extensive frauds per-
petrated in Gravesend. These frauds re-
suited i'm eleven Indictments against Nc
Kane, the one under consideration being
for crimes committed before and during the
quires that three copies of each registra-
tion list be made and certified to, one Of
which shall be posted in conspicuous
place and the other two kept so that they
shall be accessible to the public for examina-
ton or for making copies thereof Evil
dence was introduced tending TO show that
all the efforts TO procure copies of these
lists for legitimate election purposes were
frustrated by McKane, who had, according
to testimony given at the trial. issued or
ders that no copies were to be made ex-
cept on his written permission, even TO
causing the arrest of party of copyists
sent down on the Saturday night previous
TO election day as vagrants and having
them committed to the county jail. Nc
Kane was present and ordered the arrests
made. On election day. despite an injunc-
ton restraining McKane from interfering
with them. he succeeded in driving away
from the town the watchers appointed on
behalf of the opposing candidates. Evil
dence of these incidents was given at every
session of the court from the 2ith ult. to
Tuesday last the testimony for the defense
being remarkable for the contradictions
and frequent confusion of it's witnesses
The summing up occupied Tuesday after
noon and "wednesday morning, and yeSter-
day afternoon, after a long charge. the jury
took the matter, rendering their verdict
of guilty just before noon to-day.