The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-03-10
A Temperance Man, Who Sustained Gin Mills
A Virtuous, Man, Who Licensed BrOthelS-
A Peaceful Man, Who Encouraged Prize
FighS-A Church Member, Who Fa-
cilitated Sabbath Breaking, and
an Honest Man in Private
Who Openly Plundered
10 Public.

heartily approved.
A wealthy brooklyn gentleman who owns
IL great deal OF property at Shccpshead Bay,
and who lives there In tho summer time,
communicates the following interesting par
ticulars Of the notorious boss's inner life,
with the understanding that his name shall
not bo used
II have known John Y. McKanc since was
eleven years OF age, thai is forty years. He
Is just six weeks my senior, Even as a boy
no manifested tho boss spirit, and was con
sidered IL fighter, though 1 will say, never
knew him to jump on boy younger or
smaller than himself, but have often known
him to defend them.
John was born in ireland and was only
about a year Old when his flther camo over
and settled at Shcepshcad Bay. Here five
more children were born, all but ono Of whom
are living. The elder Mckane was a hard
working market gardener, and the fact that
he was u staunch Methodist distinguished him
in noticeable way from the many Catholic
",
headed, hard-working man who died only u
few years ago, leaving his wife, vino stlI lives
with her son John, though all tho other
children are in comfortable circumstances.
"As a whole the population Of ShecsDhead
Bay at this time aad particularly in the
summer season, is not what might be called
select, but il is cultured and high-tonei com
pared with wha. it was when John and were
boys. Then my father moved into the city
every winter, as / do now, and recall that
John Y. McKane-it was spelled "McKaln 80
then-was tho only boy in the neichborhoOd
he cared for me to play with, for John did not
swear, nor use tobacco, nor drink, and after
all these years, amid associations at times the
vilest, he never contracted any OF these
habits
when about fifteen, John gave up school
and never went back, and from that day to
this, doubt if he has ever read u book
through. He was apprenticed TO carpenter
and builder Gbout this time, and as might be
| expected, he became a 6kllful workman. BY
the time he was twenty-two-that was along
In 84, he was not only out OF his time, but
he had been a jouneyman long enough to
| lay by some money, and with this he started
on his own account, the first planning mill
over seen on the island south Of Brooklyn
He made more money and then began t.
branch out as u contractor and builder. He
put up many of the finest houses in and
about Shcepshead Bay, and he had hand in
many OF the large structures in the west end
Of Coney Island. Although his religion for.
bade his betting-ho was ever an ardent
Mcthodist-ho made great deal Of money
out Of gambling ventures. He built the
stables and grand stand Of the Coney Island
Jockey Club, the Brooklyn Jockey Club, and
also those of the Brighton Beach Racing Asso,
citation. About ten years ago no discovered
tina. more money was to be made in easier
work, and SO he surrendered the building
business to his brothers, and branchcd out a,
u political boss and land speculator.
About the time he started i'm as u builder
he married Miss Fannie Nostand, an excel
lent woman whose family was descended
from the New Amsterdam Dutch, and aftei
whom one Of the most important streets il
Brooklyn is named. Three children, two boys
and a girl, wcro born Of this union anC
one Of the former, most excellent youne
man, has been blind ell his life, an aflictiol
that cndeared him the moro to his dotinl
parents.
John, although not more than five feet four
is heavily built, and thanks to his ancestr!
and his temperate habits, he is u model o
health, and but few men Of half his age coulI
handle him. While incapable Of comprehend
ing what the word statesman means, I,
my mind John Y, McKane ia a perfect type q
tho district politician and boss, a position
that fortunately has no counterpart in an,
other country under the sun. Keen as bria
and cunning az a fox, he has that self contro
which Ia the first essential quality of leader
ship, and that fidelity to his friends which
whether real or assumed is one secret of hi'
eutocratic sway at Gravesend He il dow
now, and am glad Of It yet It ia only few
years since the rival candidates for the prosi
dency thought this man power to be courted
and 1t Isl matter Of history that his desertioI
Of his own party, owing TO pique in 1885
gave New York State, aud with Il the presi
denoV, TO General Harrison.
} About the time McKRno married, and tina
was soon after his coming OF age, ho mad
his first entrance into politics by running TO
constable Of the town Of Gravesend lIe wa
elected, and from that time on, he seems b
have led a double life, In tho little church
which his iather helped to found, he continue,
TO be worshipper and an officer; and NJ
: member Of the congregation was SO liberal a
! ho whom the plato was passed, or subscrip
! ton had to be headed. Why, nj the yer.
timo when / knew his political associates L
bo of the lowest kind, and that no was plan
ming with them TO make the ballot box
: sham and delusion, have seen him lead
ing in prayer meeting, and exhorting sinner
to righteousness with au energy OF manne
that there was no need to assume, and whic
, II assumed, simply made him the most per
, fect actor eyor saw ON or Off the stage. Hut
as said this was one phase of the man
} dual life. From early childhood tho Tervo
OF Methodist worship. II not the tenets OF tn
church, attracted his strong domonstntiv
nature And then there is, | think somethn
! In the fact that at tho prayer meeting, as I
the political caucus, he liked to load, h
, wanted TO be boss, and he was boss. Th
, Sunday school of which ho was supcrintend
, ent, was to him n sort Of religious primary
r and while he was no doubt eager to save III
souls Of every boy present. the possibility G