Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-02-23
Six Years for John Y. McKane.
This is the Sentence which Judge Bart
lett Gave the Gravesend Boss Mon

morning by Justice Willard Bartlett in the
court of oyer and terminer at Brooklyn, to
six years Imprisonment in the state prison
at Sing Sing. The sentence was great
surprise to every one. 1t was expected
that the iury's recommendation to mercy
would induce Justice Bartlett to be more
lenient. When the judge pronounced sem
tence McKane turned deathly pale and
clutched the railing before him and tears
rolled down his cheeks
McKane had been brought from Ray
mond street jail as early as 8 o'clock. His
counsel arrived there at 10 o'clock sharp.
They had to elbow and squeeze their way
through the biggest crowd that has ever
assembled at the court house. When the
lawyers got inside it developed that Nc
Kane had secured additional counsel in the
person of Col: Edwin G.. James of New
York. Mr.. James did all the talking for
the condemned man. He made motions
for new trial, arrest of judgment, suspen-
sion of judgment and for 20 days time to
prepare exceptions for a stay. Justice
Bartlett denied all of these motions.
Then Col. James made long plea for
mercy. McKane listened with downcast
eyes and flushed face. After the plea was
finished E. NJ. Shepard for the state asked
that long sentence be pronounced. Clerk
Byrne then asked McKane the usual ques-
ton, "Elave you anything to say why SEN
tence should not be passed?' McKane
arose, seized the railing with his left hand,
and in trembling voice said, 81 don't
know whether l have anything to say
much. l am not guilty. l never did any
thing wrong in my life. 1 had nothing to
do last election with the inspectors. l
never advised them at all, much less to do
anything wrong" His voice grew weaker
as he spoke the last words. He hesitated
and then turned towards his chair.
"Hold on a minute" said Clerk Byrne,
"McKane, you haven't yet heard your SEN
tence.' McKane turned back again, caught
the railing with his left hand and put his
right hand into his pocket. Then, with
lifted head and closed eyes, he listened.
The voice of Justice Bartlett broke the 81
lence; 81 am not at liberty" he said, in a
tone of intensity, ito disregard the recon-
mendation of the jury for mercy. Never
theless, in passing sentence, cannot over
look the great gravity of the crime of which
this defendant has been convicted. The
fact that he disobeyed the laws is the more
a matter of moment for the reason that he
is an intelligent man who exercised wide
authority and who knew what the law was.
This aggravates the offence. The sentence
should not be too light lest it could not be
a proper punishment; and, on the other
hand, it should not be so severe as to eX
cite sympathy. The sentence of the court
is that you be confined in the state prison
at Sing Sing for the term of six years
AS Justice Bartlett spoke the prisoners
face had gradually grown winter, and as
the words ''siN years fell on his ears his
countenance turned pallid. He started to
60 to his chair with ewes still closed. AS
he felt his way along, like man stricken
blind by the severity of the sentence,
Sheriff Buttlng took him by the arm and
helped him into seat. Then the court
room burst into an uproar. The court Of
ticers and the judge vanly endeavored to
restore order. The lawyers tried to talk to
the court, but they could not be heard.
Sheriff Butting took his prisoner into a
side room and kept him there until squad
of policemen cleared the halls. After that
he took him to the sheriff Office and then
to the Jail.
The recent figures by which 621S per-
sons were registered in Gravesend, Long
Island, at the November election, whereas
the population of the town is only S41S,
caused the scandal which has brought Nc
kane's name before the country at large.
4 sunday of Gloom in Gravesend.
A reporter who was sent to take care"
of Gravesend last Sunday for one of the
New York papers wrote: at was day of
mourning in Gravesend yesterday. John
\. Mckane was not there, and the thought
that "The Chief as he is called by men,
women and children, was behind the bars
cast funeral hue over every mind. To
these people, who really love and venerate
the man, the leaden clouds and slowly fall
ing rain seemed in sad harmony with the
fact that their idol was not there to share
their Sunday festival And when at
noon, the skies cleared and the radiant sun
| lent a springlike warmth to the air, they
were not comforted, but, like Rachel of
old, still mourned on.
In Mechanics home the shadow was
| deepest. His wife had somewhat recover
ed from her first burst of grief at the It'd
| ings of his conviction, but it was only be-
cause few stanch friends, by repeated
iteration, had convinced her that stay or
new trial would be granted and that he
would soon be back to her. His son George,
| however, who is blind, and has always
| been his fathers special pet and care, was
so seriously i'll that doctor was in attend
ance twice, and none but his wife and
nurse were permitted to see him. 1t is
said that he is suffering from severe nerv-
GUS prostration resulting from the news of
the conviction.
There was crowd at the Methodist
church, of which McKane is a pillar and
mainstay and the superintendent of the
Sunday school, in the expectation that the
minister would have something to say on
McKane's conviction. In the announce
ments and sermon, however, not word
was said which referred in the slightest de-
gree to the matter, and the only allusiOn
was a special prayer offered for the brother
Sin great aillicton." 1t was earnest anG
fervent, and at its close there was hearty
and equally fervent "Amen."
a Stay Granted.
McKane's counsel will exhaust every re
source of the law to keep him from goins
to Sing Sing, and as the first move have sue
ceeded in getting from Justice Cullen 9
stay of proceedings until today, Friday.