Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-03-04

Coryri7l'ei Iv tts wilson Press Syndicate
Since the firing on Fort Sumter in
1861. no event has stirred the indigna-
tion of the people Of New York State,
and 20 some extent OF the whole cOun-
try, as John Y. Mckane's open defiance
OF the writ of the Supreme Court last
November, and his unbiushing rogistra-
tiOn Of over G, 900 names 10 q district OF
barely 5000 inhabitants. The history
oi this mans Indictment, trial aud con
vfctiOn has become we'll known 20 the
reading public from one end OF the laad
10 the other, aud, outside bis immediate
following and the bosses OF the same
stamp 10 different parts Of the country,
the verdict Of the jury that found him
guilty has been heartily approved.
A wealthy Brooklyn gentleman, who
owns a great deal OF property 40 Sheep
shead Bay, and who lives there In the
summer time. communicates the follow
ing interesting particulars of the motor
i0us bOss's inner iiie,. with the under
standing that his name shall not DO
used.
81 have known John Y. McKane
since I was eleven years of age, that Is
forty years. He is just six weeks my
senior. Even as a boy he manifested
the boss spirit. and was considered a
fighter, though will say / never knew
him 20 Jump on a boy younger or
en-. Aller than himself, but / have Ofte q
known him 90 defend them.
John was born To- Ireland aud was
only about a year old, when his father
cane yer and settled at Sheepshe ad
Raw. Here five more children were
born, all butone OF whom are living.
The elder McKane was a Woodworking
market gardner, and the fact that he
was staunch Methodist distinguish
ed him in a noticeable way from the
MANY Catholic Irishman about him. He
wasa sober, hard-headed, hard-working
man who died only a few years ago,
leaving bis wife, who still lives with
her son John, though an the other
cbildroa are 10 comfortable circum-
stances.
las whole the population Of Sleeps
head Bay at this time and particularly
an the summer season, Is not what
might be called select but 10 is cultured
and bfQh-toned compared with what it
was when John and i were boys, Then
NV father moved into the city every
v,inter. as ] do now, and I recall that
John Y. McKane-it was spelled
nNfcKain" then-was the only boy ID the
raigbborhOod be cared for rae 10 play
-ith. for John did not swear, nor use
tobacco, nor drink, and after all these
Years. amid associations at times the
vilest. be never contracted any of these
habits.
,.lVhen about fifteen John gave up
scbool and never went back, and from
tbat day 20 this, doubt IL be has ever
reed a hook through. he was appren-
ticed 10 a carpenter and builder about
tbis time. and as might be expected, be
berame skillful workman. BY the
tims he was twenty-tWO-that was
along in '64, he was not only out OF his
time hut ne had been a iourneyman
long enough 20 lay by some money,
and with this be started on his own &C
eouutthe fast planning mill ever seen on
me island south Of Brooklyn. He made
moro money and then began 20 branch
Ont as contractor aud builder. He
mt mn many of the finest houses tn and
mont SbeepShe0d Bay, and be had a
hand In many of the large structures 10
tbe west end OF Coney Island. Although
bis religion forbade him betting-he
Vas ever an ardent Methodist-he made
a 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,
nd An those of the Brighton Beach
Pacing Association. About ten years
400 he discovered that more money was
AZ be made 10 easier work, aud so he
surrendered the building business TO
his brothers, and branched out as q
Dolltical boss and land Spectator.
about the time be started in as a
bnilder. he married Miss Fannie Nos
trand. 40 excslient woman whose fam
Ov was descended from the New Am
sferdam Dutch, and after whom one OF
tbe most important streets IS named.
Three children, two boys and girl,
ware born of this union, and one Of the
former. most excellent young man,
has been blind an bis life, an afIiction
that endeared him the more 20 his
doting parents.
.John, although not more than I'VE
feet four, Is heavily built, and thanks
10 his ancestry and his temperate habits,
Al model OF health, and but few
men Of half bis age could handle him.
while incapable Of comprehending
what The word statesman near %
NV mind John Y. Mckane is a. Set