New-York tribune., 1896-11-01
BENJAMIN F. TRACY.

BENJAMIN +. TRAY Sii-->" :"
remarkabIe Neither Democracy nor Republicanism
has seen great changes In leadership. pe"-
TO set down the facts historically has seen
none at all the same sturdy ex-boss iaborer Oh te
Navy Yard having kept his grasp on the machine
without a failure So perfectly has this machine
run that in this long period Of twenty years there
have been few changes made. even In his lieuteh-
ants and coadjutors. Only death has madc ne"
mon necessary In the same length Of time there
have not been more than six men VINO nave really
guided tho course OF Rcpublicanism in tho county.
There is always this to be ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
that the amateur politician and the neophyte FOR
Cot-that the real leaders seldom the men that
have held office but those that greater than or
fee and hidden themselves. so far as the pubic
can see dictate unerrngly and with iirmness that
cannot be disrogarded
To tell the story of Broollyns politics and poll
ticians since 1876 chronoosically would be 10 OBJ
scure tho real character Of the themselves and
to fail give the relative Importance OF events.
The ono way let the picturesque historical facts
stand out Is 10 take these twenty years as single
period and to sum up briefly and incisvely the
times and the men, Through oil these two decades
there were plots and counterplos. bitter struggles
and fact!ona, fights following one after the other
In rapid succession. Yet much the same men stood
at the head OF affairs VI M,Laughn. backed and
counseled by William c. Kingsley until the latters
death with Robert Furey. "Bub" Mclaughlin.
his nephew. and James Shevlin. or "Shev. as his
lieutenans. held the reins Of Democracy, resisting
all the attempts that made upon his power.
Republicanisrn about 1876. ruled by the Three
Graces"-Benjamn T. Tracy. Silas B. butcher and
General James Jourdan. Next 10 them with his
covetous eyes fixed upon their power and destined
TO succeed this triumvirate as boss" Of Kings
County WAS Sheriff Ar Daggett. BY 1873. when
he stepped c'it Of the Shr.evalty. Dagge;ts power
nearly supreme. For some years he held Il
with brilliant success at last drifting out through
the growing power OF Jacob Worth. who rad been
Senator back in the early seventies. and who
had toiled for this position OF leadership all these
wears. Though beaten back hv Ernst Nathan
and his lieutenant Theodore y Willis Worth SIN
continues in control. and welds power that is
second 10 none
THE MAN MLAUGHLYN FEARED
In this brief recaptulaticn Of the course OF poll
ties In Brooklyn over period OF twenty years have
been mentioned nearly all the men OF the first rank.
All. that IL. save one who In many respects Is 7s
important the rest, until his star
Those who know the inside history OF Brooklyn
well that the man Hugh Mclaughlin
feared in all his years OF power John Y. Nc
Kane. McKane the single Democrat In tho
County OF Kings who. while protesting to 10 a
regular" never amenable at any tme the
commands OF "Ieadquar rtcrs." He might carry out
tho directions. or he might reject them. There was
no telling how Gravescnd would swing at any time
The impcrturbable. bedlamonded King OF Coney ISL
and" who carried his hands In his pockets and
had little TO say was always thorn In the flesh OF
the Boss" Though this much never called
forth from the housctops and Mclaughlin always
tried to lock the secre. In his breast, the white
haired old leader well knew that McKane was
defty playing his cards to get control OF
tain wards In Brooklyn City. and that at the proper
time he would strike and would possibly be ablo 10
tear down that fine political fabric that Kingsley
had reared and that Mclaughlin, Furey and
Shevn had preserved and made a complete fort
ress.
When II is said that the men already spoken Of
the leaders of the county for both parties over
term OF years 1t does not mean that there no
others OF great prominence 1t would have
Tinrsev or Jacob Worm To- rule nnisa ,be hal
| had strong men behind them. A good-sizcd batcn
tinue there as men OF the time Nearly all OF them
Ts d thu in hs os history Of Nc
therefore, will tell what there Is to be told about
| these
Taken whole. McLaughlln's llfo has been
wonderfully picturesque. He says himself that he
s Evidence m & yot is 0 kndn s w Is no
about him n, is that at an early ago hq was boy
as a youngster grew up with n record as a fighter
That good political reputation have In those
that decided closely contested primary fights. Young
| Mclaughlin never accomplished much in politics.
, though, until. chance favorng him, he was en-
abed to sell out his fish stand in Atlantic Market
which his brother Luke had made over 70 him. an /
| take a post boss laborer' at the Navy Yard
| Even before this time the since famous White
House. at Jay and Concord sts bad begun to come
room that the McLaughns rented out. nd long
| gathering It was the great political rcsc OF the
| town.
| MLAUGHLIN'S GROWTH INTO OVER
| In telling how Mclaughlin grew into his power
Two forces must be considered II has been noticed
that the old leader has for the last few years
| possessed that surety OF judgment that was
his nor has he duplicated his old time successes
There Is little question that this is due to the fact
| that the advisers who made him have long since
4 passed away The first OF ,hese advisers was VIII
| lam c. Kingsley who drifted into Brooklyn twenty
nve gears ago or So poor school, teacher from up
contract. so established his position that within a
Kingsley came McLaush power Tth at the e primaries
| secure Time and again lie would
oa Be- Ba w H
! there 81 once change. The two standing
and it was Kingsley hand in State politics tha;
| first made the outside world realize that McLaugh-
BY that time old Martin Kalbneisch. the ''Boss's"
most persistent enemy. had drifted out OF politics.
and save for inside disturbances ard ructions the
| field now secure. Kingsley attended 10 the
dealings with the outside world. and the repre-
importance McLaushins part was to see that 1.-THE the
| full vote was cast IN the wards. and to put
| knew better how TO do this than the Boss" ii a
| man offended him he would lie In walt for years
old score Having reputation Of s ss sort tafh here e
were few men who dared to oppose him. even Sc
eran were always hidden The new men in politics
did not realize his power. A frequent expression
would face to face with him for the first time
was; why. ne can't be what they say: he's such a
There were enemies biding their time and trying
to TIP him up at every turn, however. and shrewd
| as Mclaughlin was he would have fallen from hil