Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1896-10-01

a
tache and the few locks of diSheveled
hair accen.uated the miserable feeling
OF this man. i'll in both head and heart
Thus is the celebrated John Y. Nc
Kane passing the evening of his life
AS he approached the newspaper man
Mckane held in one hand his convict
cap and in the other handkerchief
that had long since we'll earned a place
on the retired list. His striped jacket
and trousers and rongh-Shod shoes
completed the attire of this ideal drop
steal patient. His raiment of today
what a comparison between the eN.
pensive apparel Worn by him in former
times, and where is that autocratic
manner that used to go" 1t is cor
Spicuous by its absence, and in ns
place is a tired expression, suggestive
OF the wearer caring not for anything
in the daily happenings of the world,
When came here l weighed IN
the neighborhood of 2l6 pounds" he
said, Il have lost about thirty pounds.
| am now almost totally deaf. when
arrived here | had no trouble whatever
with my hearing. | am treated the
same as any other man here. receive
no favors, and | have not asked any.
| cannot expect to be treated different
ly from any other man. But do feel
very badly. Many nights | cannot
sleep at all. The newspapers and ,ne
public ought to be satisfied that | have
been punished enough, and say: Let
him out My worst enemies should
ticienty. | have hopes that the gov
eruor will be convinced that | am by
this time fit subject for pardon
trust that you will present the facts as
state them, because | have been mis-
represented in fictitious interviews so
charity and mercy to show me elem
ency now when my health is shattered
probably for the remainder of my life
time. Being locked in a cell 7N3 feet
is enough to hasten man in my con-
dition to his grave before his time"
In slowly delivered and measured
words and in a sobbing tone Mckane
added:
IF the World could realize exactly
how sick | feel it would do all in It's
power to influence pardon for me.
am satisfied that | will never live to
serve out the full term Of the sentence.
Kenneth f. Sutherland, who was for
years intimate with McKane, and who
has recently been released from Sing
Sing prison, after serving a term for
participating in the election frauds
which sent his friend there, says that
he saw McKane almost daily during
the sixteen months and twenty days
he spent there.
"McKane's health is ruined" said
Mr. Sutherland to a reporter for the
World. For some time he has been
employed as sub-foreman in the car
penter shop. The work is not hard,
and it was given to him because of his
health. When | went to Mckane TO
say good bye he broke down complete
ly and wept bitter tears. ! have
known him during the past eighteen
years, and | never before saw his eyes
dimmed with tears He said: In God :
name, Kenneth, do everything tina.
man can do to get me out of here
soon, for if | do not they will carry
me out in box | am wasting
away"
Sutherland added that it is his firm
belief that neither he nor McKane
would have done time" We're it not
!
bringing libel suit for 100000 dana.
ges against the World for publishing
accurate stories of McKane's nigh
handed actions during election cam
paigns at Gravesend. The boss
thought to muzzle the press by this
exhibition of bluffing, but his libel sui
proved boomerang, and he at length
found himself in Sing Sing convict.
In conclusion the World article says:
When the World exposed the Graves,
end ballot frauds in 1893, John Y. Me
Kane attempted 70 stop the publca-
ton of the truth by bringing suit for
100000 damages. McKane was tried
for violating the election laws, convict
ed and sentenced to a term in State
Prison. The World bears no malice
towards this broken-down man In his
private life he was generous, kindly
and generally beloved, as often hap
pens in the case of criminals. The
wretched spectacle he presents in Sing
Sing prison illustrates the painful
consequences Of corrupting the ballot
of the state Of New York and daring
to defraud an American voter OF his
suffrage"
The suit has never been tried.