The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-06
DEATH OF JOHN Y. M'KANE.
HE EXPIRED LAST EVENING AFTER
TTO DATS OF UNCONSCIOUSNESS.

but Had Recovered from One Attack
of Heart Disease-His Striking Career.
John Y. McKane died a few minutes before
O'Clock last night Mr. McKane failed steadily
from O'Clock on Monday morning until 3
o'clock yesterday afternoon when he became
unconscious. He did not regain consciousness
! Although few minutes before he died DR..
| John 8. Hill. the family physician admins
| tered nitro glycerine and strychnine In a last
effort to revive him.
At Mr.. McKane's bedside were his mother.
his wife. his daughter Fannie. his sons George
and Ira. and two OF his brothers. Theodore and
James.
Mr.. McKane had known for some time that
his life was near It's end. His heart. stomach
| and kidneys had been diseased for several
| months. He was taken with an attack Of heart
disease on the street in Coney Island three
weeks ago. but had apparently altogether re-
covered from that. and was about with his
friends on Sunday In the best OF Spirits.
The death OF John Y. McKane removes one
OF the most remarkable and picturesque char
actors in local politics that the State OF New
York has produced He was born in Ireland
but he came to this country as boy he
attained here what peculiar accom- plishments
he possessed; it was here that he rose to the
! power which 1t has been the privilege OF few
men to enjoy. and here his undoing was
| wrought. Up to the time Of his daring def
ance OF the Supreme Court. his fame was
almost entirely local. but he was nevertheless
figure OF no small account In American poll
tics. and his downfall marked the end OF
4 character in the political system. the end
OF the ward autoorat who carried the vote
OF his district in his vest pocket and cast it on
election day as no saw At. The boundary lines
OF the old town OF Gravesend had been oblit-
Grated when John Y. Mckane returned to the
scenes Of his former triumphs from Sing Sing
prison. and he was sensible enough to see that
the day OF his kind had passed. 80 he settled
down to quiet. uneventful life on what was
left Of the fortune he accumulated in more
prosperous days. striving meanwhile to bring
back the robust health Of which prison life had
robbed him.
He was born In County Antrim. Ireland. on
Aug. 10. 1s4l. and came here with his parents.
There were seven other sons. The family
settled at Sheepshead Bay, where John McKane
the father, ran farm and also general store.
The old records OF Sheepsh head Bay and Graves
end spell the family name in three ways.
Mccain. McKaia and McKane. John Y. settled
on Mckanc. He earned the first money he ever
had by picking strawherrieslat so cents a week.
When he got old enough to think of adopting q
trade. his father apprenticed him to a carpen-
ter. He absorbed all that the carpenter knew
in a few years and at the time of the Civil War
branched out for himself. starting the Sleeps
head planning mill In later yenrs his political
enemies dug out ofthe records in the Adjutant-
Generals office at Albany this entry:
John Mccain, aged 81. drafted Sept. 2. 1863.
from Gravesend "a Sub. Dist. Second Con-
gressional district. N. u. exempted on ac-
count OF alienaRe."
McKane insisted that this entry referred to
his father. despite the fact that McKane.
senior was twice as old at this period. How
ever the scorn OF his opponents never made
any apparent difference with McKane His
father was a strict Methodist and the boys
were brought up to go regularly to church and
Sunday school Young John was very devout.
becoming teacher and finally superintendent
Of the Sunday school. In 1868. he was elected
a steward and trustee OF the church and he
and his wife. who was Miss Fannie
Nostrand. OF the old Long Island family
OF that name, were among the most ardent of
the church workers. About this same time his
political career began. His Democratic friends
nominated him for constable and elected him.
In a few years he was the leader OF the town.
During the Tilden campaign no was absolute
boss OF Gravesend and he cinched his power a
little later when he had hims self elected Supe :
visor. He became President OF the Town
Board. OF tho Police Board. the Board OF Health
and the Town Improvement Board.
All town officials whether their Offices were
. |
appontive or elective. were selected by him
When 1t became necessary to have an Excise
Board and Fire Department. he made him
self President OF the one and Chief OF the other
So he dominated everything in tho town. ruling
his followers through their love for him and
his opponents through their fear OF his
power. Mckane was staunch friend OF Hugh
Mclaughlin until Just before the Presidential
campaign OF 1888. when he fell out with the
Democratic boss OF Brooklyn over an appar-
emily trivial matter. Mckane had promised ia
support for tn" Assembly friend Of
Cornelius Fergueson the boss OF New
, Utrecht When this friend turned on
to be Republican. Mckane was very
bitter. but insisted on keeping his word. His
|, influence elected Fergueson's man. and Nc.
Laughlin proceeded to punish McKane for his
part in the defeat OF the Democratic candidate
McKane was deposed as president pro TEN Of
: the Kings county Board OF Supervisors. and
was thrown out OF the General Committee. He
| got even by throwing the GraveSend vote from