The times., 1899-09-06
DEATH OF JOHN Y. M,KANE.
Heart Disease Ends His Remarkable
Political Career

NEW YORK, Sept. John Y. McKane
died few minutes before O'Clock tonight.
Mr.. McKane failed steadily from ) O'Clock
Monday morning until o'clock, when he
became unconscious. He did not regain
consciousness. 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..
MeKane had known Tor some time that
his life was near ts end. he was taken
with an attack of heart disease on the strsel
in Coney Island three weeks ago, but had
apparently altogether recovered from that
and was about with MS friends on sunday
in the best OF spiri.s.
The death of John Y McKane removes
one of the most remarkable and picturesque
characters in local politics that the State
OF New York has produced He was born
IN County Antrim, Ireland, in August, 1S41
and came here with his parents. There
were seven other sons. The family settled
at Sheepshead Bay, where John McKane,
the father, ran a farm and also a general
store. The father was a strict Methodist,
and the boys were brought up to go regu-
larly 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. About this time
his political career began. In few years
he was the leader of the town. He became
president Of the town board, of the police
board, the board of health, and the town
improvement board All town officials,
whether their Offices were appointive or
elective, were selected by him. An il
lustration of his power can be found in
the Fassett-Flower gubernatoriai cam
paign. McKane had fallen out with Hugh
Mclaughlin, the Kings county Democratic
leader, and gave Fassett 1,09S votes from
Grayesend, to Flowers $50 votes. After
that the quarrel between Mclaughlin and
Mekane was patched up.
The ballot reform law of 1891 said that
not more than one polling place should
be In one room. McKane mad always seen
to it that all the voting IN GrayeseDd was
done in one place. In this emergency he
redistricted the town, so that some portion
of each district came within the town hall
of Grayesend. He established his six poll
ing places in the town hall and all the
legal sharps in the State could not show
wherein he had violated The law.
The end came in 1895. In a fight against
McKane in that year the services OF Will
liam j. Gayror were enlisted. The reforu.-
ers and Mr.. Gaynor SET out to secure a
fair vote in the town of Gravesend. His
efforts eliminated on election day, when
Col. Alexander S. Bacon led a company
of watchers to Gravesend. Colonel Bacon
had an injunction directing MeKane not
to interfere with the watchers. Mckane,
followed by a hundred of his men, armed
with nightstieks. advanced on Colonel Ba-
con and his men and Colonel BdccI pro-
dueed his Injunction. Mrkane upon this
made his famous remark.
.Injunctions don't go here"
MCKaQp'S men nharRpd on Colonel Racou
beat him, and threw him into Jail, dubbed
number of his watchers, locked three of
them up, and drove the others out of town
Ten indictments were found against Nc
Kane as a result of this days work, and
after long, hard fought trial he was CON
victed and sentenced to six years in Sing
Sing prison. McKane was not released until
he had served four years and two months
his full time, with Communication for good
behavior. On April 80, 1898. he walked
out of the prison a free man. He has
never been in good health since.