New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-08
HUGH MLAUGHLIN DEAD.
CAUSE, HEART DISEASE.
he Vas for Years the Boss of the
Brooklyn Democracy.

Hugh Mclaughlin, ex-Reg!ster of Brooklyn
and for years the bcss of the Brooklyn Democ-
racy, died last night from heart disease at his
home No. 163 Remsen-st. Brooklyn, at II 10
o'clock. For several days he had been complain
ing of Illness. He thought it indigestion
He spent the greater part of yesterday at the
auction rooms, No. WOughby-st. and then,
following his invariable CUSTOM went TO the
room of the Exempt Firemens Association for
a game of dominos with old associates There
he met his nephew. Thomas McNeely and the
two went to a theatre, reaching home shortly
before II o'clock. Mr.. Mclaughlin complained
to his wife that he not feeling as well as
he had been. and went upstairs to his room to
go to bed.
His wife followed "a few minutes later. and
found MIN partly dressed and seni-conscious in
a chair in hts the second floor. The
family physician, DR.. Joseph Kene of No. GA
Greene-ave, summoned and DR.. Wunder-
Itch, who lives next door. came Immediately
BY the time DR.. wunderlich had reached the old
mans side he was unconscious. He died in
few sec onds.
With him when he died his wife and
nephew his daughter, Mrs. Jane Roche. and
his niece Miss May Waldron.
Hugh Mclaughlin. known best TO his associat ties
the boss and the old man for years held
the Democracy of Brooklyn in the hollow Of his
hands He born April %, 1928, in what is
Furman-st under the Heights His father
an Irish immigrant. who tiny grocery store
The father died in 1889 leaving a family OF
children Of whom Hugh the youngest. He
was early apprenticed to a ropemaker in VIII
iarnsburg but before n. had attained his majority
the boy had become the proprietor Of fish mar
ket in the Walabout market,
There he came in contact with lot of the poll
tcians of the time. whose conversation caused his
first political aspirations. 1t was at that time that
lie became of the old Brooklyn volunteer fire
men. At the time the hremen, half a social or
ganzation and entirely a political one were a po-
litcal force to he reckoned with Mclaughlin ran
with the engine for years. not missing chance to
make himself solid with the boys. Then he
made boss Of gang Of men in the Brooklyn Navy
Yard.
His men got into the habit OF calling him Boss
and when he threw himself with enthusiasm into
ward politics the stuck 10 him. although in
later years he in the strongest terms in the
English language that the name was the most alb
horrent him of any il the world.
He was graduated from ward politics, and made
himself master Of every detail OF the work of the
machine. Mclaughlin realized that when he got t.
man a job he quite likely to make "a friend
for himself for the party. and gradually in
this way he built up large personal following
until a looking for job told to "go and
Sc Hughey."
1861. backed by his personal political following
and swinging the fremen into line for himself.
Mclaughlin elected Register re-
elected three years later In 1867 he again and
was defeated. Nothing daunted he ran again at
the next election, and returned to office by a
majority of 1900. That the last public office
he held. His first recognition in a political way
came about through fight against the regular
gauization of that time and he elected first
as Register as an Independent a citizens 4"
ticket
ON the day that lie first assumed office as Reg
lister he made present of his fish business to his
head clerk
Mclaughlin was leader who knew how to wait
for lust the right time He waited for his oppOrtu-
nifty and was made boss of a gang of navy yard
laborers. He waited again and won the local
leadership.
He was a square man. the political definition
of suuareness goes He was accused and Justly. of
breaking public promises and pledges matters Of
policy but he was never accused of breaking his
personal word. If he promised a man an office or
job that man got IT or Its equivalent. When men
tried to block his plans ne crushed them without
mercy. but when the affair over and the men
wanted 10 come back they were forgiven. Like all
the leaders of his kind. Mclaughlin had at that
time physique strong enough TO make him vic
torious bout Of fsticUfs if need be. the stub
borness Of a bulldog, and amazing insight into
human nature.
His shrewdness was of the rather commonplace
order of the men of the stamp of Big Bill Devery,
but his Caution and patience and his ability 10
make men follow him. chiefly because of confidence
in his personal promises, gave him the power to
keep the whip hand in Brooklyn. His influence
never went outside OF Brooklyn. The boundaries of
that city were the boundaries of his power. He
knew his limitations and never aspired 10 state
politics. His reticence almost prOverbial IN
Brooklyn, no in public life being less easy of
approach. When he wanted particularly to dodge
questions he would go fishing, he enjoy a great
reputation as expert with the rod and line
The most formidable of the early rebelhons
against Willoughby street IN 1SS1-the Jefferson
Hall movement. a lot of the Democrats believed
that the Mclaughlin machine had not given Cen
craI Hancock the Presidential candidate, the
proper support, and the charge was openly Haue
that he had been sold out in the county. IN the
fail Of 1881 James Howell vas renomlnaleu leu lor a
third term as Mayor The jefferson itaIi DEMO
Gratis nominated General Slocum. SETH Low MAS
elected hut the cliques had become ryCuiCilu
when his strength became apparent MAJ I'm I'm
formally resigning leader. TO orlhs 'ioou' ''e
consolidate of the warning cilques =, r,.o,,,,.
Although he had resigned, no one ~ rt;ta3
ever saw that it made any dlnereIGT,. IA h,-
wears later the machine was again oPPgSs'a-S' - Vi
considerable faction, which nominateu t gu ~
Shepard. Edward Nj Grout was n0Ii 'iidat
ma chine. The election of the Repuuh'" " "L'ia -
showed Shepard party held thc Sn,o,S 80
mower but in 1895 the Shepardltes "ei' tN sup
porting the regular ticket again. .o-,,t,ad o,ro
che boss wa one Of the most dts az vi ,,pii
nonts of John Y McKane. Until 1874 " INN
Continued ON second pnEe