The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1907-12-28
THE FIRST CITIZEN.
For Over Forty Years Michael Fin.
nerty Has Cast Ballot No. 1,

nerty Has Cast Ballot No. 1.
They have called him New York
first citizen" because on each cleo
tlon day for many years he has been
the first man to vote in the first cleo
ton district of the First Assembly Dis
trict.
| Among his neighbors Michael j. Fin
nerty is called simply 1.-THE old citi-
zen." Old" possibly, because he is
IS years Of age, and citizen be-
cause of his almost religious devotion
to the obligations Of citizenship, a de-
votion curiously illustrated in his
steadfast determination year after
year to vote ballot No. 1.
Michael j. Finnerty runs a little
hotel. called the Bally Langford, at
1879 Washington street.
In 1857 he came through Old Castle
Garden. a boy Is years old. He came
alone to seek his fortune, and knocked
about New York doing odd jobs for
ten years, when he bought out the
little hotel which is now his home and
place of business.
He married soon after arriving in
this country. and had at one time a
family of five boys and two girls. and
happier man could not be found than
he was. But" said Finnerty re-
Gently to a World reporter, Il buried
the Ave young men and the two young
ladies, then l buried their mother. and
If 1t wasn't for my good humor would
be over in Greenwood today"
Attention was called to the fact that
he had a large Irish flag out in front
of his place. YES" was the reply,
Il always have that flag out. You see,
was born in Ireland but came to
this country a young sort of lad, and
when came I came to stay. l came
to make this country my home and
didn't waste much time. tell you, in
taking out my papers and becoming
a real American citizen l am an
3A.ASA1SaA SOuoSs kO41lOA1OW anu lot"
ever. This is my country and 1 would
lay down my life for her this minute.
DO you remember what Nathan
Hale said when they were about to
hang him up here in City Hall Park?
he said: I regret that l have but
one life to give to my country That's
HE, too. And 1 never pass that statue
of Nathan Hale " there that don't
take off my hat and say God bless
him.
The first vote I ever cast was for
General George Mcclellan for presi-
dent when he was running against Abe
Lincoln, and I have never missed vot-
ing OH election day since.
1T was the pride of my young life
in this country to vote. OF course,
was here several years before 1 could
vote. but just as soon as the right was
mine 1 took hold of it and considered
! it then and do now consider it a sacred
duty Of an American citizen to go to
the polls OH election day and cast his
ballot.
Casting the first ballot in my dis.
trict was hardly intentional in the be-
ginning, that is, it was not a matter
of being the first man to vote with me,
but matter Of voting, and in my
eagerness to do SO / always went to
the polls early before anybody else was
there. and when the polls opened there
was. and had put my ballot in the
box and left before other voters had
Weakened up. After a. while it occurred
to me that had been the first man to
vote for several elections. then 1 de-
cided to keep on being first.
When I had been first for rs years,
however. I decided to retire and let
some other fellow put ballot No. / in
| the box, but just about that time had
made UP my mind to do that heard
that certain fellow that 1 had little
love for was boasting that he was go
ing to heat me out on the next cleo
ton day. so put off retiring and have
been putting it off ever since.
well, maybe voting ballot No. I
don't amount to much. l don't count
any more than ballot No. 1O1, 1 know,
but 1t means something to me. and last
Tuesday when l heard the clerk call
out Michael ]. Finnerty votes ballot
No there was something more than
simple satisfaction touched my heart,
something more than enough to make
me get up next election day in time
to hear that call all over again.
They say I look like Foley. Do
you think so?" and the "old citizen"
took off the little white cap he wore
and removed pair of spectacles.
Yes, everybody says l do And
, everybodys right. for F'innerty. while
not as large man as the new sheriff
elect. has face and head that are re-
markedly like that of the other man.