The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-08-16

pOnClcfAn and omceholder. After his election to the mayoralty he displayed traits of character which served to make him in aashort period a popular idol throughout the country and placed his name very near the top of the list of notable Democrats who have been mentioned over and over again for the presidency.
 {: Mayor 0aynor is essentially . man of the people, . con of the soil, prod net Of the farm, notwithstanding his long residence in the metropolis of the nation. He was born at Whitestown, N. r., nfty-nine years ago, the son of . farmer, the Gaynor family being of English Irish stock. He was educated at Whitestown seminary and later at Boston and intended in youth, 1t was said, to enter the priesthood of the Ro- man Catholic church, even going so far as to begin his studies under the Christian Brothers. Little is known about that period of his life, but at au events he did not become a priest | He taught school in Boston and aft erward took up the study of law in Ut1ca, removing to Brooklyn in 1873 to continue his studies. While so do- ing he, engaged in newspaper work. and went to live in Flatbush. then a separate community in the control of corrupt politicians. Gaynor studied his surroundings and ascertained that Flatbush had forty liquor saloons, but only one license. He got evidence against the saloons, had their pro prtetors arrested and compelled them to take out licenses. Then be called the better element together. and . re- form ticket was nominated at the next election. Though both political ma chimes combined against the reform CTS, the latter's ticket gained a de cisive victory, and Gaynor was ap- pointed police commissioner by the town board. His most notable achievement in this capacity was the manner in which he closed several illegal roadhouses on the Ocean park way. He procured evidence against these places and succeeded in convict ing their proprietors, all within sixty days N Fought Boss Mclaughlin.
 MT. Gaynor returned to Brooklyn in 1885 and soon found himself arrayed against Hugh Mclaughlin, the Demo cratic boss. His opportunity to fight came in 1889, when the town of New Lots was annexed to Brooklyn. The boss and his friends, with the peculiar foresight which men of their stripe often display, purchased through dummies for $185,OOO the Long Island Water company in New Lots for the purpose of selling 1t to Brooklyn. Indeed, they had contracted with Alfred c. Chapin, mayor of Brooklyn, to purchase the company on behalf of the city for about $1 ,50O, 900. Gaynor denounced the deal as a swim dle and said he would stop it. He in- duced one of his clients, William Zeig- Ter, of baking powder fame, to allow the use of his name in a taxpayers suit to prevent the consummation of the deal. The ring fought back, and the suit was carried to the highest court in the state, to the discontinue of the McLaughhns, who were defeat
 I'd. A commission afterward appraise5
 by exposing bills presented for the eel
 ebratiOn in Brooklyn. More brass
 bands than could be hired in New
 York and Brooklyn had been charged
 for. and the bill for one street stand
 contained charges for more lumber
 than had been used in all the review
 ing places. The Mclaughlin crowd
 had their account legalized by the leg islature. and then Gaynor induced the
 governor to exercise his veto.
 Citizens of Brooklyn wanted Gaynor
 to run for mayor that year, but he de- clined and took nomination from the
 Republicans and Independent Demos
 eraFs for; igsttsssof the supreme court