New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-23
M. J. FLAHERTY DEAD
Brooklyn Labor Man and Poll.
tiCian Had Been III a fear.
KNOWN AS "H0NEST MIKE"
Served as Sheriff and Coroner,
Was Friend of Henry George
and Radical Democrat.

Brooklyn had a warm spot in its heart
for Michael }. F'sherty, who died from In
testina trouble Yesterday i'm his home. No.
sol Ocean Parkway. His wife, his son.
Grover G. Faherty. and his sister. Ellen
tfaher'y. were with him when he died ~.
had been i'll for nearly a year. lie was
. called Honest Mike" --..-
Mr.. Flaherty was prominent in the Henry
George and in the Hearst movements and
was affiliated with the Central Labor
as Sheriff OF Kings County. At the time NJ
his death he was member Of the Grade
Crossing Commission, having been ap-
pointed by Mayor Gaynor.
Tho generosity OF Mr.. Flaherty VAS such
that his family and his close friends often
had To protect him from himself. When
he was Sheriff old friends who were IN
hard luck were constantly after him. and
he never had the heart TO refuse them.
Finally one Of his most intimate friends
constituted himself Mr.. FIaherty's body
guard, but the Sheriff often eluded him snd
stole out 10 the corridor Of the Kings
County Court House, where his Offices were.
to slip something TO the unfortunates.
II once knew the need OF money" NY.
Flaherty often said, land row that have
little Of IT myself, how can refuse those
who need it7"
Nichnel John Fiaherty was born In Coz
hoes, n. Y. In 1853. His parents being
poor he had to leave school to work with
them In cotton mills for long hours. at
small pay and amid unsanitsry surround
ings. He became interested in social and
nynic CT,
bent toward radicalism.
When twenty-six years old Mr. F1aherty
went 10 Brooklyn, where be Joined the
Musical Urion. He was musician and
had organized a musical union IN Cohoes
AS delegate from his union 10 tho Cen
IRA, La La Union ne soon became secre-
A great admirer Of Henry George, b..
became one Of the single takers most In
innate friends. supporting. him for. Mavor
active for BRYAN IN 1896. In the. fusion
movement Of 1907 Mr.. Flaherty who was
elected Coroner that year. and his assoc'-
ates IN the Radical Democracy affiliated
with the Citizens Union and the Republi-
cans. In 1903 he organized the Municipal
Ownership League Of BROOKLYN, and was
elected Sheriff In. the ensuing campaign.
He end his friends paid all the expenses
dressed by Governor AItgeld OF Illinois.
On March 8, 1906 he was the guest 81
honor 81 dinner given by the Centrsl
Labor Union. Prominent men throughout
the country sent messages % congratrla-
ton, and the speakers We'd with one all
other in extolling the good qualities OF the
guest
Mr. Flaherty was a member OF rhe Elks.
the WoodmeI Of the World. the Clan-ns-
Gael. OF several labor bodies. and In re-
cent years Of the regular Democratic or
ganization. He published and edited for q.
time The Municipal Ownership News.
and had acted as secretary Of the Kings
County Working men's Bryan League, which
became the Kings County Democratic
League, advocating municipal ownership.
A mass Of requiem will be suns al N
O'Clock on Tuesday morning in the Church
Of the Immaculate Heart Of Mary. Windsor
Terrace. The burial will he In 81. Asnes's
Cemetery, Albany.