The San Francisco call., 1913-09-11
FLAGS HALF MASTED
ON PUBLIC BUILDINGS
Officials of New York Grief Stricken at
Receipt of News; Commissioner
Waldo Breaks Down

This attack upon the ring of cor
rupt politicians led to fight against
the combined forces OF f. both ma
chimes at the town election. and, to
the wonder of those who helped him.
victory for the ticket he favored.
This was the first flash OF Gay
nor's meteoric career. His defeat of
the ring politicians in Flatbush not
only brought him public recognition.
but clients to swell his budding prac-
tice. His success was so great in
civil law that he was drawn into the
criminal courts. much against his in
clination. Here he made a notable
record for himself, securing the ac-
quittal OF b youne man who had
been found guilty on his first trial
when defended by the most celebrat-
ed criminal lawyers of the New York
bar.
About this time the gradual absorp-
tion of small adjacent municipalities
by the growing town of Brooklyn.
brought to the young lawyer an op-
portunity to continue his fight against
corrupt politics.
FIGHTS MCLAUGHLIN RING
The Hugh Mclaughlin ring. which
then dominated Brooklyn politics. had
seen in an annexation of the town OF
New Lots an opportunity for loot.
Through dummies they gained control
of the private water plant of the lit
tie town for the sum of $1S5,0oo.
This done. the annexation was car
ried through. With the assistance of
Alfred Chaplin, then mayor OF Brook
lyn. the ring politicians contracted
10 sell the modest water plant of New
Lots to Brooklyn at a profit of some
thing more than $780, 900. There
were murmurs against this high
handed proceeding. but the ring con-
tinued its preparation 20 jam the
measure through the board of alder
men and were about TO make the
purchase when Mr.. Gaynor took a
hand in the affair.
He interested William Seigler. a
rich property owner of Brooklyn, and
as Seigler's counsel, applied to the su-
preme court for an injunction to pre-
vent the sale.
OPPONENTS PUT TO ROUT
Mayor Chaplin used his corporation
counsel TO oppose the injunction and
the ring marshaled a number of
prominent lawyers on their side, but
Gaynor routed those who opposed him
on every point and. after a fight that
extended into the court OF appeals.
he succeeded in having a commission
appointed which ultimately appraised
and bought the property for s25o. 900.
The costs, $4,000. he paid out of his
own pocket.
During the year 1893 Mr.. Gaynor
was asked by Commissioner of Public
Works Willis, who divided the politi-
cal power OF Brooklyn with Boss Nc
Laughlin, to run for mayor. This
plot TO lead him to defeat and break
his hold upon the people was met
by Gaynor with a fusion agitation
which entered the political field with
c. A. Schiren as the reform candi-
date. Mr.. Gaynor, in the meantime,
without being consulted, had been
nominated for the supreme court of
New York. He made a strong fight
and the Mclaughlin ring. which usu-
ally carried Brooklyn by at least co.
600. was defeated by $4,000
SENDS BOSS KANE TO DEFEAT
1t was also during this campaign
that the John Kane incident added so
materially to his reputation for ag-
gressiveness. Kane was undisputed
boss of the Gravesend district, where
the city elections and even the ma
tional elections-as in the case of the
second Cleveland campaign-were
sometimes decided. There were about
1000 voters in Kane's bailiwick, but
when occasion required, from 5000 to
Is, 900 votes were cast.
Election day Mr.. Gaynor sent
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