The sun., 1919-01-27
]. L. M'ENTEE, WITH
SUN % YEARS, DIES
Albany Correspondent Influ-
pnza Victim-Well Known
as Journalist.
OBTAINED MANY "BEATS"
Friend of All the Politicians,
He Often Got Big Stories
Ahead Of Others.
sp,ciai DespatcA TO THE suS.


ALBANY, Jan. 26.--Joseph Leonard Nc
Entee, for twenty-five years correspond
ent of THE SuN ut Albany, died early to-
night after n weeks illness from lnf1u-
enza. He was one OF the best known
newspapermen in the state. For thirty
Ave years he had been in active touch
with political events Of the State and
nation, and there was hardly a State or
national convention OF political party
that he had not attended.
Mr.. McEntee. who would have been
so years old in June, was OF rare political
sagacity and his advice was sought by
Governors, Senators and leaders OF all
tanks.
In 1882 Mr.. McErtee was engaged as
/; messenger by the old Associated Press
with his keen mind he soon made a
place for himself and in a few years was
promoted to be bureau manager for
Albany.
Mr.. McEntee was with the United
Press until 1t went out OF existence In
1898 he went to THE SIN as manager
of its Albany bureau. This post he
never relinqushed. although he had
many fiatterlng political and business
offers.
In 1907. still covering" Albany for
THE EVENING Sun and THE SuN. Mr..
McEntee entered the Albany Law School
and was graduated two years later, BE-
ing admitted to the New York bar in
1909.
He is survived by his wife. a
brother Edward and two sisters. the
Misses Mary and Anna McEntee, all OF
Albany.
Got Many Beats for '"Ths sum-"
every one, gave THE SuN a score OF
beats. In the old days when a reporter
had to write copy In long hand he went
the ordinary reporter one better and
was able to telegraph his own story in
case an operator was not available
| His first great beat for THE Sun came
| In 1895 when the Lexow committee that
investigated affairs of the city Of New
York was ready to report TO the Legis-
lature. A whole day before the report
went to the Legislature Mr.. McEntee OBJ
tainsd copy OF It right under the
noses OF the other reporters, and THE
Sun printed columns OF It
The same year when William II. Fri
day was ready to hand the Legislature
a report on the B. r. T. strike. he and
the members Of the Senate and Assem-
bly, read the report in THE Sun the
morning before the official report went
RooseveIts Threat.
Another OF the beats Mr.. McEntee
scored was during Roosevelt's term a.
Governor, when the Assembly clerk
forgot to read the special message the
Governor sent to that body on the pas
sage OF the famous franchise tax legis-
lation. TIE Sun beat the other papers
on the threat OF Roosevelt to go before
the Assembly personally and read the
message II the clerk persisted In his re-
fuSal 10 read IT,
During the term IN ONCE OF Gov. OdelI
when THE SIN was attacking the Gov
ernor, THE Sun man was barred from
the Governors daily talks with CORE
epondents. but this did not bother Mr.
McEntee. He had the news Just the
| same
When Frank Higgins was Governor II
was current talk that McEntee was
closer TO the Governor than his own
private secretary In fact Mr.. McEntee
had the knack OF being in with all OF
the State officials no matter what their
POLITICAL complexion. simply because he
played fair.
The Legislature will probably take
action on his death when 1t meets to-
morrow night.