New Britain herald., 1923-01-22
GUESSING ON VALUE
 OF M'MAH0N ESTATE
.e0n,inssa from Firs, Psss,

business, He interested Frank A
 keeney. one of the hig theatrical
 managers Of Brooklyn, in the project
 It was always said that MT, keeney
 had t0 he shewn but after learning
 0f MeMahehis past success in every
 business NentnFe that he undeTtook,
 he decided te align himself with the
 leeai man, with the result that Eander
 vile and moving pictures were iRz
 stalled as the feFIa ef entertainment
 in the theateE which was named
 keeneY's theateT, Aequaintins him
 self thoroughly with the theatrical
 business, AeAahon, few years later,
 purchased control Of the playhouse,
 and under his own management he
 made success Of it, About three
 years ago, he disposed Of the place
 10 tine contaras Brothers and Peter
 PeFokas, He also owned al one time
 the Empire theater al Hartford. one
 of the largest of its kind at the time
 in the Capital city He was also in-
 leEested In past years in theateFs in
 New York state,
 Having so far made a success of about everything he had tried, Mer
 Mahon turned 10 farming. He bought farm in Berlin and through his ef- forts it was converted into one Of the finest Of its kind in these parts, IL was here that he could often be found working as hard as any oi the employees, Some Of the finest cattle ln Connecticut was raised there.
 Became Interested in Tax Rate.
 In all his busy career. "P. s," never about five years ago when the anes- ton Of high taxation became one Of the chief topics Of the day, Many will recall the famous city meeting at ths State armory during Mayor Quigley's regime. Thousands of inc tcrested taxpayers damned their way into the hall on that occasion. and among those who were prominent on the stage was McMahon. Some talk had been heard previous to the meet ing. that n local organization would fight for lower tax rate. The meet ing broke up in disorder but it made" McMahon leader Of n new political force.
 He worked day and night for the which became known as the New Britain Taxpayers associa- tion. Prominent with him in the fight were the late Isadore Simons and John P. Sweeney. The result of their efforts was that much lower tax rate than that agreed upon by the board of finance and taxation was adopted for the next two years.
 McMahon, a life long democrat, rose from a political obscurity into he front ranks of his party, through his efforts in the Fourth ward. He vas first named on the town commit .ee and later ran as a candidate for meeting defeat in ward hat was overwhelmingly republican.
 Supported o. r. Curtis.
 He was undaunted by the reverse, ne of the first that he had suffered During several campaigns n recent years. he could be found on he public platform spell binding in he interest of the democratic party. 1e was bitter political enemy of George A. Quigley. During the cam 'aign that resulted in Orson F. Curtis 'eing elected mayor, he was often ,, card expressing his admiration for . he "old man."
 It was generally accepted last I. bring that McMahon entertained : ome ambition to head the democratic /. arty in the mayoralty fight. When {. ;. M. Paonessa, then alderman from le sixth ward. entered the lists and |. on over Quigley. the republican can = idate, McMahon expressed great sat- 7 faction. On election night, the democrats | cid street parade in celebration of I le success of Mayor Paonessa, and c l the front line of the procession was f P. S." with his customary smile, and a big cigar tilted upward. t
 Beaten in Race for Senate. b Last fall he was nominated for ate senator, opposing Richard Co., <, srt, the republican candidate. He r aged a never-to- o-be-forgotten cam i, lign, and sensation was sprung by = m during his factory talks. He was ,aten by MT. Covert, one of the best )le SeIIeTS III Iut lOCdl Tduho Ol tuc
 o. P.
 When the change was made in the 5. cal government from. the old method i'
 city meetings to the city meeting 4 ard. McMahon was named mem :, r from the fourth ward. Last - ', ring he was named a member of .. e charter revision committee. In '' is work he was a strong advocate
 the city employing purchasing ent, and the retention of the civil rvice system of selecting members TO the police and fire departments. He os 70 favored legislation which would pa rb the powers of the school board, tn lking it necessary for this board to DC rchase all its supplies through the ell opposed agent, and to submit all Is to the common council, the same
 other city departments and boards. ,Mahon had also opposed very Pr enuously the adoption of the two di ltoon system in the fire department. to
 has maintained that he would do la! erything in his power to block this by m, it being his contention that city op