Patrick Jerome Gleason

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Patrick Jerome Gleason (b in Tipperary, Ireland, on April 22, 1844, d in Long Island City on May 20, 1901) was the mayor of Long Island City from 1884 to 1892 and from 1896 to 1898. His colorful career as mayor was marked by corruption, profit taking, and fighting—both physical and legal. (2) William Steinway had business interests to protect in Long Island City and was generally on good terms with Gleason. 

Patrick Gleason arrived in the United States from Ireland in 1862, the second year of the Civil War. He enlisted in the 99th New York Volunteers, but soon transferred to the 63rd New York Volunteers where his brother, Joseph H. Gleason, was an officer. (3, p. 122)  His unit served in the Irish Brigade, which was active in the Peninsula Campaign, as well as in the battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the siege of Petersburg and the final pursuit of Lee’s army to Appomattox. (4) 

After his discharge from the army, Gleason managed a distillery in Flushing, New York, which was closed after three years for failure to pay taxes. For a time he operated a saloon in Williamsburg, New York.  He also edited a newspaper, the Long Island City News. After failing in these enterprises, he moved to San Francisco where he opened a distillery, sold it at a profit, and successfully invested in the stock market. He returned to Long Island City in 1873 and, a year later, built a profitable horse car line connecting Long Island City to Calvary Cemetery, where many New York City families had burial plots. (1, p. 470) William Steinway owned a rival streetcar line, and the two men had numerous business interactions.  In 1884, William purchased Gleason’s interest in the Astoria and Hunters Point Railroad.(Diary, 1884-10-03, 1884-10-17) In 1880 Gleason married Isabelle Bennett. She died in 1883, four months after giving birth to a daughter, Jessie. (3, p. 122) 

Gleason won his first political office in 1881 when he was elected alderman in the Long Island City government on the Regular Democratic ticket. (1, p. 470) He took office in January 1882 and was immediately chosen as president of the Board of Aldermen, a position that allowed him to be involved in every area of the city’s government. (3. p. 122) He often clashed with the mayor, George Petry, who was an Independent Democrat.  (The party was divided into two factions, the Regular Democrats, representing old style machine politics, and the Independent Democrats, who were champions of political reform.)  Petry had run for office on a platform of reform and economy in government.  Gleason frequently obstructed the mayor’s legislative proposals. (3, p. 122) 

Gleason was nominated by the Regular Democrats for mayor in 1883, but was defeated by Petry. He was elected as alderman-at-large in 1885 and a year later ran for mayor as an independent, unaffiliated with any party. He won the election and held the offices of alderman and mayor simultaneously. He was asked to resign his alderman seat but refused. There was no law forbidding the holding of two offices. This dual status gave him unusual political power. As an alderman, he could participate in enacting legislation and, as mayor, pass or veto the enactments. His term in these offices was noted for notorious corruption, crude vulgarity and flagrant use of patronage.  He posed as a champion of the common people and, by his control of city jobs, distributed patronage to create a loyal following. (3, p. 123) 

In 1889 Gleason ran for mayor against a scrupulously honest former city treasurer, Frederick Bleckwenn. While Bleckwenn ran a self-effacing and dignified campaign, Gleason relied on showmanship, riding about the streets in a dog-cart and plastering the city with campaign posters. Gleason easily defeated Bleckwenn. (Diary, 1880-11-06)  During his second term as mayor, his pugnacious personality was often on public display.  He frequently lost his temper in public, engaged in shouting matches and even assaulted opponents. (Diary, 1890-09-22)   

Gleason failed to win the election for mayor in 1892 when he was defeated by a reform candidate, Horatio Sanford. Gleason challenged the result on the grounds that Sanford’s name on the ballots was isspelled. Although he lost in court, he refused to vacate his office and had to be physically removed. (3, pp 124-125) 

After his electoral defeat, Gleason concentrated on investing in improvements to his trolley line. He extended the length of the line, built an electric power station and had the first electric streetcar line in Long Island City. He also invested in a waterworks. In the 1895 election, Gleason ran for mayor as a Regular Democrat and won by a small margin.  His election was challenged on the grounds that he was not a properly naturalized citizen. He outmaneuvered those trying to unseat him, but also applied for new citizenship papers. (3, p.125) 

Gleason’s term in office was shortened because the 1896 law consolidating the five boroughs of New York City into one municipality eliminated his position. He was the last mayor of Long Island City. (3, p. 125) Later that year his streetcar line, Long Island City and Newtown, went into bankruptcy and was bought at auction by William Steinway through his Steinway Railway Syndicate.(Diary 1896-05-09) 

In 1897, Gleason declared himself to be a candidate for mayor of New York City. He suffered a humiliating defeat. He trailed in fifth place. In 1899 he declared personal bankruptcy. (2) His last years were spent in ill health and obscurity, abandoned by his former supporters.

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Sources:

1. Jackson, Kenneth (ed.), The Encyclopedia of New York City, New York, Yale, 1985,  “Gleason, Patrick J(erome),” p. 470.

 2.  “Patrick J. Gleason Dead,” The New York Times, May 21, 1901, p. 9.

 3. Seyfried, Vincent, 300 Years of Long Island City, 1630-1930, Queens Community Series, pp. 122-125.

 4.  “63rd Infantry Regiment” available on New York State Military Museum web site, accessed January 9, 2012.