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11 March 2025

COOGAN story

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appearing in "New York Times" [NY], 06 JAN 1899, PAGE ?:

NEW BOROUGH PRESIDENT 

James J. Coogan Elected to Succeed the Late A. W. Peters. 

HIS SELECTION A SURPRISE 

Members of Municipal Assembly Did Not Know for Whom They Were to 
Vote Until the Last Minute.

James J. Coogan, who in 1888 was a candidate for Mayor, was yesterday 
elected by the Manhattan members of the Municipal Assembly as 
President of the Borough of Manhattan to succeed the late Augustus W.
Peters. Later in the day Mr. Coogan was sworn in by Mayor Van Wyck, 
and he at once assumed charge of his office. 

Mr. Coogan's selection by the leaders of Tammany Hall was a great 
surprise to everyone who had any interest in the matter. In fact, his 
name had never been mentioned for the place, even in a casual way, 
and, until Councilman Oakley placed him in nomination not over a 
dozen of the members of the Municipal Assembly knew for whom they 
were to vote. It is even said that Mr. Oakley himself was unaware of 
the man he was to name until an hour before Mayor Van Wyck called the 
session to order. James J. Martin was the only prominent candidate 
for the place and most of the Alderman and Councilmen who were 
present came to the City Hall prepared to vote for the former Police 
Commissioner. It is a significant fact that none of the Republican 
members of the assembly were present.

The proceedings were formal in the extreme. After the Mayor had called 
the meeting to order City Clerk Scully called the roll and read the 
call for the meeting. Then Councilman Oakley nominated Mr. Coogan, 
Alderman W. F. McCall seconded the nomination, and on the roll call, 
there being no other candidates, Mr. Coogan received the entire vote 
and was declared elected.

Mr. Coogan started out in life as an upholsterer. Eventually he 
opened a furniture store in the Bowery, and from his dealings with 
laboring men became well known as a friend of the working classes. 
When he had become "strong" in this quarter he developed into a 
politician, and in 1888 launched himself on the public as a candidate 
for Mayor on the Labor ticket. The other candidates were Hugh J. 
Grant, Tammany; Abram S. Hewitt, County Democracy, and Joel B. 
Erhardt, Republican. 

From the first, Mr. Coogan‘s campaign was a most picturesque one. 
His managers organized meetings in all parts of the city, and Mr. 
Coogan rapidly developed into an orator of peculiar, if not seductive, 
powers. Money flowed in in a steady stream, and Coogan‘s meetings were 
well attended, even if the same faces were seen at all of them. When 
the votes were counted, it was found that Coogan had received 9,809 
votes. On figuring up the expenses of the campaign, Coogan found that 
each vote had cost him $10. 

From that time Mr. Coogan eschewed politics and devoted himself to 
caring for the real estate of his mother-in-law Mrs. Lynch. Mrs. 
Lynch owns the Polo Grounds, which are leased by the New York
Baseball Club, and it is on account of Mr. Coogan's interest in 
them that they are often referred to as "Coogan's Hollow." 

In 1897, while Richard Croaker was in England with his racing 
stable, Mr. Coogan went to London and "in behalf of the citizens of 
New York" offered the Tammany chieftain the nomination for Mayor. 
Whether Mr. Croaker considered Mr. Coogan as a representative popular 
opinion or not, he declined to follow his advice. For years the two 
men have been the warmest of friends, and the election of Mr. Coogan 
is generally regarded as a personal reward for his steadfast 
adherence to the party leader. 

Mr. Coogan is a member of the Democratic Club and lives at 564 Fifth 
Avenue.

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