Honest John Kelly, Truth Or Satire

Book excerpt: An account of the life and times of one of the 19th century's most powerful and colorful politicians. "Honest" John Kelly was the leader of Tammany Hall, New York City's Democratic stronghold, during the Gilded Age. He rose from the obscurity of the 1820's Irish ghettos in New York City to become one of the most prominent political figures of his time. During his career as a civil servant, political leader, orator and philanthropist, he proudly wore the nickname "Honest" in front of his given name. There were many who admired his accomplishments, and considered this to be a fitting description of the man. Yet there were many others who decried his behavior as rigid, self serving and dictatorial, and saw the "Honest" reference as the ultimate sarcastic characterization of the man and his methods. In recounting the 30 year public career of "Honest" John Kelly, the author presents, in print and cartoon, evidence on both sides of this debate. He leaves it to the reader to decide if this engaging sobriquet was indeed "truth or satire." Ironically, many of the questionable practices described in the book are being practiced in current times by Politicians running for some of the Nation's most important offices. The mediums of communication have changed over the last 135 years but the political dirty tricks are essentially the same!