Maurice E. Connolly

Maurice E. Connolly (1881-1935) was the Borough president of Queens, New York, USA from 1911 to 1928.^[1]

Born in Corona, Queens, Queens County, New York, he was the son of Maurice Connolly and Mary Jane Connolly.^[2] He was of Irish ancestry. He married Helen M. Connell and they had one child, Helen. He was a Democrat. Trained as a lawyer at Columbia Law School, he was elected borough president of Queens in 1911, serving until his resignation in 1928. He was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention from New York, 1912, 1916, and 1924.

His resignation as borough president in April 1928 occurred during an investigation of a sewer graft scandal. In his criminal trial he was represented by attorney Max Steuer. In October 1928 he was convicted of conspiracy to defraud the city, and was sentenced to one year in prison and fined $500. Following an unsuccessful appeal, he served the prison sentence in 1930-31.

He died from a cerebral hemorrhage, in Forest Hills Gardens, Queens, Queens County, New York on November 24, 1935. His body was interred at Mount St. Mary's Cemetery in Flushing, New York.

References

1. Political Graveyard
2. Staff. "MAURICE CONNOLLY OF QUEENS IS DEAD; Former Borough President, 54, Ill Since Serving Year in Jail for Sewer Frauds. WAS AN ATTORNEY AT 21 Resigned Under Fire in 1928 After Having Been Political Ruler for 17 Years.", The New York Times, November 25, 1935. Accessed October 1, 2009.

Further reading

• "National Affairs: City Sewers" Time Magazine, January 2, 1928.

Caroline cashin is the great great granddaughter of Maurice E Connolly.