William J. Donohue Explained

William J. Donohue (c. 1873 – January 31, 1907) was an American politician from New York.

Life

Donohue was born about 1873, and lived with a wife and two children at 132 Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He was a friend of the local Democratic boss Patrick H. McCarren.

In November 1905, Donohue ran on the Municipal Ownership League ticket for the New York State Assembly, but was defeated.^[1] In November 1906, he ran again, this time on the Democratic ticket, and was elected. He was a member of the New York State Assembly (Kings Co., 14th D.) in 1907.^[2]

One month into his term, on January 31, 1907, he killed himself by a self-inflicted gunshot to the head in Edward Lingers's saloon at 419 Oakland Street in Brooklyn.^{[3] [4] [5]}

Notes and References

1. http://fultonhistory.com/Newspaper%2014/Brooklyn%20NY%20Standard%20Union/Brooklyn%20NY%20Standard%20Union%201906/Brooklyn%20NY%20Standard%20Union%201906%20-%203022.pdf Democratic nominees
2. https://archive.org/stream/officialnewyorkf04fitc#page/353/mode/1up Official New York from Cleveland to Hughes
3. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1907/02/01/101855284.pdf Assemblyman a Suicide
4. http://fultonhistory.com/Newspaper%2014/Brooklyn%20NY%20Standard%20Union/Brooklyn%20NY%20Standard%20Union%201907/Brooklyn%20NY%20Standard%20Union%201907%20-%200845.pdf Police Reject Theory That Donohue Met With Foul Play
5. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1907/02/04/106705496.pdf Assemblyman Donohue Buried