- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"17.5 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear feet"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"43 boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}], "supress_display"=>true}
- unitid
-
{"value"=>"MssCol 582", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"582", "type"=>"local_mss"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1881-1924", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1881/1924"}
- date_inclusive_start
-
1881
- date_inclusive_end
-
1924
- keydate
-
1881
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"William Bourke Cockran papers"}
- repository
-
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">The New York Public Library. <span class=\"subarea\">Manuscripts and Archives Division</span></span> <div class=\"address\"> <span class=\"addressline\">New York, New York</span></div>"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"The collection consists of the papers of William Bourke Cockran, Irish born American lawyer, member of Congress, Democratic Party politician, and noted orator."}
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"<p>William Bourke Cockran Papers, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library.</p>"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Cockran, William Bourke, 1854-1923", "type"=>"persname"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>William Bourke Cockran was born in Sligo, Ireland on February 28, 1854, the son of Martin and Harriet (Knight) Cockran. He was educated in Ireland and in France. Although destined for the priesthood, he decided in 1871, at age seventeen, to emigrate to the United States where he found employment as a department store clerk, and later, as principal of a public school in Tuckahoe, New York. During this time he spent his evenings studying law. Admitted to the New York bar in 1876 he quickly became prominent in Democratic Party politics due in part to his extraordinary oratorical gifts which brought him to the attention of the Democratic National Committee. For his espousal of the Tammany cause he was rewarded with an appointment as counsel to the sheriff of New York County whom he subsequently defended in several legal cases. He was elected several times to the House of Representatives serving in various Congresses: the 50th (1887-1889), the 52nd and 53rd (1891-1895), the 58th (1904-1905), and the 59th and 60th (1905-1909). In 1909, following a break with his party, he declined to stand for reelection, and in 1912 he failed to recover his congressional seat as a candidate of the Progressive Party. After a period of relative political inactivity he delivered the speech nominating Governor Alfred E. Smith at the Democratic National Convention of 1920. Later in that year he was reelected to Congress. He died suddenly on March 1st of 1923.</p> <p>Although a Democrat by philosophy and conviction, he opposed his party on matters of principle, supporting McKinley in the presidential election 1896, and Roosevelt in 1912. Throughout his career he was a staunch supporter of organized labor, the immigrant, and the weak and defenseless at home and abroad. A confirmed anti-imperialist, he opposed the policy of the British government in South Africa and in Ireland, and lobbied against the American conquest of the Philippines. His public speeches on current affairs brought him great notoriety. As an orator, he was considered by his contemporaries to be without peer. Requests for copies of his speeches were often met with the response that they were extemporaneous and unavailable, excepting for published accounts of them in the press. In his most famous legal case he defended militant labor leader Tom Mooney against a murder conviction by a California court winning for Mooney a presidential pardon.</p> <p>Cockran was married three times. His last marriage was to the Anne Hyde, daughter of Henry C. Ide, Governor General of the Philippines.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>The papers consist of general correspondence received by Cockran including letters from Winston Churchill, Moreton Frewen, Horace Plunkett, Goldwin Smith and other notable figures; his correspondence as Member of Congress from New York; his correspondence relating to Ireland and to the Tom Mooney Case; letter press copies of his outgoing correspondence; typescripts of his addresses and speeches on public affairs; legal papers of his law firm Cockran & Clarke including records of cases before the New York State Superior Court and other courts; personal papers including memorabilia and newspaper clippings documenting his personal life and his professional activities as lawyer, politician, orator, and member of Congress.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The William Bourke Cockran papers are arranged in four series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/582#c154895'>Series I. Correspondence</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1881-1924</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The correspondence is organized in three subseries: A. General Correspondence; B. Subjects Correspondence; and C. Letterbooks</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/582#c155069'>Series II. Addresses and Speeches</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1886-1923</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The bulk of this series consists of typewritten drafts of addresses and speeches by Cockran, many with emendations in his hand, arranged chronologically in the period 1886, 1889-1906, 1908-1923; followed by undated items arranged topically or by title. The addresses and speeches document the full range of Cockran's public and professional concerns including municipal politics, electoral campaigns, the Irish Question, Irish patriots, immigration, foreign policy, imperialism, the Philippines, bi-metalism, tariffs and socialism. Included are a few copies of published speeches in pamphlet form, and photocopies of speeches published in the <span class=\"title\">Congressional Record</span>. Included also is an incomplete holograph draft by Robert M. McElroy of his work entitled \"Selected Addresses and Speeches of William Bourke Cockran\". McElroy had access to Cockran's papers while they were in the custody of the Cockran Estate.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/582#c155131'>Series III. Legal Papers</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1883-1922</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The legal papers are arranged into three subseries: A. New York State Supreme Court; B. Superior Court of the City of New York; and C. Miscellaneous Courts and Papers.</p> <p>The bulk of the papers consist of miscellaneous cases arranged chronologically (1883-1922) followed by case files arranged alphabetically. Included is correspondence of Cockran and of Cockran & Clark and Cockran & Manton, with clients, attorneys, opposing counsel, consultants, and others; and various legal papers including motions, depositions, pleadings, notices, summons, stipulations, and other papers. Several cases involve Cockran & Clark as defense counsel for Hugh J. Grant, Sheriff of the City of New York. The case of Marbury vs. Equitable Life Insurance Society contains correspondence between Cockran and Elisabeth Marbury, a literary agent, copies of correspondence between Marbury and the president of the Society, and correspondence between Cockran and his nephew, Cecil F. Elmes, who served as consultant in the case. The case of People vs. Becker, which attracted wide publicity, contains correspondence with attorneys and others regarding Cockran's attempt to obtain a commutation of the death sentence imposed on Charles Becker, a police lieutenant, who was convicted of murder. Included are letters from Charles Becker, and a letter from Becker's widow, Helen Becker, expressing appreciation for Cockran's efforts in the case.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/582#c155165'>Series IV. Personal and Miscellaneous Papers</a></div>\n</li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"<p>The William Bourke Cockran Papers are organized in the following series:</p> <ul> <li>Series I. Correspondence</li> <li>Series II. Addresses and Speeches</li> <li>Series III. Legal Papers</li> <li>Series IV. Personal and Miscellaneous Papers</li></ul>", "supress_display"=>true}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Donated by Anne Ide Cockran, 1926, 1935, 1936</p>"}
- altformavail
-
{"value"=>"<p>Correspondence with Winston Churchill, 1895-1906, available on microfilm; New York Public Library. *ZL-353</p>"}
- langmaterial
-
{"value"=>"English"}
- processinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Processed by John D. Stinson; machine readable finding aid created by FAKER.</p>"}
- extent_statement
-
17.5 linear feet (43 boxes)
- date_start
-
1881
- date_end
-
1924