George Proctor Kane - Early Political Life

Early Political Life

Kane was born in Baltimore in 1820 and at an early age entered the grain and grocery business. He was commissioned an ensign in the Independent Grays, a military organization, and afterward commanded the Eagle Artillery and the Montgomery Guards. He was later Colonel of the First Maryland Regiment of Artillery.

Mrs. Kane was Miss Anna Griffith, daughter of Capt. John Griffith, of Dorchester County, Maryland.

Kane was (as a matter of course, since he had several political offices) much identified with the politics of the City of Baltimore. He was originally an adherent of the Old Whig Party and an active and enthusiastic supporter of Henry Clay as shown by the fact that he was Grand Marshal of the parade of the Whig Young Men's National Convention held at Baltimore May 1, 1844, which ratified the nomination of Mr. Clay for the Presidency of the United States. The future Mayor of Baltimore was then but twenty-four years old. In 1847, during the famine in Ireland, he was very active in relief work. At this period he was president of the Hibernian Society. With several others Mr. Kane purchased the old Exchange (site of the present Custom-house) and sold the property to the United States Government, which, upon remodeling the buildings, used them for years as the Custom-house and Post-office. He was active in the Old Volunteer Fire Department and president of the Old Independent Fire Company. Historians credit Colonel Kane with suggesting a paid steam fire department.

In 1849 he was appointed Collector of the Port of Baltimore.

In the 1850s, Baltimore was a city mired in political corruption and mob violence. As a result, the Maryland legislature embarked upon a reform movement, which included finding a strong new Marshall of Police. Kane filled the bill, becoming Marshall of Police in 1860. According to historian J. Thomas Scharf, "It is impossible to overrate the change that the organization of an efficient police force wrought in the condition of the city." Mayor George Brown later wrote that the entire police force "had been raised to a high degree of discipline and efficiency under the command of Marshal Kane."