James M. O'Brien
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James M. O'Brien | |
|---|---|
| Mayor of Revere, Massachusetts | |
| In office 1935–1939 | |
| Preceded by | Andrew A. Casassa |
| Succeeded by | Laurence J. Gillis |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1890 |
| Died | March 4, 1958 (aged 68) |
| Party | Democratic |
| Occupation | Streetcar conductor |
James M. O'Brien (1890–1958) was an American politician who served as mayor of Revere, Massachusetts.
O'Brien was born in 1890 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He served in the armed forces during World War I. Prior to entering politics he worked as a conductor the Bay State Street Railway and served as president and business agent of the railway's Carmen's Union.[1][2]
Politics
In 1920, O'Brien was named Revere's assistant commissioner of public works. He was fired by mayor John E. Walsh in November 1925.[3] The following month the Revere city council granted him a permit to open a gas station.[4]
In 1929, O'Brien was elected city treasurer. During his tenure, O'Brien, a Democrat, clashed with the city's Republican mayor Andrew A. Casassa. In 1934, O'Brien challenged Casassa in the city's first nonpartisan election. He topped the ticket in the four-way primary election which also included former state senator Conde Brodbine and state representative Thomas F. Carroll. Crime was the main issue during the campaign, specifically the unsolved murders of two well-known Revere men. In the general election, O'Brien defeated Casassa 7,564 votes to 5,552.[1]
O'Brien was inaugurated on January 7, 1935. Immediately after taking office, O'Brien removed the entire board of health, fired most of the welfare department, and dismissed nine police officers who had recently been hired by the outgoing mayor. He also requested investigators from the state welfare department to look into everyone who was receiving public aid.[5]
On July 15, 1935, O'Brien was beaten unconscious in his living room by former New England middleweight boxing champion Bob Jasse. Jasse had been fired from his job as a special officer at Suffolk Downs earlier that day and blamed O'Brien. O'Brien suffered a concussion, facial contusions, and a broken nose.[6] Jasse claimed that O'Brien had struck him first after O'Brien accused him of spreading rumors that he had stole $12,000 while serving as city treasurer to use on his mayoral campaign.[7] Jasse was found not guilty of assault and battery with intent to murder, but was convicted on the lesser charge of assault and battery. He was sentenced to 18 months in the Deer Island House of Correction.[8]