As the Republican national committeeman from North Dakota, he directed a highly successful political machine, and was known as the "senator-maker."
He served time in prison for corruption, and became the first North Dakotan to receive a presidential pardon.
However, the "McKenzie machine" was widely accused of stealing votes, intimidating voters, and physically beating opponents.
The appeals court finally reversed the federal judge in Nome and ordered McKenzie to return the gold he had received.
McKenzie refused to comply with the order of the appeals court, and continued taking and keeping gold out of the mines.
[7] Rex Beach's 1906 novel The Spoilers fictionalized McKenzie's attempted theft of gold mines in Nome.
James A. Michener's novel Alaska bases a key fictional character of chapter 9 on McKenzie's Nome dealings .