John Jay Scannell (1841 – March 5, 1918) was a Tammany Hall politician who was the leader of the Eleventh Assembly District.

[1] While he was imprisoned in The Tombs, he met Richard Croker, the future head of Tammany Hall and they developed a friendship.

[4] In 1893, he was appointed a 6-year term as the New York City Fire Commissioner by Mayor Thomas F. Gilroy replacing S. Howland Robbins, the salary was $5,000 per year (approximately $170,000 today in current dollars).

[1] He was appointed the 1st Fire Commissioner of the Consolidated City of New York by Tammany Hall Mayor Robert A.

In 1901 he was indicted for being involved in a kickback scheme for the purchasing of supplies by the New York City Fire Department.