The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-03-26
MDERMT SIlASHES FARRELL.
Hard Words in the House Over the Har-
rison-Kearney Consolidation.
[SpecidI to the Jersev Citg Meas.

l0R6CtNttt W t"C OOfotS OffO NCtS1
TRENTON, March rs, ~1889.-There was
no partisan legislation in the House to-
night because Schmelz was at home with
rheumatism, Reyes was away from home
making collections, and the original and
fortunately unique Frank McDermit
chose to act the part of Jack the Ripper.
The way he started to rip up the Harri-
son-Kearney Consolidation bill, and after
wards ripped up Assemblyman Farrell
when that fond parent of the bill rushed
to the rescue of his offspring, was u eau
ton.
Speaker Hudspeth found on his desk a
basket of red roses, which he presented to
the members for ~boutonnieres, and ban
anas, which Private Secretary Clark de-
voured, Mr.. Voorhees, smiled over a bas-
ket of white roses and apples. Farrell
was the admired of all, with a floral horse
shoe two feet high with the word 'sConsol-
idation" worked in black and white i'm
mortelles. McDermit had no flowers, ex-
| cept one little chrysanthemum on the lapel
Of his coat; but his face wore q fascinating
| smile, while his diamonds had received an
extra polish.
M. 4. Barrett and the other boomers
from Harrison and Kearney were here in
force, but Farrell decided not to call up
his measure tonight for want Of votes.
Toward ten O'Clock, when Hthe ouse was
pretty well thinned out, McDermit caused
him to become pallid by suddenly moving
to take up the bill. If this had been done.
the consolidation scheme would probably
have been killed for The year. McDermit
had expected Farrells support in Insight
to redistric6 Essex county according to his
| own ideas, and this was his method Of
taking revenge for not receiving it.
Farrell was so overcome that he re-
NAMED absolutely motioniess in his chair
| for q moment. Then his friends whispered
to him to demand q call OF the House.
This secured delay. which, saved the bill.
When a motion to suspend the Gull was
made the fur began to fly. With flashing
| ewes Feeney went for McDermit. He said
McDermit's action was the most unfair
trick he had ever met with in politics, and
accused him of trying to dragon Farrell
into supporting him in the redistricting
fight. McDerInit smiled and rose to a
| point of order.
Farrell referred to McDermit as a rene
oade Democrat, and appealed for fair
| play. The smiling McDernlit interrupted
him at minute intervals with points of
order, and Speaker Hudspeth's gavel kept
M an almost uninterrupted banging.
| Klotz also spoke for fair play for the bill.
McDermit's retort earned. for him the
admiration Of the House, even II they did
not sympathize with him. 1t was not so
much his words, although they were sting
| ing enough, as his smiling manne and the
l .Gf lAlEllt CAJOt AAASHt - AAo
victim and in seeing hin writhe. Il have
never been guilty of unfair play he said.
II have never made a political pledge
| which / nave not kept. am a Democrat.
But for a man who deliberately pledges
his word of honor and then betrays it,
Frank McDermit has no place or category
as a polite ian, a Democrat or a gentle
man,"
Farrells voice trembled with anger as
he rose to a question of privilege and
asked the name of McDermit's betrayer.
of course it was not a question of privi-
Iege and McDermit tried to twist the de-
pland into a confession. Then he slashed
his victim some more. An Assemblyman's
constituents were not responsible for their
representative; they could give votes, but
not brains. This and other pleasant re-
marks he uttered. Farrell retorted that
McDermit ran several hundred behind his
ticket and that his election cost the Demo
cratic Committee $4,000. Then time was
called, the bill postponed till tomorrow,
and business proceeded.
McDermit viii probably vote for the bill
when the time comes, but he will take it
out by acting Jack the Ripper.