The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-05-25
BILLY KERN'S KICK.
TWAS NOT SUCH IN NAWFULLYTER-
RIBLE KICK AS WAS EXPECTED.


kin Presided-The Net Result Was a
Committee on Constitution and Call
II for New Gathering.
The meeting which President William
Kern, of the Board of Public Works,
called, at Meyers Hotel last evening for
the purpose of knocking the Democratic
County Committee to smithereens, was
much like the old time circns. 1t was a
great deal bigger show in the circulars
and announcements than it was in fact.
At the hour set for the performance to
commence there was scarcely corporals
guard present, and the chances of any
meeting being held at all were exceed
in. evidently much out of humor at some
thing. Seeing number of newspaper
men present he came over to where they
sat and exclaimed:-"Hello you reporters
are up here too, are youp
The men replied that they evidently
were there and Mr.. Kern continued
''Well, Pm son of gun if you get in
here"
Then he held short and moist confer
ence with Mr.. Barkeep and left the place
with determined air. He had not been
gone long when men began to drop into
the hotel in small groups until about a
hundred citizens were congregated in
and about the hotel
'Oh, it don't take Bill Kern long to
raise a crowd" remarked disgruntled
spectator as he ran his eye over the as
sembly, Mr.. Kern was in much better
humor when he visited the hotel second
,lns, - ~.
men that he had no objection to their
presence, but as this meeting was only for
the purpose of effecting a temporary
organization it would be strictly private.
The reporters quietly Withdrew from the
meeting room by the main entrance, and,
passing around to side door, came back
and sat down like ordinary kickers.
1t was about nine O'Clock when Mr..
Kern called the meeting to order There
were then present Judge William b.
Rankin, ex-Assemblyman Patrick
Sheeran, Alderman Michael +. O'Rourke,
Commissioners Nugent and O'Donnell, of
the Police Board (old), Assemblyman
don and Harry Powell, Assessor Freder-
ick Wright, of the Sixth District; Fred
Kissam and about ninety others.
JUDGE RANKIN TAKES THE CHAIR.
Mr. Kern nominated Judge Rankin fer
chairman and he was elected with enthu-
siasm. The Judge took the chair amid
much applause and made little speech
in his usual forcible and vigorous style
He said that the meeting was called for
the purpose of founding Democratic
General Committee within the Demo
cratic party, so that the people could
nominate their candidates at the prim-
aries and not have them forced upon
them by two or three men who are not
qualified either by brains, education.
ability or responsibility to dictate to the
party He denounced most vigorously
General Committee, characterised them
as undemocratic and declared that a
change was necessary in order to perpetu-
ate genuine democratic institutions.
The Judges speech was received with
much applause and then Mr.. Sheran was
chosen vice president He merely thanked
the meeting for the honor and taking OFF
his overcoat sat down beside the chair
man. Alderman O'Rourke was elected
secretary, John ]. O'Hara recording sec
retary, and eX-Alderman Powell, sergeant
alarms, almost as quick as it takes to tell
it, and the meeting was declared ready for
business.
Mr.. Kern offered resolution that
committee be appointed to draw up con-
stitution and bylaws. The motion pre-
vailed, but Judge Rankin expressed con
siderable delicacy about appointing the
committee upon his own responsibility,
and recess of fifteen minutes was taken
to enable him to confer with the district
leaders.
THE COMMITTEE ON CONSTITUTION.
When the meeting reassembled the
Judge announced these gentlemen as the
committee:-First district, E. j. McCaf-
frey; Second district, John Walsh; Third
district, Michael Reardon: Fourth dis
trict, Jerome Bartian: Fifth district,
James Foley Sixth district, Frederick w.
Wright; Seventh district, Dennis Gala
district, Lawrence Pagan; Tenth district
r. NJ. Brockway.
A motion to adjourn to next Friday eve
submitted to the meeting when Mr. Kern
suggested that it would be a good idea to
ascertain whether the hall could be had
that evening
His suggestion was acted upon and a
committee of two ascertained from Mr..
Barkeep that the hall would be at their
disposal ON the evening designated at the
usual rates. The motion to meet next
Friday then prevailed, as did one calling
upon those present to hand to the secre-
tary their names and addresses, together
with those of any democrats whom they
might know to be in sympathy with the
movement, so that they can be notified of
the next meeting
Secretary O'Rourke says that about
three hundred names were handed in
under this resolution.
TONY TURNED AT LAST.