The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-03-03
STAND FROM UNDER.
That Was the Cry With All
the Assemb1ymen
Yesterday.
KICKING IN CAUCUS.
The Justice of the Peace Bill
Makes Trouble-Legislation
Materially Advanced.
KICKING IN CAUCUS.
Special to the Jersey City Ne,us.

AhLNlONs lOoS.-4 NO 0CuO-
Gratis held joint caucus Tuesday after
noon for the purpose of considering sew
eral measures which have aroused show
of opposition within the party. 1t was
finally decided to pass these measures as
soon as possible. Among them were Sem
ate No. 60. the bill compelling constables
to take their prisoners before the nearest
Justice of the Peace; Senate No. 200,
which reapportions the Assembly dis
tricts of Burlington county SO as to in
crease the Democratic majority in the
First district; Senate No. It's, which en-
powers the Mayor of Paterson to appoint
a Board of Education for that city, con-
sisting of one Commissioner from each
ward; House No. 223. which reapportions
Cumberland county, and House No. 387,
intended to redistrict Camden. Passaic
and Mercer counties, so as to assure
Democratic majorities in the Boards of
FreeholderS.
All these bills passed during the session
which followed except No. 60. This
passed the Senate on Tuesday. and yes
terday afternoon Thomas Flynn, the
Passaic member, moved its passage in the
House. No sooner had the Speaker put
the question than many of the members
suddenly discovered that they had busi-
ness outside the Assembly chamber.
There was some confusion while the
vote was being taken, and when the
Speaker announced that the bill had
passed by vote of 33 to II, Mr.. F. d.
smith, Democrat of Morris, jumped to
his feet and questioned the accuracy Of
the tally. he declared that II he had
voted for the measure he had done so
under misapprehension.
A = q
This statement caused members to pop
up all over the chamber declaring that
they too had voted for the measure under
misapprehension, while others declared
that they had not been recorded properly.
A stampede was made to the Speakers
desk, and such a clamor and buzz was
made by members who wanted their votes
changed that less cool head than Clerk
Noonan's would have been rattled.
Messrs. Mash and Flynn declared that
as the Speaker had declared the bill
passed it was passed, and that settled it,
Cole of Camden shouted in his high
treble that the Speaker had no right to
announce bill as having passed when il
was evident that it had not.
Mr.. Bergen hotly declared that he was
not to blame. If the Clerk had given
him wrong information he had no means
of knowing that 1t was inaccurate. Then
Clerk Noonan lifted up his voice and de-
clared that he was not to blame. He said
| that he recorded the members as they
voted, and some of them did not know
how they voted, as was apparent by their
own admissions.
The Speaker certified to the correctness
of that declaration by saying that he had
seen at least half dozen men whom he
distinctly heard vote aye, rush to the
Clerks desk and tell them to record them
mo" The Speaker declared that he must
insist that members vote from their seats.
/ baUa the ~ fha
| Speaker continued warmly, ''to 90 before
| the people as advocates of certain meas
1es, they certainly will not be allowed to
shift the responsibility upon the shoul-
ders of the Speaker and Clerk. l declare
my ruling that the bill had passed null
and m void. AS long as am Speaker Of
| this House no measure with taint Of
suspicion about it will be allowed to
pass"
sHIRKERs AND DODGERS.
| A roll call was then had to correct the
vote and greater confusion ensued.
ketcham and Gloreux of Newark were
| found to be recorded in the affirm ative,
when they declared that they had asked
| to have their votes changed before the re-
| suit had been announced,
| "How is Mr.. Warne recorded~ asked
| Mr.. Ford Smith.
in the Affirmative" replied Clerk
| Noonan.
why, he hasn't been here at all to-
day." quietly remarked Mr.. Smith a. he
took his seat.
Flynn wanted the sergeant-at-Arms
ordered to produce Mr.. Beekman, of
| Middlesex, who, Mr.. Flynn declared, was
| in the Chamber when the vote was first
| taken and should not be allowed to run
away then. The Sergeant alarms was
| sent out to look for the absentee. When
| Hardins name was called on the new roll
| call that gaudy gentleman wanted to be
| from UnLinU he ont of The
| room he said when the first vote was
| taken.
| "I object to that" shouted Cavanaugh.
| sHe was here when the bill came up and
| saw him leave the Chamber"
Mr.. Hardin did not deigu to notice Mr..
| Cavanaugh, nor did he deign to vote on
the bill
The new vote resulted in the defeat of
| the bill by vote Oh 30 to 1S. Flynn had
| his vote recorded in the negative so that
he could move to reconsider. Cole at
/ tempted to forestall Flynn by moving to
reconsider Flynn moved to lay that
| motion on the table, which was carried,
and there the whole matter rests.
Clerk Noonan maintains that as the
Speaker once declared the bill passed, it
has passed constitutionally.
| ANOTHER CAUCUS
| The caucus held bY the Democrats yes
| terday afternoon was one of great inn
| portance. Every means was taken to ln-
sure secrecy, and before adjourning each
| Assemblyman and Senator was exhorted
to maintain the greatest caution in talk
ing about the proceedings. A pledge not
to reveal the doings of the caucus Was
| solemnly made.
Senator Barrett presided and Assembly,
man Hardin was secretary. There were
more or less charges of party disloyalty
| flying about the chamber, and more than
one member was charged with attempt
| ing to disrupt the party.
! Senator Barker of Gloucester threw
| bombsheIl into the camp by submitting q
| draft of jury commission bill, which he
| wanted made party measure. The bill
| provided that IN counties where the regu-
! lar panel of grand Jurors did not prove
effective the Governor should appoint
commission to draw the grand and petit
Jurors. This was objected to by the Hud-
SON and Camden members who would
not listen to anything in that direction.
aud succeeded in adjourning the caucus
| before the matter could be further dis
| cussed This measure WAS intended to
| reach Camden county, where the Repub-
| lican Sheriff has the drawing of the
Jurors, and where miscarriages Of justice
| are deplorably frequent.
UNION AGAINST MERCER.
! Senator Marsh made one of the longest
| speeches of the caucus. He has bill be,
| fore the Legislature which provides that
| there shall be Freeholder for every
/ z LOT fnr,f In of