The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-12-29
CAF JORDON'S AMBITION
He Wants to Succeed the Late
Baron DeKalb in the
State House.

There are about one hundred gentlemen,
mostly Afro-Amerlcan citizens, in this city
who WELD the elusive razor and manipulate
the festive hair clipper, who are ambitious to
serve this little commonwealth as keeper of
the Ladies' Gallery" of the State House at
Trenton. There is a prevailing opinion
among the tonsorial artists of the State that
this position is the sole and exclusive property
of one of their craft. The reason for this is
that for many years the Democrats always
gave this place to Baron DeKalb, colored
barber of Newark and one of the most
unique characters about the State House.
The Baron, as he was commonly called, was
not only an excellent barber, but he had con-
siderable influence among the Newark voters
of his own color and brought many good
voters to the Democratic ticket.
KILLED TWO BIRDS.
Two birds were killed with one stone in
appointing the Baron to the position: A
good party worker was rewarded and an ex
cellect barber was constantly on hand to
keep the faces and hair of the members in
good condition. In the discharge of his
duties as an officer of the General Assembly
of the State of New Jersey, the Baron was
most picturesque He was short and slender
with fierce, stifiy waxed moustache and
imperial, and bald head and countenance
which, as the clerk on heating and ventil-
ating began to get in his fine work, shone
like highly polished ebony. The Baron con-
sdered himself an authority on correct
dress, and every Monday night when the gal
leries would be crowded to overfowing he
would appear in s'full evening dress" The
inky blackness of his countenance and
garb was intensified by the wide expanse
of immaculate shirt front and white waist
coat which he always wore. Occasionally
two white objects would be seen fitting
about in the air like large moth millers, and
people at a distance wondered what they
were until told that they were the Baron's
dexterous hands incased in white kid gloves.
De Kalb never admitted that correct dress
extended to trousers, and always finished off
his toilet with pair of gaudy light colored
neither garments of a pattern loud enough to
be heard in Bergen.
Sessions came and sessions went, but the
Baron appeared to be going on forever He
was on seemingly familiar terms with all the
great men of the State. His male offsprings,
two of the worst little imps of darkness that
ever had barber for a father, were named
Leon Albeit De Kalb and James Smith,
Junior, De Kalb and Judge Albeit was god
father to his narnesake.
THE BARON'S HEAD SMELLS.
AS time went on the Baron was striken
with severe attack of enlarged head and he
simply became unbearable. A session came
and another man was appointed keeper of
the ladies' gallery. The Baron was turned
down in his efforts to secure the position of
messenger to the Newark Board of Alder
men and he was preparing to go over to the
Republicans when he was taken i'll and died
suddenly.
Among the more prominent aspirants for
the Baron's old position is Captain Jordon,
the Monticello avenue barber. There is no
doubt of the Captains dexterity with the
sheers or razor. He was for many years
shaver in chief to- the Jersey City Athletic
Club and Governor Werts submits his chin
to his soothing manipulation regularly.
As to the Captains Republicanisn, there
are many men in the present dominant party
who can vouch for that He has always
been good citizen and raised and com
manded the first colored military organiza-
tion in the State. The older citizens of
Jersey City remember with pride the Wilson
Guards, which put in the shade the famous
Skidmore Guards of New York and reflected
such great glory upon this town. Captain
Jordon was their commander, and to his
efforts was due much of its efficiency. Vote
for Capt. Jordon, hooray