The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-03-05
WORSE THAN HUDSON
Assembly Committee Pro-
misses to Show Great
Frauds in Gloucester.
WILL PERKINS JOIN MARTINI
Exciting Times Predicted At Tren-
ton During the Coming
Week.
Specinl TO the .Lerseu am Ne,ns.

Special to the Jersey CITY Neus.
TRENTON, March 5, 1S94.-Of all the many
events that nave occurred in rapid sue
cession since the beginning of the deadlock
in the Legislature, none has attracted so
much attention or is of such Importance
and significance as the investigation into
the election methods of the Third district OF
Camden county. This is the dukedom of
the Duke of Gloucester. Here is located his
palatial residence, his race track and numer-
Gus gambling institutions. Thompson is
the big boss Of this end of Camden county,
| and yields considerable influence through
out the entire county. he carries the Third
district, as it were, in his vest pocket, aud
can roll up majorities just as they are re-
quired.
William c. Lippincott, who is contesting
his seat, is a man who has been associated
with the respectable element of the Demo-
cratic party, and was the candidate of the
Citizens League, Independent Democrats
and Republicans. He is q man of strong
influence among the better class of people in
the county, and was nominated because it
was thought that he could concentrate the
anti-race track vote. Thompson was elected
by a larger majority this year than ever
before, while the Republican candidate pol
led a much larger vote than was ever polled
before. The Prohibitionists did not do very
much, and in consequence the Democratic
vote was increased because OF padded registry
lists and repeating.
CAMDEN WORSE THAN HUDSON
The committee of the House of Assembly,
who have been for four weeks quietly inves-
tigating the events of election day in that
district, say that the disclosures will be even
worse than they were in Hudson County in
1889; that the registry list was padded in the
worst way, and that bribery was a common
occurrence in every precinct; that men
were voted from stables, sheds, barns and
even vacant lots, and that Thompson him
self was directly connected with all the cor
rupt practices, and that they have enough
evidence to send him to the State Prison.
A member of this House committee in a
conversation on Saturday said that the COM
mittee would lay bare enough facts so that
the authorities of Camden county could move
against the Duke and secure his Indictment,
and that with a Republican Sheriff in charge
of the jury list there would be no trouble in
securing his conviction. The Duke himself
is very much worried over this aspect of the
contest, for he realizes that the pull that he
has had in Camden county for the past fif-
teen years is about gone; hat all the men he
put into office, to stand between his ofenses
and the law, have been retired because of
the force of public opinion. The Prosecutor
of the Pleas, Wilson Jenkins. who has been
charged with being friendly to the interest
Of William j.. Thompson, is soon to be put
on the shelf. His term as Prosecutor ex-
pires and the Democrats, in the interest of
their party. are going to bring out a new
and stronger man.
OVER Two TO TESTIFY.
Captain John Graham, who has been
| made the Sergeant-at Arms to this COM
mittee, has already gone to work with a
view of securing all the evidence possible:
He will probably subpoena between 200 and
800 witnesses to testify to the Dukes crooked
practices. He has already served notice on
the Clerk of Camden county that he will
need the ballot boxes. They will be brought
to the State House on Tuesday, when the
counting will begin. The taking of evidence
will not be made until the ballots are ex-
aminsd and the registry list copied by the
committee, who will sit in the State House.
The evidence will be taken at Gloucester.
The Duke has not said who will look after
his interests.
The argument on the rule to show cause
for leave to file a bill of information in the
quo Uurranto proceedings, directed by the
Governor against Senators Rogers and
Adrain, will begin today before the SUI
preme Court in banc. The argument will
take about three days, and the general i'm
preston prevails, not only among the Re
publicans, but among the studious demo-
CraES. UldU Uu0 WuOI0 IGSd1 GOAUCoD ~ hCu
go any further than the argument on this
rule; that the whole thing will be thrown
out of the courts for want of jurisdiction;
that the court will hold to the constitutional
right of the State to judge Of the qualih-
cation and election of its own members: that
the Senators elected had the right to ad-
minister the oath to each other, and it is
stated that a CLAUSE of the election laws has
been found which declares emphatically that
a certificate of election entities an Assembly
man and Senator to his seat and to partici-
pate in the preliminary organization.
The counsel for President Rogers at the
outset of the case announced that they had
reserved the right to raise the question of
jurisdiction, and one of their number is busy
preparing argument on this phase of the
case.
THE TR-EASURERsHIP FIGHT.
On Wednesday next George B. Swain, of
Essex county, the Treasurer-elect, will max
a demand for the office of State Treasurer.
George r. Gray, the present incumbent,
under advice from his bondsmen, will refuse
to give it up. Swain will then make move
for it. What will be the character of that
movement is not known. The statutes enable
MIR. Swain to progress much better than the
State Comptroller. He need but deposit his
bond with the Secretary of State, which
he has already lone. He need but a
his oath before a Justice OF the Supreme
Court and file it with the Secretary Of State.
The Secretary or state must tnen take IheSe
facts to the Governor and request a com
mission. This commission will be refused,
because certain member of the Senate and
House have protested against its being issued.
They protested in the joint meeting, also at
the time that both houses approved his bond.
| Copies of this protest have been filed with
the Governor, so that he will not issue a
commission on the ground that the joint
meeting that elected him was not composed
of the House and Senate; that is, the Senate
recognized by the Governor.
DEMOCRATS TO JOIN ~PUBLICAN
The past week has been one of unusual
excitement at Trenton. 1t began with the
flop over of Senator Lemuel G. Miller, of
Cape May. He, after much generalization,
announced that he would no longer act with
his colleagues. the ten minority Senators.
Miller did expect company when he made
this change of heart. He had the assurance
from Senator Mitchell B. Perkins that he
would go with him, but Perkins for good
reasons did not announce in his intentions,
although he has not changed his sentiments.
He is ready to act with the Republicans
at any time, but has good reasons for wait
ing. Senator Martin is sick at his home in
Frenchtown. He too, is to join the Re
publicans when they need him. 1t is also
stated on good authority hat Senator Drake
Of Morris and Senator McMickle of Sussex
will come OYER in good time, SO that the