The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-01-10
THE TWO SENATES.
Detailed Account of the
Storming of the Senate
Chamber.
GOVERNOR WERTS' POSITION.
Organization Of the Assembly
Holt Chosen Speaker-Repub-
lican Senate Meeting
Last Night.
GOVERNOR WERTS' POSITION.
specfa. to the Jersey CITY Ne,rs.


JERSEY CITY NEWS last Friday. They kept
n the organization, and compelled them to
flock by themselves and organize another
Senate. Governor Werts promptly recog-
nized the Democratic Senate, and the House
recognized the eleven Republican Senators,
The democrats refused to sit in the "rump"
Senate as they called the republicans, and
the latter cannot be induced to cooperate
with the ''revolutionists, " as they designate
Senator Adrain and his nine associates. The
consequence of this is a legislative deadlock
which, until it is broken, will completely
block all business of the Legislature.
This chaotic state of affairs was brought
about amid one of the widest scenes ever en-
acted in the State House. Although no blood
was shed, several persons must have
been injured internally by being caught
in the lam in the corridors, and Senator
VOORHEES, and County Clerk Gummere of
Mercer were banged over the head with a
cane The crowds that began to assemble in
the corridors of the State House in the
morning steadily grew to such proportions
that they completely choked up the long
wide corridor leading from the main
entrance away back to the cross corridor
that terminates at the door of the Senate
Chamber. 1t was almost impossible to make
one's way through the crowd. Mike Nathan
guarded the door to the Senate Chamber
and completely lost his head. He became
so ratified that many men who had no bust
ness with the Senate were allowed in the
Chamber, while others, whose business took
them there, were denied admission.
N POLICE.
Just before three O'Clock, the hour fixed
for organization, a squad of sixteen tall
stalwart blue coats under the command of
Captain Cleary of the Trenton police,
marched into the State House and took up a
position in front of the Senate Chamber.
Captain Cleary said that they were out as
State police, by order of Governor Werts.
Major Carl Lentz who had a misunderstood
ing with one of the blue coats, asked him by
what authority he hustled citizens about in
the State House, and the officer said by or
der of Governor Werts. Major Lentz then
spread all canvass and swooped down upon
the Governor, Indignation, spouting from
every pore. He demanded of the Governor
if he had ordered any policeman to keep
citizens out of the Senate Chamber, and the
Governor most emphatically said that he
had not; the policemen were simply ordered
to the Capitol to preserve order.
THE EPUBLICANS
While these things were going on in the
State House, the Republican Senators were
at the Windsor preparing to advance upon
the Senate Chamber and demand their rights
as members of the upper branch of the New
Jersey Legislature.
They formed in a procession W by two,
and, headed by a mournful band, the
Maurice Rogers Association of Camden, the
Indians of Newark and the Republican Club
of Trenton, started for the State House amid
much wild cheering.
THE DEMOCRATIC SENATORS.
1t was just three minutes of three when
Sammy Thompson, Secretary OF the last
Senate, called the Democratic Senators in
the Chamber to order and proceeded to call
the roll.
That completed, Mr.. DAILY jumped to his
feet with a resolution appointing Bob Adrain
President pro tenn. Sammy put the motion
and it was adopted with wonderful unan-
unity. Handsome Bob, looking as spruce as
ever, although there were no women in the
gallery to admire his peculiar style of
beauty, was about to take the chair when
the strains of "Rally Round the Flag"
played by a band, were heard, though
almost drowned in the mighty cheer which
went up in the CORR dor. Bob paused
and remarked that he wished
that band would stop, but the
mournful musicians had no respect for
his wishes, and kept right along musicaiiy
invoking the boys to rally round the flag"
which was responded to with loud cheers and
yells. The BAND marched up to the entrance
to the Senate Chamber, and took up a posi-
ton in open order. Senator Rogers, with a
bright new volume of the constitution under
one arm and Senator Ketcham on the other,
marched up. Behind them hobbled Senator
elect Bradley, supported by Senator Skirm.
Tn other Republican Senators followed.
FORCING THEIR WAY IN,
AS these dignitaries approached, some of
the mob around the door communicated to
the Doorkeeper that the Senators had come,
and the official cautiously opened the door a
few inches. He soon regretted his rashness,
for a dozen feet and arms were thrust into
the opening. Mike Nathan n a dozen or
more doorkeepers inside the Chamber flung
themselves upon the door, and tried to force
it shut. A how of pain vent up from those
caught in the aperture, which was
answered by a roar of indignation from
crowds behind. The throng surged forward
and threatened to force the doors. They
I swept all before them and wedged so many
persons in the small space that it was diff
cult to breathe, and many were jammed so
close against the walls that they cried out
with pain. In vain the policemen attempted
to stop the wave of humanity which rolled
toward the Senate doors, sweeping all before
it. The rush forced Foster VOORHEES, up on
to the back of Barker Gummere, Jr., and,
while in that position, he waved his hands
for silence.
Clear a Republican Senator he shouted,
and the mob was quiet enough for his voice
to be heard. He assured them that the Re-
publican Senators would get into the Cham
Der and would have their constitutional
rights. At that moment the door was opeh-
ed wide enough to allow a thin man to
squeeze through, and the doorkef per said
that the Senators would be admitted.
SENATORS ADMITTED.
Senator Bradley was pushed forward as
the first to enter. As he approached to enter
the door, the crowd surged forward, giving
him an impetus which shot him through the
marrow entrance and half way across the
Chamber as though he had been shot out of
a catapult. Senators Skirm and Ketcham
then slipped in. and Mr.. Gummere was about
to follow when the doorkeeper recognized
him as no Senator, and attempted to shut the
door. The crowd sarged so about the door
Mr.. Gummere's back, and the two
were completely wedged in the narrow
opening. One of the doorkeepers had a
black thorn in his hand and began to belabor
the two men over the head and shoulders,
Mike Nathan and his small army of assistants
flung themselves against the door and at
tempted to squeeze the two men by their
mere weight.
This sight was too much for the Presby-
terian blood of the old C~ovenanters which
flows through Mr.. Ketcham's veins, and be
w1enehed the black thorn from the door
keepers hand with a wrench which threw
the mar half way across the room. Take
your hands off that door, y he cried, knocking
Mike Nathals assistants over the head and
knuckles. The. men fetreated under this
heroic treatment, and relieving somewhat
the pressure on the door Messrs. Voorhees, and
Gtimmere and several citizens. squeezed their
way into the Chamber.
While this was going on, q veritable pande-
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