The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-02-27
THE SENATE HEARING
Allan L. MeDermott Appears
For President Adrain-
The Testimony.
Special to the jersey City Meas.


was the main feature of yesterdays contin-
uation of the taking of dispositions by
Supreme Court Commissioner Dickinson in
| the ono ioarrdnto proceedings brought by
the Governor against Senators Rogers and
Adrain, for the purpose of determining
which of the two rival Senates is the legal
body The fact that Sammy Thompson,
secretary of the Adrain Senate, who is
popularity credited with having doctored the
Journal of that body, was to be cross
examined, drew a large crowd to the Court
of Chancery Chamber notwithstanding the
severe storm.
Senators VOORHEES,, Skirm, Smith, Hoff-
man and Stokes represented the Republican
Senate, while Messrs. Perkins and McMickle
maintained the dignity Of the Democratic
side of the controversy. Franklin Murphy,
John Kean, Jr., and Major Carl Lentz gave
the Republican cause all the support OF their
august presence, while the Democrats were
chcered and encouraged by J. Lazarus Narr
and throng of others who make their living
out of the State Mr.. Allan McDermott sat
at the counsel table beside Mr.. Adraln, and
the Senator from Middlesex announced that
Mr. McDermott appeared as his counsel.
Mr.. Gilbert Collins of Jersey City was
absent, but his place was filled by Thomas
N. McCarter of Newark.
o'clock, and it was two o'clock when Judge
Stevens announced that the counsel for the
ATTORNEY General rested. The counsel for
Senator Rogers were not then ready to pro-
ceed and the examination went over to this
morning.
THE TESTIMONY.
The first witness called was Mr.. Thompson.
Mr.. R. Wayne Parker conducted the cross
examination. As reported in The JERSEY
CITY NEWS of yesterday, Mr.. Thompson
told of the trouble he experienced in gaining
access to the Senate Chamber and the pro-
ceedings there taken by the nine Demo-
cratic Senators. When Mr.. Parker had
toned by Mr.. McDermott, who asked him
what persons were, by the rules OF the SEN
ate. admitted to the floor Of that body.
Thompson replied that only Senators, As
semblYmen, State officers and officers of the
Legislature were entitled to that privilege.
Judge Lanning interposed an objection to
this and said that the rules would speak for
themselves Mr.. Thompson was then asked
who called the Senate of 1893 to order, and
he said that Mr. Carpenter, the Sec
retary of the Senate of 1892 did so
and if his memory was correct he only
called the names of those Senators who held
over. So when he as secretary OF the Senate
of 1898 called the Senate to order this year
he called the names of the followers only.
Mr. Parker asked Mr.. Thompson his age and
where he lived. He said he was thirty eight
years old, and lived in Washington, N. j.,
where he had lived all his life.
There has been considerable talk about Mr..
Thompson's business, and when Mr.. Parker
impressively asked him what his oc-
cupation was an air of eager expectation
was visible in the neighborhood OF the Re
publicans which quickly gave way to one of
disappointment when Thompson said he was
commercial salesman. This completed Mr..
Thompson's examination and he was dis
missed.
MOTT TALKS TOO MUCH.
Wilbur A. Mott secretary of the Republi-
can Senate, was the next witness. The gen
eral opinion is that Mr.. Mott is not very
good witness. He talks too much. Instead
of simply answering the questions put to
him in the shortest manner possible, he
seemed to lose all track Of the homely old
saw that the least said is soonest mended,
and not only gives long answers to his
questions, but explains and amplifies in a
manner which must be highly satisfactory
to the Democrats, or they would not let him
go on as they do. Mr.. Motifs volubility has
compelled him to correct his evidence IN
MOI e than one particular, and the first thing
he did when he got on the stand yesterday
was to make correction In his testimony
on Saturday he said that the eleven Repub-
lican S enators entered the Senate Chamber
before three O'Clock, and he now said it was
fifteen minutes after three.
Mr.. McDermott went over the same
ground Senator Adrain took the witness on
Saturday in regard to the departure of the
eleven Republicans in body from the
Windsor Hotel and their march to the State
House Mr.. Mott produced a book labeled,
"Original Record of Joint Meetings of 1894"
Mr. McDermott asked if the book was a
correct record of what took place at the
joint meeting. Mr.. Mott replied that it
was.
ibid not Assemblyman Harrigan in the
joint meeting protest against the meeting on
the ground that it was being participated in
by persons who are not Senators?" asked Mr..
McDermott ''Where is there any record Of
that in this bookp
Mr.. Mott pointed out where the record
stated that Mr.. Harrigan offered a COM
munication which the Speaker declared out
of order.
Mr.. McDermot wanted to know if it was
not formal protest Mr.. Mott, by the adj
vice of council, refused to answer. He said
he would produce the paper and it would
speak for itself.
EXHIBITS INTRODUCED.
Mr. Lindabury then produced the oaths of
the Republican Senator's which had been
taken from the Secretary of States Office,
and after Mr. Mott had recognized them,
they were marked as exhibits Assembly
bill No. 95 was then produced, and after Mr..
Mott had identified the various stamps and
certificates of President Rogers thereon, it
was also made an exhibit.
In reply to question by Judge Stevens,
Mr.. Mott said that the oaths of President
Rogers and the Republican Senators were
taken at the time of the organization. Mr..
McDermott then went back with the witness
to the Journal of the Republican Senate
and took exception to number
of pages because they were type
written He wanted to know what formed
the basis of the dictation and Mr.. Mott said
that he kept rough minutes from which he
prepared his journal. Mr.. McDermott then
went over the events of the opening day of
the Senate and the doings and sayings of
Senators Stokes, Bradley and Skirm in ref
erence to Bradley's credentials Mr. Nc
Dermott was reciting the events and asking
if that was what took place when he got
into wrangle with Mr. Coult, who OBJ
iected to the questions as leading. Mr.. Nc
Dermott quickly changed the form of his
question and particularly requested Mr..
Mott to give the exact words which were
spoken. Mr.. Mott and Mr.. McDermott did
not agree as to what was said The lawyer
tried to get Mr.. Mott to admit that the Re
publicans recognized Adrain as President,
but he did not succeed.
ToDAY's PROCEEDINGS.
The taking of depositions was continued
this morning in the Senate Chamber. There
was dazzling array Of republican counsel.
Samuel Grey of Camden and Thomas Nc
Carter of Newark joined those who had con-
Quoted the examination yesterday. The
small chamber soon became SO crowded that
cleared, and directed that all those
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