The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-09-12
A LEADER OF PUBLIC OPINION
Willing to Humiliate Himself
in Any Way if the Mayor
Will Not Sue Hin
for SlandeF.
Chapter Two in the History of the
Board of Trades Great "Mass
Meeting" of Twenty-fOur.

When ex-Assemblyman E. Tunis Nc
Laughlin picked up THE Jersey City
News last night and read the announce
ment that Mayor Wanser had retained
Messrs. Dickinson, Thompson & McMas-
ter to sue him for $5o.O0O damages for
elander he shook with fright.
He hurried down town to see the May
or. but after several hours hunt re-
turned home without seeing His Honor.
At eight O'Clock this morning he re-
newed the chase, beginning with the
Mayors private residence; thence he
went to Love & Wanser's real estate
Office and finally he located the Chief
Magistrate at the City Hall. He walked
into the back room and seeing the OBJ
5ect of his search seated at the table he
flung himself on his knees and with
tears rolling down his cheeks, said
.oh, Mr.. Mayor, you don't surely mean
to push this suit?n
.of course 1 do" was the quiet re-
ply.
MLAUGHLIN's REPENTANCE.
81 didn't mean anything, assure you,"
Mclaughlin walled in piteous tones.
why did you say it?' retorted the
Mayor.
81 meant by saying money that you
were actuated by motive of saving the
city money!
This flop over astonished the Mayor,
who, rising quickly and going over to his
desk. replied
Mr.. Mclaughlin 4 have nothing to say
about it. You must see my lawyer. Mr..
Thompson. It is out of my hands"
"oh. dear Mr.. Mayor. don't send me to
a stony-hearted lawyer. I'll do anything
you say. I'll put my name to anything
if you'll let up said Mclaughlin after
fresh burst of tears: but the Mayor
wouldn't say another word.
Now. Mayor Wanser, you know I've
always admired you and believe you are
doing everything for the city's good. You
must not think that because my son-in-
law is in the Hudson and Rockaway
scheme I am with him. No, sir; I am
out with him and here he broke
down altogether and sobbed like a child.
THE HARD-HEARgED MAYOR.
Mayor Wanser turned over his papers
and paid no attention to the heart-rend-
ing signs, sobs and protestations of the
wretched Mclaughlin and after few
minutes walked down town, leaving his
visitor to the mercy of the newspaper
men.
Drying his tears. Mclaughlin at first
refused to talk about the matter; but
by degrees frightened up and said that
it was all mistake.
"You admit you used the INJURIOUS
words?1 he was asked.
Eyes, I suppose So" he replied in
dismal tone, and then proceeded to
eulogize his "friend Farmer" Oh, what
a good man he was, so devoted to the
city's interests and one whom nobody
gould approach.
After an hour His Honor returned and
still Mclaughlin was sitting in the back
room, hoping that his grief would soften
the Mayors heart.
'soh, I'll do anything if you will,' he
said again, trying to renew the meet
ing; but the arrival of people to see
the Mayor on business choked off the
interview.
MOST PITIFUL APPEALS.
TTntil it was time for the Mayor to go
home to lunch the poor fellow sat eye
ing his Honor with a sorrowful look
enough to melt the sample paving blocks
on the table before him. When his
Honor started up town Mclaughlin fol-
lowed after him, hooked his arm in the
Mayors, and all the way to the Mayors
home poured in his ear a piteous ap-
peal for mercy. He had a copy of a
retractation in his pocketbook which he
repeatedly attempted to read, but to no
avail.
.'You must see my counsel" replied
the Mayor. escaping up the stoop of his
home. and with a heavy heart McLaugh-
lin headed for Lawyer Charles D.Thomp-
son to see what his plea for mercy
would result in.
Up to late hour Mclaughlin had not
been able to see Mr.. Thompson.
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