The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-11-04


amount was due to one James Elmen-
dorf for the new Bergen Road. From
that date until 1879 Mr.. Elmendorf had
an easy road to travel. In 1877 Mr.. Weart
reported in favor of the complainant, but
the city refused to pay the award. A
suit was then begun in the Supreme
Court to recover the amount, and a few
days after the commencement Of the suit
Mr.. McDermott was appointed Corpora
ton Attorney.
At that time Leon Albeit was Corpora
ton Counsel, but, having been private
counsel for one Of the parties, he was
unable to appear in the case. The Board
of Finance and Taxation desired to em-
ploy special counsel to assist Mr.. McDer-
mott, but the latter refused and fought
the case single-handed through the Court
of Errors and Appeals to a successful
issue.
When he had accomplished this 1auda-
BILE result Mr.. McDermott, addressing the
Board Of Finance and Taxation, of which
he was a former member. said
AT the time this case came to my
hands your Board desired to employ ex-
ira counsel, the Corporation Counsel
Geon AbbetD being precluded from APP
pearing on behalf Of the city by reason
of the fact thai he had been counsel for
one of the parties in the case Conf
dent that my objection to the constitu-
~tionality of the act was well taken, ]
dissuaded the Board from its proposed &C
ton n have since conducted the case.
When I resigned the office Of Corporation
Attorney. in 1859. I retained the case in
my hands and IVA carried it on since
that date without compensation. I don't
intend to charge the city anything for
my services, as 1 feel fully repaid by the
victory on a point whose virtue l nave
maintained six years.
Mr.. McDerrnott was highly commended
for his excellent work in this case.
He was renorninated for Clerk in Chan
Gerry. IN 1891, BY Governor Albeit. In 1892
MI. McDermott was, because of dissatis-
faction with the existing local govern
ment, defeated in a canvass Tor the May
orally of Jersey City. In 1894 he was
nominated by Governor Werts as a mem
Der of the Commission appointed to re-
wise the State Constitution.
Mr.. McDermott was Chairman Of the
Democratic State Committee from 1886 to
1855, and so ably led the party that ii
all those years the Democrats never lost
the State. He waged sue successful war
on the enemy that counties like Burling-
tor. Salem. Cape May and Others, sup
posed to be lopelessly Republican. were
again and again carried by the Demo-
Gratis.
It was he who really managed the
successful campaign of Albeit for the
G-overnorship IN 1883, the State Committee
being practically inactive. This was only
the first Of his successes. The situation
seemed very black in 1856, when Governor
Green was nominated, but by playing off
the Prohibition vote against the Republic
can strength in several counties, and by
railying the Democracy to put forth its
full strength, Mr.. McDermott carried the
day t~riumphantly. In 1889, he reached the
zenith of his success. when he brought
Leon Albeit, who was running for his
second term, to the Passaic River with
a plurality of several thousand, a feat
never performed before, In the years sue
ceeding this, he won those victories in
South Jersey which gave the Democracy
such ~unboundd control in both Houses
of the Legislature for several years, Gull
minating in 1892, when the great Caeve-
land-Werts sweep carried everything be-
fore it all over the State. Unhappily the
men whom he had elected d~isregarded his
counsel and leadership, and the saddest
hour of his life, that in which he with
drew Leon Abbett's name as a candidate
for United States Senator, was the anti
climax to one Of his most notable achieve /
ments-
In recent times, Mr.. McDermott has
been connected with many great law
cases, and always on the popular side.
He was the leading counsel in the pro-
ceedings by which the so-caIled "Wanse
Term Extender'' was declared unconstitu-
tsonaI, and the Infamous scheme Of office
grabbing OF Carl Lentz Of Newark and
Gel. sam Dickinson Of this city was thus |
defeated. He was also counsel on the
winning side In the famous certiorari pro-
ceedings against the Jersey City Water
Company contract, awarded by the late
Republican administration.
IN March. 1886. Mr.. MeDermott's term
as Clerk in chancery expired, il he de
voted himself exclusively to the practice
OF his profession IN this city as a mem
Der Of the firm Of McDermott q Fisk.
Last May Mayor Hoos appointed him
Corporation COUNSEL OF Jersey City an
yl4.ce which he still holds, b the gem
sral satisfaction Of the taxpayora.