The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-10-19
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GOVERNOR WATKINS NOW.
The Speaker Takes the Oath
at Nine O'Clock Last
Evening.
CAUSE or VOORHEES, DELAY
Held Back His Resignation
Until He Gould Give a
Union Man an Office.
Especial to tThe Jersey City News."l

come to him who waits, and SO aIter
waiting until nine O'Clock last evening
David O. Watkins went back to Wood
bury duly authorized to sign his name:
David o: watkins. Speaker Of the House
Of Assembly, Acting Governor 1t was
a long, weary wait, and IL Senator Voor-
bees ears did not burn it vas not the
fault of Mr.. Watkins. To III II mildly
the Speaker was rolled. and although he
did not say much his looks plainly indi-
Gated that he thought heaps He did not
like the way in which he was kept kick
ing his heels Just outside the promised
land, while Mr.. Voorhees, was skiting
through the country trying to make votes
for himself. The friends Of Mr.. Yoor-
hees few to his defence and said that the
waiting was all Mr.. Watkins fault Not
only had the Acting Governor telegraphed
his resignation to the Secretary of State
hut had advised him over the telephone
that he would be perfectly authorized to
swear in Mr.. Watkins, and he was just
as good a lawyer as the Speaker. Mr..
Watkins would not yield. He said as a
lawyer he would advise against anyone
being sworn into any Office IN a telegram
which anyone might send and he fatty
refused to take the oath until Mr.. Veor-
bees, resignation, signed by himself. was
on. file in the Secretary of States office.
1t was about three o'clock, as mentioned
in these dispatches yesterday, when those
waiting to see the ceremony became con-
WINGED that Mr.. Watkins was a man of
his word and would do nothing until the
written resignation came. Most of them
went HON n the others settled down
for the long wait.
Assistant Secretary of State Hickey
went up to the Chancery Court and con-
suited with Chancellor McGill, who agreed
20 wait until half-past four O'Clock and
deliver the oath to the Speaker. The cor
ridors assumed a very gloomy air. The
Speaker himself went over to the Comp
rollers Office and tried to kill time. Four
o'clock arrived. but no resignation came.
Along toward five o'clock. the Chancellor
took his leave and shortly after that hour
Speaker Watkins went to his hotel.
Mr.. Hickey went in person for the mail
that reaches the post office at six o'clock,
but no resignation came. He went asain
al. half-past seven o'clock, and met with
the same success as before.
Speaker Watkins and Secretary Stokes
had preceded Mr.. Hickey to the State
House and upon learning that the docu-
nj mt was not in the seven o'clock mail,
Watkins became very restless. Senator
stokes remembered that Governor Voor-
hes was to go back to Elizabeth last
evening. and he at once called Voorhees,
or the phone. Imagine the surprise of
the Cumberland Senator when the Acting
Governor announced that he had not sent
the resignation from Somerville. but in
stead had t~elephoned to Sam" Gordon
to come for ii shortly after three o'clock
Sam had left the State House without
letting anyone into his secret.
Voorhees, told stokes that the messen-
ger was on his way back with the resig-
nation, and at five minutes to nine O'clock
Sam walke into the Secretary of
reIuctantly-given resignation. He also
brought with him a commission by which
Governor Voorhees, had appointed VIII
liam b. Tucker of Elizabeth to be deputy
factory inspector of the district which in
eludes Union county. Some of the Of
ficials present who were trying to ac-
count for Voorhees, actions wondered if
it would be possible that the Acting Cow
ernor had kept his successor fidgetting
about the State House an entire day be-
cause of his desire to name some friend
a deputy factory inspector.
The resignation was a simple enough
document, being addressed to the Secre-
tary of State, and ~reading:-
II hereby resign my commission as a
member Of the State Senate from the
..~4 ~
FOSTER NJ. VOORHEES,"
There had been a change made in the
date of the resignation. which shows that
Voorhees, had it made out on Monday,
but for some reason failed to file it. The
Resignation has dried into a jet black,
showing that it had been written for.
some time. The ss7' was changed into an
49, and this was in a fresh blush ink.
1t took less than five minutes after the
resignation had arrived, to make Speaker
watkins the Acting Governor. Senator
Stokes of Cumberland county admins
tered the oath. the constitution providing
that any member of the Senate can Off
ciate on such an occasion. The oath
was as follows
Il. David Q. Watkins, do sincerely pro-
fess and swear, that 1 do and will bear
true faith and allegiance to the govern
ment established in this State under the
authority of the people, SO help me God;
81. David @. Watkins, Speaker of the
House., upon whom has deyolyed the pow
ers. duties and emoluments Of the office of
Governor OF the State OF New Jersey, do
solemnly promise and swear that VIII
diligently. faithfully and to the best Of
my knowledge administer the government
Of said State in conformity with the pow
ers d~eIegated to me; la. ana mat 1 viii 70
mote the peace and prosperity and main