The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-10-16
INSULT TO VOORHEES,
Members of a Republican
Club Walked On His
Portrait.
CAUSE OFTHE OUTBREAK
Hot Headed Talk About the.
Shrievalty That Had Its Effect
Last Night Other Members
of the Club DisavoW the Action
President Erwin Was Absent

The failure Of Gov Voorhees, TO APP
point Mr. John ]. Erwin sheriff, caused
an outburst of feeling last night in the
rooms Of the Young Mems Republican
Association of which Mr. Erwin is Presi-
dent
The clubrooms of the association are on
Gregory street, opposite Police Headquar-
ters, and are the scenes OF nightly gather
ings. al which the latest political gossip
is discussed Mr.. John J. Erwin, one Of
the recent aspirants for the shrievalty ap-
pointment. is president of the association,
and helped to organize It.
During the past two weeks several OF
the members have been very outspoken
In their advocacy of Mr.. Erwin's claims
and they have said things. Some of the
talk has been of rather incendfary
character, and it had its effect last night
on few of the individuals who frequent
the club rooms and who only required
the fiery talk Of the hot headed members
to spur them to action.
The opportunity presented itself when
one Of the men in the club rooms last
night called attention to the picture Of
Gov Voorhees, that hung on the wall In a
large collection Of prominent Republicans.
Gov. Voorhees, action in failing to ap-
point Mr. Erwin as Sheriff was denounced
and one of the men shouted
Turn Voorhees, face to the wall "
mo" another suggested. tear it
down"
Lets trampIe on It," third remarked.
The picture was soon on the floor and
it was demolished before otlher members
of the association, who realized the blum
der, could interfere.
There was much indignation on the part
Of the many respectable members of the
association as soon as the news of these
proceedings began to spread. They felt
heartily ashamed of the action, and they
lost no time in promptly disayowing the
conduct of the participants.
This morning the members had very lit
tie to say about the affair, and there was
a general belief that the few hot-head-
ed individuals, who had acted in a way
to bring discredit upon an association
which has done excellent work for the
Republican party in lower Jersey City, did
not represent the prevailing sentiment OF
the club.
President Erwin was not in the club
rooms when the incident occurred. and
ex-Fire Commissioner John Brennan. an
other active member, was also absent.
Both these gentlemen expressed surprise
when they heard the reports Of the pro-
ceedings. They expressed keen regret
over the news They said they could
hardly believe that such a thing could
have happened in the association rooms.
Those members who were found al
tbe club rooms today either belittled the
incident or denied that anything OF the
kind had occurred last night
There is a row of pictures which e1-
tends along the four walls Of the club
room. There was just one break In this
row today, and that was on the south
wall. where there is now vacant space
1t is there that the picture Of Governor
voorhees, used to hang
prominent member of the club ad-
mitted this afternoon that the portrait OF
Gov. VOORHEES, was hanging at ten O'Clock
last night. 1t was not there this morning
Inquiries a; the clubhouse TINS aitef-
noon brought out the statement that the
remnants of Gov. Voorhees, picture are
being kept in q closet and that there IS
TO be an inquiry into the aiIair as soon ds
the association meets.
.AThe Incident said MIR. William Eaton,
twas an outrage. but there is no use MD
ing the facts The association IS not IN
sympathy with the few individuals who
perpetrated the outrage, and the great
majority of the members deplore the
event. When I reached the club house
found the glass Of the picture smashed
to pieces. the frame demolished and the
picture itself torn to pieces" I do not
know who did this, because was not
around when the incident occurred.
The telltale evidence of the outrage Is
being kept under lock and key and the
association tonight will probably get rid
Of the wreckage as quickly as possible