The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-05-05
TRYING MOUNCEY
Republican Committees Pro-
ceedings Most Absurd
and Farcical.
WITNESSES ARE NOT SWORN
Testimony Shows That the
Accused Worked For the
Ticket All Day.

ing the farcical proceedings against Com
mitteeman John Mouncey, who halls from
the Seventh precinct of the Ninth ward,
and against whom Louis Stubenvoll, the
self-appointed leader of the Ninth ward,
preferred four charges. Ctubenvoll adj
mitted when testifying that these charges
of non-support of Graham last fall; nom
support of Perine this spring; conduct un-
becoming a gentleman and disloyalty to
the party, were made on hearsay evil
dence. In fact the majority of the evil
dence was simply hearsay and the case
of the committee was ridiculously weak.
It is generally understood though that
the committee was carefully picked by
the bosses and that Mouncey would have
no chance, no matter how the evidence
stood. Judging from the smiles on the
faces of Stubenvoll, Mitchell and few
others, after whispered consultation,
with members of the Appeals Commit
tee, at the conclusion of the trial, Noun
cey is marked man.
About twelve members of the commit
tee were on hand at Lincoln Hall when
the farce began. The private room was
used. Only witnesses were admitted,
"Jack' Graham clamored at the door for
admission, yelling that he wanted 70 tes-
tify. His shouts became so boisterous
that the transom had to be closed to
shut out the sounds. Graham continued
his loud talking all through the trial.
Chairman Frank Higgins presided, Frank
Angel of the Lafayette Battery was coun-
sci for the committee and Jacob Strauss
of Hoboken was secretary. Thomas Nc
Evan appeared for Mouncey. The latter
had eight witnesses present, and the
prosecution about six. Mr. McEwan OBJ
jected to the manner in which the charges
had been served and the hustling of
Mouncey before the committee about two
weeks ago before any charges had been
served. Tn objections were oyerruled.
Stubenvoll was the first witness called
by Mr.. Angel. The witnesses were not
sworn. Stubenvoll admitted that nearly
all his testimony was hearsay He said
that he had heard rumors in the fall elec-
ton when Graham was beaten by Free
holder Frank Scott, to the effect that
Mouncey's precinct was not being run
properly or in the interests of the Repub-
lcan party. He said he went down to
see if there was any truth in the rumers-
Ha. found no pastors in the booths at
half-past eight on Election Day. In the
afternoon he went down again with Z.
w. Hobson. Hobson went into booth IN
the polling place and was ordered out by
Mouncey.
At this point Stubenvoll drifted into per-
sonal matters and spoke of the Landrine
faction, saying that the precinct in which
Mouncey worked was Landrine's strong
hold Mr. McEwan told the witness to
eonfine himself to the charges, saying
that if such matters were gone into every
man in the room would be implicated IN
some petty fractional controversy.
Stubenvoll turned TO Mr.. Mouncey and
called him a bulldozer and scrapper.
Mr.. Mouncey thanked Mr.. Stubenvoll for
the compliment. Mr.. McEwan asked the
witness if he had any knowledge of the
truth of the charges preferred by him
against Mouncey. He said he had not,
and what he said was mostly hearsay,
adding that as leader of the ward he
was called upon to make the charges. He
said Mouncey was losing his grip on the
precinct and then went on to call Mr.
Landrine names when Mr.. McEwan in
terrupted him. Stubenvoll said in con-
clusion that the committee had decided
to take the precinct work from Mouncey
and put Robert T. Burns and Charles An
derson. two of their own men, in charge,
hut finally Stubenvoll said he changed his
mind and paid the two men to Watch
Mouncey.
Richard Benjamin, the next witness,
said that Stubenvoll had made a suck
err of him by bringing him to TESTIFY
against his friend jack Charles An
derson was the third witness In answer
10 fhe questions asked by Mr. Angel, he
said Mouncey worked with paster TICK
cts all day. in the interest of the Demo-
cratic candidate. One man refused TO
accept ticket, he said.
McEwan wanted an adjournment to
nroduce this man, whose name was with
held. which request was refused. Ander-
sen continued saying that after the polls
closed Mouncey handed him bundle OF
paster tickets, saying he had no more
uses for them.
Michael f. Burns, the president OF tho
Tndependent Republican Club, which help
cd TO heat Graham, was the next wit
nass He said he saw Mouncey give out
Andersen tickets. c. L. D. Hobson, VINO
followed Burns, said he was sent py
Stubenvoll to find OUT now .hins55 s5 fbae
Mouncey put him out of the bootn. hon-
ert Brown, William Podmore, Gustav
Rhein and w w f9nrad RAG Weee w annear. ea Nc,
Ewan Nv n asked for a dismissal of the case
This was refused. ,r
n Al. Overland, III testifying lot Noun,
cev. said he was judge at the fail and
srTing elections. He said he saw AZ oun-
rev nut pastors in the booths, looking az
ter voters. going out to get voters anu
IN fact. doing everything that couio pe
fsxpected of commit teeman
Frederick Klein, the second witness a..
Mouncey. said he was SO dlsgusteu WI ea
The leaders of the ward. that ne naa
made up his mind not to vote Aloudcey, e1lIa',,,
he said gave him straight HepupiicAn
ticket and he voted it.
John K Macomber testified that ne Was
going to work, never thinking OF Votlns,
when Mouncey persuaded him TO vote the
regular Republican ticket
John Fitzgerald said he saw Mouneey
working for the Republican ticket an
day Charles Mason, president OF fne
Bergen Republican Club, said he visiteu
the precinct on election day with Mitchell
and Stubenvoll. He said he found Noun
cey working for the party;
John p Landrine was then called ana
xaid he had known Mouncey about seven
years He had been interested in politics
for ,r.- 4 number of years and he knew that
4fa nrecinct in which Mouncey worked
Wa Wa ss nearly always Democratic previous
II Mounceys taking hold Of It. and that
+ was only through the efforts OF Mr..
M;ouncey that the precinct ever went Re
nl1blicall Isandrine further saiq ne knew
that the discomfort against the leaders
had a great deal to do with pearng me
81 s i,lica IS ticket He went on to say
that the insults heaped upon the people