The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-09-13
STUFFED The BOX
Bergen Republicans Had
More Ballots Than Mem
bers, the President
Said.
WILD DISORDER FOLLOWED
Disgraceful Wrangle Ended
In Adjournment and No
Business.
WILD DISORDER FOLLOWED

For two hours last night seventy menu
bers of the Bergen Republican Club
wrangled. made all sorts of charges
against each other. and finally, to the
utter disgust of some of the members, the
meeting terminated amid the widest kind
of disorder. The rumpus all came about
over the election of a secretary. to fill
the vacancy caused by the death of for
mer Secretary Blake. Really there was
nothing in it for either faction, but sides
were taken as soon as the contest be-
came animated and the time which fol-
lowed the casting of the first ballot should
go down as being without precedent in
the history of that organization.
When the smoke had cleared away
sufficiently to enable the members to dis
Germ the forms of their colleagues, it was
found that practically nothing but big
disturbance had resulted from the efforts
of each faction to elect its choice.
David Gibson was the choice of the
ringsters and F. A. Sofield was pitted
against him by the anti-ring element,
headed by Mr. John P. Landrine. 1t was
evident from the very start that fun was
anticipated. Dozens of new faces were
seen that seldom if ever took part in the
petty ward controversies.
After the nominations were passed on,
Mr. Harrison moved that all voters pass
around the table in order to do away with
any chance of an outsider slipping in.
This was agreed TO. A judge and two
fellers were selected by President Charles
Mason. In the mean time the friends of
both candidates were hustling about CIV
ing out slips with the names of their re-
spective candidates thereon. The vote
was taken and 1t resulted in a tie. A second
ballet was ordered and then came more
hustling about for the purpose of getting
out more voters. Scouts were sent to the
homes of many members and some of
these arrived in time to vote On this bal
lot President Charles Mason announced
that there were more votes cast than
there were members present, and that
the judges had refused to make known
the result of the votes until the club had
decided what action should be taken The
machine people knew that they had won,
but they could not get at the result.
Mr.. Harrison moved that committee
of two he appointed to ascertain the re-
suit of this second ballot
MIR. Landrine moved that the members
proceed to vote according to the consti-
ton which drops members who are in
arrears.
A howl ensued. Charges of high hand
ed proceedings were thrown promiscu-
ously.
Mr.. Prior, the Judge of the election. then
said that the election was irregular be-
cause there were more ballots than
voters.
Mr.. Graham said that Mr. Harrison's
motion should be put before the house.
This was done in a jiffy. The vote
seemed about even, but President Mason
declared the motion lost. He Immediate
ly ordered a third election in conformity
with the constitution. More trouble fol-
lowed.
Mr. Harrison appealed from the decision
of the chair on the vote on his motion.
President Mason then asked Vice Presi-
dent Harrison to take the chair Mr..
Harrison obeyed. He promptly asked for
vote on the presidents decision. Again
the roll was called and a tie resulted.
President Mason took his seat and de-
clared that his decision was upheld and
that Mr. Harrison's motion to appoint a
committee to ascertain the result of the
second ballot was lost. Again he ordered
a third ballot. Another terrible howl
followed.
IF you vote according to the consti-
tuition" said Mr.. Frank Higgins, you
will bar out great many members from
voting, as some are IN arrears. To bar
out these men after having allowed them
to vote twice is more than high-handed.
I move we adjourn and stop this game"
Second the motion came from a
dozen Others 1t was put and carried
amid a terrific storm of protests from
the anti-ringsters. and shouts Of the
machine men. Charges OF all sorts were
made against the anti-ring people for
doing the ring.
There was no doubt that the ring can
didate, David Gibson, had won on the
second ballot and that the opposing fac
tion had taken the action described above
in order to beat him. Disgust was de-
picted on the countenances of a great
many of the members at the termination
of the petty controversy. The election
of a secretary will now go over until the
next meeting.
In the beginning of the meeting Chair
man Gardner reported that the special
outing committee had collected $50 for
tickets and that the expenses exceeded
that sum by sl2.
President Mason said in his report that
there would probably be precinct pri-
maries, and that the matter would be
discussed at the next meeting of the
Ward Association.