The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-10-23

Court to- recover the amount, and lew
days after the commencement of theesuit
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 en-
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 lauda-
bic result Mr.. McDermott, addressing the
Board OF Finance and Taxation, of which
he was former member, said
AT the time this case came to my
hands your Board desired to employ ex-
ira counsel, the Corporation Counsel
(Leon Abbett) being precluded from APP
pearing on behalf of the city by reason
OF the fact that 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
action and have since conducted the case.
When resigned the office of Corporation
/ Attorney. in 1883, 1 retained the case in
my hands and have carried it on since
that date without compensation. I don't
intend to charge the city anything for
my services, as I feel fully repaid by the
victory on point whose virtue I have
maintained six years.
Mr.. McDermott was highly commended
for his excellent work in this case.
He was renominated for Clerk in Chan
cery' IN 1881, by Governor Albeit In 1892
Mr., McDermott was, because of dissatis-
faction with the existing local govern
| ment, defeated in canvass for the May
orally of Jersey City. In 1894 he was
nominated by Governor Werts as a mem
~ commission appointed TO re-
wise the State Constitution.
Mr. McDermott was Chairman of the
democratic state Committee from 1886 to
1880, ana so ably led the party that in
all those years the Democrats never lost
lhe state. lie waged such successful war
on the enemy that counties like Burling-
ton, Salem, Cape May and Others. sup-
posed 10 be hopelessly Republican, were
again and again carried by the Demo-
Gratis.
/ 1t was he who really managed the
successful campaign of Albeit for the
Governorship in 1885, the State Committee
being practically inactive This was only
the first OF his successes. The situation
seemed very black in 1885 when Governor
Green was nominated, but by playing off
the Prohibition vote against the Repubh-
can strength in several counties, and by
rallying the Democracy to put forth its
full strength, Mr.. McDermott carried the
day triumphantly. 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
plurality of several thousand, feat
/ never performed before. In the years
succeeding this, he won those victories in
South Jersey which gave the Democracy
such unbounded control in both Houses
OF the Legislature for several years. cul-
minating in 1892, when the great Cleve-
land-Werts sweep carried everything be-
fore it all over the State. Unhappily the
men whom he had elected disregarded his
counsel and leadership, and the saddest
hour of his life, that in which he with
drew Leon Abbett's name as 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 araa+ ,an
eases. and ALWAYS On the non,,,ar sida
He was the 1aadino .ornsa, 4 ~,
,,,a,