The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-01-22
DUFFY GETS IT.
He Secures Presidency Of
Seventh Ward Club
After a Hot Fight.
WRANGLE FOR ELIGIBILITY
Financial Support Decided to
Be Unnecessary in a
Candidate.

The election of officers of the Seventh
Ward Democratic Club last night was
very hotly contested. The meeting lasted
from ten clock until about two and was
a constant wrangle and dispute For
about an hour before the meeting was
called to order Sewer Inspector James
Mckee and the political lights OF tDe
ward were closeted upstairs in the club
house endeavoring to agree upon a can
didate who would suit everybody. The
regular candidate nominated by the
nominating committee was Joseph &. Duff
and the opposition were going to place
Joseph Blaese, the former president, III
the field against him. The caucus held
upstairs was for the purpose of getting
both of the candidates to withdraw so
tnat a man could be nominated who
would suit everyone Mr.. Baese agreed
to withdraw, but Mr.. Duff said that as
he had been nominated by the regular
committee he would see the matter
through and run for the office.
When it was found that no agreement
could be reached in caucus, the club meet
ing was called to order by president JOS
eph Blaese and nominations for officers
were asked The nominations, as made
by the committee, were read and then
the trouble began.
The head of the ticket Joseph c. Duffff,
was declared by M. l. Pagan, county
committeeman. to be ineligible according
to the constitution, ne having allowed his
dues to remain unpaid for some time
past. For this reason, Mr.. Fagan claim
ed. he was not member in good stand
ing The question was debated at great
length by both sides. and the chair was
finally appealed to- In the meantime JOS
eph Blaese had been nominated for presi-
dent by M. 1. Fagan, and ne had resigned
the chair to Commissioner Edward Barr,
vice president of the organization. When
appealed to for a decision Chairman Barr
upheld Mr. Fagan and decided that Mr..
Dun was not eligible for the presidency.
This caused an outburst from the adher-
ents Of Mr. Duff and another lengthy
ctoss-iire of questions and answers from
boa sides.
Mr. Pagan tried to speak and Patrick
II. Mimna repeatedly interrupted him.
Eaea interruptions was louder and more
excited than the preceding. The sergeant
al-argns was called upon to quiet Mimna.
The sergeant was unsuccessful, so Pa
trolrnan Nick Clementson was called in
Ciementson told Mimna to keep quiet or
he would be put out Mimna quieted
down for awhile, but after Clementson
left the room he broke forth at frequent
intervals.
After the excitement of the debate had
somewhat suhsided an appeal from the
decision of the chair was made and Presi-
dent Blaese resumed his seat and put
the question. The decision of the chair
was overruled and Mr.. Duff was upheld
as being eligible in every way to run
for the office.
The question of nominations made from
the floor being legal was next raised.
Henry w. Jaehne took the floor and ar
gued that they were not provided for by
the constitution, and that the constitu-
ton said that the nominations made by
the regularly appointed committee
should be posted in a conspicuous place
in the clubhouse for at least ten days be-
fore the election and that the OPPOSE
tion should have gotten together and
named their officers when the other
names were posted so as to have been
constitutional, but as this had not been
done there could be no other nominee for
the Office outside of Mr. Duff.
Mr.. NJ. t. Pagan next was given the
privilege of the floor. He said that he vas
on The committee which framed the con-
stitution of the club, that this question
was brought up at the time and that it
was understood at that time that nomi-
nations from the floor would stand valid.
1t was then decided to proceed to the
election of officers. President Blaese in
structed the secretary to read the roll
of all members in good financial standing
and then BedIam broke loose. 1t was close
on one O'Clock. A large number who
had been waiting to vote had no chance
OF hearing their names called of the
financial standing was to be made re-
quisite.
Mr. Jaehne jumped to his feet and
made spirited plea for the poor man
who was good Democrat but unable to
pay his dues of a quarter q month. Mr..
Jaehne had the house with him from the
start, but President Blaese ruled that ac-
cording to the constitution only members
in good financial standing were allowed
TO vote. In his speech Mr.. Jaehne re-
ferred to papped list of members. TINS
brought Mr.. George b. Riley, the f1nan-
cial secretary, to his feet, in an instant.
He tried to make himself heard, but
cries Of Don't down the poor man." ''Do
the thing, joe (meaning Blaese), and
various other calls made it impossible for
him to be heard for about five minutes.
When he did get the floor he demanded
an apology for the reference made by
Mr.. Jaehne Mr. Jaehne said that if Mr..
Riley had taken it as an aspersion on his
Character Mr. Jaehne would certainly
apologize. but that it had not been meant
as such.
Quie was again restored and the ruling
Of the chair in regard to those only IN
good financial standing being allowed to
vote was sustained. Tellers were ap-
pointed and when the vote had been cast
1t was found that there were only thirty
one members in good financial standing
When counted the vote stood II in favor
r. ~ - - -. :, H.