The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-01-21
0'DONNELL
STEPS IN
City Clerk Ready and Will
ing to Be Clerk to the
Excise Board.
MEMBERS PARALIzED
All the Campaign Fireworks
Destroyed, and Some
thing Awful in
Reserve.

i organized Yesterday dlteiilooii II LIZ
| Mayors Office in the City Hall. The
meeting was a short one, but it had its
sensational feature when City Clerk
O'Donnell walked in, ready and willing to-
serve in the capacity of clerk TO the Board
as provided by the act under which the
+ Commission was appointed.
/ All the members were present. They
are Edward Fry e. B. Bacon, John j..
| OgBrien and Edward E. A. Downing.
As soon as the meeting was called to
order Commissioner John O'Brien was
elected temporary chairman He imme-
dfately asked for nominations for presi-
dent Commissioner Fry nominated Com-
missioner E. B. Bacon and he was elect
ed unanimously.
There was nothing more done with the
exception Of ordering some printing and
then the Board adjourned TO meet tonight
when it will dispose of several applica-
tions for licenses and transfers Of licenses.
| There was no effort to appoint inspectors
| or an assistant clerk
| The Commissioners anticipated that
there would be a big fight as soon as they.
started to organize, and they Thought
that the first step would be the refusal
of City Clerk O'Donnel to serve as clerk.
and their astonishment when he walked
in and took his position as clerk was q
fine study. 1t seemed that they were al
| wound up to take certain attitude, be-
lieving the City Clerk would give them m
opportunity to make an outcry against
| the efforts of the Democratic party to
hamper the Commission in its duties.
They were, therefore, completely taken
| aback at the unexpected change.
I City Clerk O'Donnell was served with a
notice yesterday morning that the Board
| of Excise Commissioners would meet in
( the afternoon and that he would be re-
quired by law to serve as Clerk to the
Board. The letter came from Mayor Fa-
gan's office and was signed by Private
I Secretary O'Connor. Promptly at the.
| appointed hour Mr. O'Donnell was on
hand. At the meeting We're also Mayor.
| Fagan, who stayed only short time;
Corporation Counsel Record and Corpor-
alton Attorney Carey. These last named
gentlemen were present for the purpose
of advising the Commission as TO the
proper method Of procedure: but there
was nothing done that called for advice.
| After the election of Mr. Bacon, which
was unanimous, the Commission ordered
some printing. Then City Clerk O'Don-
nell said
Gentlemen, I wish to say a word be-
! fore you adjourn. There has been great
I deal of speculation in this city as to my
attitude when this Board organizes, It
seems to have been the general impress
sion that would refuse to act as the
clerk of this Commission. That was a
! wrong impression. As the City Clerk Of
| Jersey City, I consider that it is my
duty to act as Clerk of any Board that
asks me to do SO. It is not for me to
determine the legal standing of this
Board That is a matter for the courts
to settle. / do not question the legality
of the Excise Commission and viii serve
as long as it is necessary
There was no reply TO this from any of
the nemorbers. Corporation Counsel Rec
ord and Mr.. Carey were not prepared for
this turn of affairs, and they did not re-
cover in time to give the Commissioners
any points for a speech.
When the meeting adjourned, it adj
| journed to meet tonight. Matters affect
ing the liquor business will be turned over
| TO the Commission by City Clerk O'Don-
nell There are several applications for
licenses and several for transfers of Ii
censes. The Board will dispose of these
Just as the Board OF Aldermen would
have done.
The result of the meeting was to throw
| the Republicans into a state of indeei-
4 sion. They expected a fight at once and
now they don't know what to think or TO
do
When the question of the rules to gov
ern the Board came up, it was decided
| that they should adopt the same rules
that guided the Board Of Aldermen in
excise matters. One of these rules is that
| no application shall be acted on at the
| meeting at which it is received Another
is that all protests shall be made in v Ait-
ing. City Clerk O ODonnell was instructed
to prepare new forms of licenses. The
new form viii be the same as the old
with the exception that licenses will be
granted by the Mayor and Excise Com
mission of Jersey City instead of by the
Mayor and Board of Aldermen.
/ The mere fact that the Commission or
dered printing again brings up the ques-
tion of how they are to pay their bills.
There is no appropriation for this body
and there does not seem to be any prom
ise of one for almost year, when one
1 can be placed in the next tax budget.
The only way in which money could be
j raised now would be by transfer, and this
would probably need legislation to au-
| thorize it.
| President Bacon is vice president of the
Hudson Laundry Company and a member
/ of the Union League Club, and, it is said
owes his appointment to this latter fact
He has never held office before.
| There is a great deal OF speculation as
Tn fhe rneaf1inef of (rfv CLERK C,,I)rf1ffe