The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-12-24

TRENTON, Dec. 24.-Six Assembly
Frank B. Jess, of Camden County, In
the caucus of the Republican majority
of next years House here yesterday
and thereby defeated Prof John D.
Prince. Of Passaic County, for that
honor. The Essex men had been ex-
pected to stand by Prince as a result
of their action taken at a caucus at the
home of Henry Young. jr, their dele
CATION leader, last Friday night.
For weeks the impression had pre-
vailed that the fight when the forty
Republican members caucused would
be on the leadership. Martin was OPP
posed by the so-called corporation men
and by South Jersey. In the eleventh
hour-perhaps because it became APP
parent that he had the notes.-the oppo-
sition to Eat EN- Up Bill" disap-
peared, and he had the distinction of
being selected absolutely without OPP
position as chairman of the ucu and
majority leader on the floor of the in
coming House.
\ Then the hand of "Davy' Baird,
"Dory'' Strong and the others who had
been frequently in conference with the
Essex Assemblymen and the Essex reg
ular leaders was shown and their can
didate, Jess, was made Speaker by a
vote of 25 to Is. Martin, Hines, Col
gate, Morgan and Braun. of Essex,
standing by Prince. Without h other
six Essex men, Jess would have had
but 10 votes to the necessary Fl for
Princes election.
Jess's boom was created yesterday.
Two weeks age Jess was not a candi-
date for any office. Last Tuesday he
came out for the leadership, and yes
terday he came to town with his
South Jersey following an avowed
candidate for the Speakership. His
hackers had claimed the defeat Of
Martin as certain. They were informed
that Governor-elect John Franklin
Fort was behind Martin, and that in
defeating him they would be striking
at the States chief executive. Then
came the announcement of the Speak
ership candidacy.
Gibbs called the caucus to order. There
was no attempt at secrecy and all who
desired to enter were permitted to do so.
The balloting was by roll cab and every
man went on record in the open for his
candidates.
Martin was nominated by Young as soon
as the call for candidates for leade was
given by Gibbs as temporary chairman,
and former Clerk OF the House Jim" Par
ker. of Passaic. had been named as tenn
porary clerk az the caucus. Martins Sc
lection was unanimous.
In assuming the leadership the Essex
man thanked his colleagues for the honor
done him in a brief extemporaneous speech.
An effort to adjourn the caucus was voted
down and then the fight for the big plum
began.
Burpo. of Passaic, nominated Prince,
and Gibbs, who had taken a seat with the
general body, offered the name of jess.
Nominations were quickly closed and Cap
tain Parker began the roll call. 1t looked
as If Essex would stand for Prince when
Braun name. the first in the delegation.
was called, and he. a Reguler, voted for
the Passaic County candidate.
Burpo, of Passaic. was the next to vote
for Prince. The others who voted for him
were: Colgate. Essex; Devine and Fake,
of Bergen; Hines. of Essex; less, of Cam
den; Keffer. of Atlantic; Martin, of Essex;
McCoid. Of P~asssic; r. b. Potter. of Cum
berland: Radcliffe and Whitehead, Of Pas
sale. and Thompson, of Mercer, a total Of
fifteen.
Young. Lowrey, Miller. Roberts. Clark
and smith. If Essex, voted for jess. IS did
Trick and Lewis. of Burlington; Gibbs and
Joseph Potter. of Camden; Stille, Of Cape
May: Buck of Cumberland; Cattell. 0f
Gloucester; Housed proxy and Guennelly,
of Mercer; Voorhees,, of Middlesex; RnS-
ton and Lyon. Of Morris; Crosby. of Ocean;
Prince, of Passaics Ridgeway, of Salem;
s;malley. OF Somerset. and Mcxon, Pierce
and KRISTEN, OF Union-25.
There were a half dozen motions to
make the Jess election unanimous, one of
Them being offered by Prince. By aecla-
nation. h Camden man was given the
office amid applause.
After an exciting recess Martin was
aersuaded to return to the chair and re-
6me business. He called for nominations