The morning journal-courier. (New Haven, Conn.) 1907-1913, 1908-04-08
Great Surprise Sprung at
Meeting of Town Com
mittee Held Last
Night
BUSINESS HIS EXCUSE
Treatment by Leaders of Ad.
ministration Thought to be
Underlying Cause of
His Action.

Like a thunderbolt in a clear sky
came last night the announcement by
Chairman Of the Democratic Town
Committee David T.. Fitzgerald, to the
democratic town committee of his
resignation as head of that body. No
intimation that Chairman Fitzgerald
had any intention of giving up his
stewardship had been heard In the
democratic camp even among the
members of the committee itself and
when the chairman called a meeting
of the committee to be held last night
In his office it was supposed that all
that was to come up was the fixing
of the date for the primaries to nom
mate delegates to the city convention
and the setting Of the places for hold
ing these primaries.
All the members of the committee
We're present when Chairman Iritz-
gerald called the committee session
to order and when he sprang upon
them his resignation there were fif-
teen entirely dumbfounded committee
men for few minutes. Then began
long and hard fought fight to
change the chairmans determination,
all the members being solictous that
he retain the office, but Attorney Fitz-
gerald was firm. He insisted upon
the acceptance of his resignation and
reluctantly after over an hour of com
bat, the committee yielding to his in
flexible determination to resign the
reins.
Mr.. Fitzgerald stated that his res
ignatlon was based entirely upon the
fact that the press of his professional
work made the cutting out of his
political endeavors absolutely impara-
tive. lie has found the duties of the
position very arduous and while the
party Is now In a very united and
Z harmonious condition" the work en-
tailed by the position he considers re-
2 quires more time than he can devote
20 1t and maintain the legal business
Z which he has to attend to. No lack
s ( support on the committee or trou-
Il le with the party leaders Is limited
in the action of the chairman, he
ssting that business affairs makes
action necessary.
{ No successor to Chairman Fitzger-
-A was named by the committee last
Nght, although he insisted that the
signation take effect at once. An
Ter meeting will be held tomorrow
1T at which time the vacancy will
illed No clear line on the new
rman could be obtained last night
le contingency of having that
vacant has not been thought of.
sssor John Doughan, who was a
jminently mentioned candidate be-
re the meeting at which Fitzgerald
vas chosen is considered one of the
most likely candidates while other
names prominently mentioned for the
place are those of Jacob frohlich OF
the charities department and Assessor
John j. Hogan.
David f.. Fitzgerald was chosen
chairman of the democratic commit
tee shortly before the last mayoralty
campaign at time when the for
IuIlPS VI VIC uflllb'ld'lN ItlNS III lll'
city were at about the lowest ebb they
have ever been. There was much
dissension, the outlook appeared more
hopeless for the coming campaign
than ever and even the most cnthus-
iastic of the supporters of the new
chairman did not look for victory at
first. There was heavy legacy OF
debt from previous years and no
money in the treasury Then came
the we'll planned campaign in which
the new chairman enlisted the united
support of the party again ana sWep'
the democratic ticket into Office IN
the FIRST success in six years. FitH'
gerald leaves his office with the b'll'
from past years paid and with money
I'm the treasury which is said to be q
condition which has been offered to
no new chairman In q great many
campaigns
At the meeting last night the date
for the primaries at which the delc'
gates for the coming city convention
which will choose New IIavon's dele
gates to the state convention was SCI
for April 14.-T'he places at Whicf
the primaries will be held were not
decided upon, this matter being lef'
until the meeting tomorrow night
The city convention will be held few
days after the primaries and the state
convention has been set for April 2S
and will be held in this city.
After the announcement OF his res
ignation Chairman Fitzgerald made {
short address to the members OF tht
committee. thanking them for theil
support during the campaign anc
stating that while he had had some
combats with them and other mem
hers of the party in the campaign !
had all been done for the good of the
partv and he had no axes to grind
1t is understood that while the rea
sou given by Mr. Fitzgerald for hii
resignation is true in great part, there
underlies the action feeling on thu
mart of the clraIrlnW that he has no
been treated right ~ the members o
the party, especially by the members