Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-03-21
Bows State Chairman from
His Presence When lnsin-
uation Is Made.
OVER THE GERAN BILL
Nugent Accused the Cover
nor OF Using Patronage
to Win Votes.
BOTH MAKE STATEMENTS
Agree as to What Took
Place When huuent Was
Summoned.
OVER THE GERAN BILL
BOTH MAKE STATEMENTS
Especial Correspondence. J

t2RCStGj W. 4 E6h
Trenton. March 21:--The most
sensational incident in which Gov
ernor Wilson has participated since
he became New Jerseys chief execu-
tive, occurred late yesterday after
noon In an Interview between HIM
self and James r. Nugent, chairman
of the Democratic State Committee.
The governor says that he WAS in
suited In his own Office by Nugent,
and he peremptorily ordered the lat
ter from the room, declining abso-
lutaly to have any further conversa-
tion with him.
The affair undoubtedly marks an
irTeparable break between the gov
ernor aud the chairman of the state
committee. The complete story OF
the interview between the governor
and Mr.. Nugent which lasted three
minutes, is told in statements made
to the newspaper men by' each of
them. They both agree substan.
TALLY In detailing the words that
passed between them. The only diff
ference In the two statements is con-
tained In the contradictory view as
to who was really insulted. The
governor insists that Mr.. Nugent
wantoniy affronted him, and Nugent
declares that the insult was offered
by the governor.
Wilson's Statement.
Governor Wilson said:
I sent for Mr. Nugent, and when
be came to my Office told him / had
sent for him as chairman of the
state committee to learn his attitude
on the Geran BILL
He said he would line up ma
jorsty against the Eeran bin, II poe
sibie.
Il told him he was following i
suicidal course. He replied that ths
whole OF the regular Democratic or
ganization In the state was opposed
to the gill. told him he was mis-
taken about It., and he pooh-hooed
the idea and reiterated his statement
and said ! would see all right.
Then said to him: You under.
stand, OF course, that the bill will
pass He replied: / understand
that you have certain votes pledged
to ths bill. I do not know by what
means you got them
What do you meant asked
him. He replied: The talk is that
YOU got them by patronage. ! got
to my feet at once, and said to him
Good afternoon, Mr., Nugent.' way-
ing him to the door of the Office.
As he walked out he continued to
talk. and to everything he said, re-
sponded: Good afternoon, Mr. Nu-
gent He did manage to say that
he knew I was no gentleman. to
which | calmly replied, Good after
noon, Mr.. Nugent.
Nugent's Statement.
Mr., Nugent at 5:45 r. M. dictated
the following statement:
II left the State House a few
minutes ago, and heard that Tu-
multy was looking for me with q
message that the governor wanted
to see me. In fact, earlier In the day
/ heard that he wanted to see me
and / said I would go IL he sent for
me officially. Returning to the State
House, / went to his office, consid-
ering that the fact that Mr.. Tumulty
was looking for me, was sufficient
notice.
II went into the governors Office
and we sat down. The governor
said I thought before passing the
Geran bill, would send for you as
state chairman, to find whether you
were going to oppose IT.
II said I was not opposing Il In my
capacity as state chairman, but az
a member of the Democratic state
committee, who are almost unani-
nous against it. and also as mem
ber of the Essex County Democratic
Committee, who, at meeting the
other evening, with an attendance OF
over two hundred members, placed
themselves on record as being
unanimously opposed to IT, Al that
meeting the COMMITTEES recommend
ed. told him. the McGowan bill. No.
433, IS q substitute. also told him
that every one / had met who was
connected with Democratic politics.
especially IN the northern part OF the
state, was opposed to the Geran
bill.
That isn't SO, he said, but for
the sake of the argument let us con-
slider it SO.
II said ] was not In the habit OF
making assertions that were not
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