The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-04-13
ROW OVER WILSON
IN HUDSON COUNTY
Governors Opponents Try to
Take Back Committees
Endorsement.
HOLDrP PREVENTS ACTION
Chairman Hennessy Tackled In
Street and Roll Book
Taken From Him.
HOLDrP PREVENTS ACTIO

An attempt Of the anti Wilson members
Of the Hudson county Democratic county
committee to undo the work Of the COM
mittee in indorsing the candidacy OF Gov.
Woodrow Wilson for the Presidency two
weeks ago was thwarted in Jersey City
last night by the work OF thr e holdup
men who tackled Tax Commissioner
James Iiennessv. chairman Of the county Y
committee. in the street near the club
house OF the Democratic Club of Hudson
county in Mercer street and stole from
him the roll book cont aiming the names Of
all the members. without the roll IL il
impossible TO take a vote and the meet in Z
broke up.
Two weeks ago. with one third ~ the
total membership of the commit tee pre-
sent Gov. Wilson was Endorsed by a
vote Of o. to ~ after the executive CONF
mittee had approved ~ the intorsing <
resolution by n vote of II To y. Al an
informal meeting Of the executive COM
mittee last night it wa, decided by a
count Of II tn 10 to submit To the count v
committee a resolution setting forth that
II il for the best interests of the Demo-
cratic party that the delegates to he
SiCS'Vu w 'uC tOuki COhNcul-
tions shall be unpledged TO any candidate g
for the nomination Of President. There
were 200 or more persons on hand at the
county committee meeting. and the fun
| started as soon as Commissioner Frank
Hague Of the Jersey City Street and Water
Board introduced the resolution.
Hague was formerly the chief lieutenant
OF Mayor n otto Wittpenn. but he IL now
against the Mayor. He il leading the
anti Wilson forces in Hudson county and
Wittpenn is one of the Governors chief
supporters As soon IA II ague arose
Patrick }. Donnelly. president of the
Jersey City Fire Board. shouted. "You
deserted Wittpenn'"
Il do not owe Wittpenn any more than
he owes me-" retorted Hague Other
Wittpenn men pitched into Hague and
the an,iWilson allies came back at the
Wittpennites Bedlam ensued and Hague
insisted on having a ising vote on the
resolution. following the precedent es-
tablished when the original Wilson in
dorsernent resolution was adopted. Hen
messy declared il would be out of order 10
have rising vote and said he would GO
TO his Office in the ci " hall and get the
committees roll book
This announcement produced another
outbreak. Hennessy let the hall and
Hague made "A motion that Hague he
elected chairman of the meeting. Hague
declared the motion carried and mounting
the rostrum reconvened the meeting
Rival faction sts broke loose again and
George +. Wittpenn. president of the
Jersey City police board. announced that
l.... ...r,.v
dlss,iaded from doing SO by anti wilson
men. who said the presence Of the police
might convey the impression that hood
lurnism was present Hague finally ad-
jo,lrned the session as Chairman Hennessy
| came in.
Hennessy's face was flushed and he was
greatly excited He declared the meet
ing open again and said;
Gentlemen. as ! was on my way back
here from the City Hall | was held up bv
three men. They stole the roll book out
| of my hand and ran away"
There was another hubhub and Hen
| messy declared the meeting adjourned for
keeps.
Hennessy subsequently explained that
AS he was nearing Engine Fire House 3
three men came down the street abreast
The tallest Of the three made a vicious
lunge at him with his fist and az he ducketi
! one Of the others grabbed the roll book
, out of his hand All three skipped around
The corner into Grove street and got away
Hennessy intimated that the holdup men
had been instigated by Hague and his
frien DIS TO get the book.
I'VE had the votes and could have beaten
| them" he said. -rhe reason I would not
permit rising vote was because there
were many ready TO vote who were not
| members Of the committee"
That holdup business was raw stun. "
| said Hague. They saw that we had them
| beaten to n frazzle and some of Wittpenn' \
friends stole the book so there could he no
showdown"
Edward Rice Democratic leader In West
| Hudson. said at the meeting: Wilson
IL being rspudiated all over the country.
He ignored us in Hudson county in the
matter OF appointment and should lie
repudiated here"
Former Sheriff James Kelly during the
turmoil Of the redhot session said III
you keep this up you will disrupt the
party"
Tive fellows are breaking it up now,
son and Wittpenn; yes, and the chairman
too