Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-05-14
Hague Runs Third, Despite Eff
forts of Mayors Force to
Defeat Him.
NOMINATION is LOST
BY WAL TER M'DERMOTT
Former Mayor Pagan Leads
Candidates for Jersey City
Commission Fight.
TFrom ! sten correrpondent.l

night that the wittpenn candidates
for commissioner in the fight for
commission form of government in
Jersey City were beaten, later returns
indicate that the FIVE men whom the
mayor secretly backed were among the
first ten candidates. The anti-Witt-
penn slate, led by Frank Hague.
landed three of its five candidates, the
semblyman Walter L. McDermott,
who, with Hague, was instrumental
in having the commission form adopt
ed, and John E. Edelstein.
Former Mayor Mark M. Pagan who
three times held that office, and the
only Republican among the first ten
men, ran highest of all the ninety
one candidates, with 12,142 votes. be-
ing 3,728 ahead of his nearest COM
petitor, City Collector A. Harry
Moore. one of sthe wittpenn five, who
polled S,414 votes.
Despite strong opposition by the
Wittpenn forces who concentrated
their fight against Frank Hague,
leader of the Second ward, and at
present a member of the Board of
Street and Water Commissioners, he
ran third. polling 1880 votes. The slo-
gan of the wittpennites was to beat
Hague at any cost, but in this they
were disappointed.
The five men who were backed by
Mayor Wittpenn and who were among
the ten candidates from which the
five commissioners will be selected
at special election next month were
City Collector A. Harry Moore, who
ran second to former Mayor Pagan,
with S,414 votes; City Clerk John I. .
Morris. with 5,770: City Treasurer
Carl A. Schumann. with 1926: former
Judge Joseph F. Farmer, with 1921,
and former Assemblyman Charles p.
oIwe1l. with 1851 votes Police COM
missioners John F. Sheehan and Will
lam Jones' wittpenn office holders
who ran, despite the mayors wishes
in the matter, were among the first
seventeen.
Votes Beat McDermott
The Wittpenn slate led by
Hague and which landed three of its
five candidates was composed of
Hague. James J. Ferris. former As
semblyman George F. Brensinger,
John e. Edelstein and Assemblyman
Walter L. McDermott. Mr. McDer-
mott ran eleventh. being shut out by
Brensinger by 1896 votes. while Edel-
stein followed McDermott with 3,574.
The other man among the first
ten. besides the wittpenn five, the
anti Wittpenn three and former
Mayor Pagan. was Thomas J. Stew
art. a business man. unaffiliated with
any political faction, who ran ninth,
just ahead of former AssembIyman
Brensinger. Stewart polled 4,522
votes.
Even though he succeeded in get
first ten, it is pointed out that Witt
penn and his forces are as good as
beaten already for the special cleo
ton in June. The fact that they
could only muster an average vote
of little over 5000 out of total of
10000 votes, is regarded as a very
poor showing for the Wittpenn ma
chine, with its organization built up
of officeholders.
The anti Wittpenn men point out
that the comparatively poor showing
of the Wittpenn machine spells de-
feat at the special election, as the
constituents of all the other csndi-
dates are strongly opposed to the
Wittpenn administration, and it is
believed the mayor will have a diff
ficult task nlarshaling his forces.
Election Surprise.
The defeat of Assemblyman Walter
L. McDermott was one of the big
gest surprises of the election. Mr.
McDermott, who has been the fore
most opponent of his Wittpenn col
leagues from Hudson in the Assem-
bly, this year, with Frank Hague. led
the fight for commission government
as a reputation of the Wittpenn ad-
and it was regarded as
almost a certainty that he would be
among the ten chosen. If the final
returns do not make UP his required
number of votes 1t is regarded as
very probable that he will be selected
as corporation counsel of Jersey City.
providing, of course. that the Witt
penn five are not elected, which does
not seem at all probable
There was one negro candidate
among the ninety-one in the race,
Travers A. Straggins, who received
1888 votes. The lowest number Of
votes received by any candidate was
by Robert A. Andry, who received
110 votes.
Great interest was manifested in
the election and a crowd OF more
than 1000, some of whom remained
all night, gathered at the City Hall
to hear the returns. Mayor Witt
penn received the returns at his
office in the City Hall. At midnight
he stated that he was certain that
Moore, Morris and Farmer. three OF
his candidates, had been elected. but
he was rather doubtful about the
other two, Schumann and Olwell.
/. Governor Fielder and Colonel
Brinkerhoff got the returns up until
about o'clock this morning at the
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