New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-06-05
Meeting at Knickerbocker Hotel
Results in New Attacks
Brooklyn Trio May Vote
with the Executive.

"A
Iators in Kings County 1t was reported
that possibly five Assemblymen and one
Senator would break away from the leash
Of John IT, McCooey, the county leader
and support the Governors bill.
| The feature of the meeting at the
/ Knickerbocker was the attack mace upon
| Governor Sulzer by Senator wagner the
ma iority leader in the Senate. lie ac-
cused the Governor Of trying to influence
: members OF the Legislature to support MS
! bill by threatening to withhold patronage
and approval Of their bills unless tney
supported his measure, and OF declaring
that he would veto the bills and take
away the patronage OF those who held
out against him
Charges Power Trust Alliance
The Senator charged that the Governo:
was practically in alliance with the cleo
trlc power trust in having vetoed the
. hvdro-electric bill to which 1t was OPP
posed. He did this. according TO Senator
Wagner. in the hope OF getting votes lo'
his direct primary measure.
In an effort 10 get the vote OF SENATOR
Emerson. Senator Wagner said the Gov
ornor had signed bill authorizing an ap-
rropriation OF $4,000 for roads IN ms
1is,r,ct tie Warren Clinton-Es dis
trict H.. mad done this in spite OF tho
fact that tine district had already got moro
than its share Of state money lot hish-
ways. Wagner said
There were forty.two Senators ana AS
in,
the Knickerbocker. stephen j. Stil"eli'
whose recent conviction OF receiving
hribe automatically removed him from inc
senate. was tie only Tammany legislator
~ the regular session who was not pres
ont There were two who had voted Tor
the SulLsr bill. Assemblyman Eisner' VINO
had Introduced IL. and Assenolymah
Louis u. Gibbs. Of the 32d District
Mr. Gibbs comes from the district OF
Eugene II. Mcclure, who is fighting the
influence OF Charles f. Murphy In the
Bronx. Mcclure has been trying to OBJ
tain tho leadership of the new county.
Yesterday he' received telegram from
Governor Sulzcr saying that he would
be recognized as the leader there al
though Frank Gass, former Register. as
chairman % the county committee, has
been recognized by Mr.. Murphy as the
leader
Senator John J. Boyan. OF the 18th Dis
trict was chosen as chairman OF the
meeting. Senator Walter Herrick. OF the
nth District was the first speaker. lie
said he had been talking TO his constit-
ucnts and had found no sentiment for the
81 AZ
semhlyman We'll. OF the 22d District. made
a similar statement
No Sentiment. Says Frawley
Governor sulzer. IN his recent cam
paign." said Senator Frawley, came into
my district He called upon members OF
the audience to bring pressure upon me
20 support his direct primary bill tie
told them TO send letters and delegations
10 me. have received no letters, and
not single delegation has called upon
me"
Senator McClelland. OF the 18th District.
said there were 1900 voters in his dis
trict. but he had not received a single in
timation. either by letter or otherwise.
that any one Of them wanted a direct
convention.
Assemblyman Carver and others spoke
along the same lines.
Assemblyman Gibbs. In defending his
vote for the Governors measure said the
people wanted direct primaries. and that
was the reason he voted for the bill.
Don't you know that we have direct
primaries now?' asked Senator Wagner
Assemblyman Gibbs did not seem TO be
clear as just what measure OF direct pri-
maries the people now had and he said
he did not think the people were exactly
clear on that point.
Caucuses OF the Senate and Assembly
delegations 10 the Legislature from Kings
County we're held at the Thomas Jeffer-
son Building Seven OF Brooklyn's eight
Representatives in the Senate and twenty
two of her twenty-three representatives
in the Assembly are Democrats
John n. McCooey. who has been say
ing that Brooklyn would continue 10 pre-
sent solid front TO the Governors di-
rect primary bill despite the recent cam
paign carried on against him throughout
Brooklyn. attended neither OF the eau
both were over. and then held conferences
with Senator Thomas H. Cullen and As
semblyman William j. Gillen. the pre-
siding officers.
An effort WAS made 10 conceal the pos
sble defections. and the Official declara-
ton was that the whole delegation would
stand pat as heretofore against the
Governors measure.
The Senators gathered first and con-
vened after a minute session. The re-
port was that II. p. Velte. who represents
the 4th Senate District, told his colleagues
that he had found evidence that the d.
rect primary hill was favored in his dis
trict and that If he found that there was
strong sentiment Of the sort he would per-
haps change his vote at the coming extra
session.
Clear in Their Detern, nation.
The Assemblymen were In session for
an hour and half, and several OF the
members OF the delegation were clear In
their determination to vote for the Sulzer
measure If the sentiment In favor OF II
continued TO grow in their districts
George Dennen. representing the 10th AS
sembly District, told his associates that
he had no inetntion OF being browbeaten
into change OF position by the Governor.
but that he would quite possibly vote for
the direct primary bill.
The same attitude was assumed by As
semblymen Frederick s. Burr OF the 9th
District, William L. Hamilton, IT,. of the