Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-12-03
ESSEX Jobs IN
PATRONAGE POT
This County Gets Twelve Ap-
pOintments, While Three More
Go TO Hudson.
STEERING COMMITTEE HAS
ALL-AFTERNOON BATTLE
Kirkpatrick, of MiddIesex, Wins
Place on 1t Solely Through
Bernard Gannon's Effort.
Especial to the Newark start

LSpcctuI 10 The Newark start
TRENTON, Dec 3.-Contrary to
general expectations, there was little
or no fight over the selections for
speaker of the House of Assembly
and majority leader when the Demo-
Gratis met in caucus here yesterday,
but in the allotment of patronage by
the steering committee there is quite
a different story.
From 2 o'clock until after the
seven members of the steering COM
mittee in executive session battled
over the plums for the respective
counties and the majority of the leg
islators had already departed for
their homes when the committee
finally came in with it's unanimous
report.
Following the selection of Azariah
M. Beekman, of Somerset county, for
speaker. and Joseph M. Branegan, of
Hudson county. for majority leader,
the steering committee, consisting of
Assemplymen Brackner, of Hudson;
McCabe. of Essex; Holcombe, of Hun
terdon; Mount, of Monmouth; Agnew,
of Bergen; Griffin, of Union, and
Kirkpatrick, of Middlesex, was ap-
pointed by Mr.. Branegan, who was
CHOSEN as chairman of the caucus as
well as majority leader.
originally the committee consisted
OF the first six named until County
Clerk Bernard M. Cannon, of Middle
sex, who was Congressman Thomas
j. Scully's choice for the position of
internal revenue collector, with of
hces in Newark, appeared on the
scene and angrily demanded OF VIZ.
Branegan his reason for not putting
Mr.. Kirkpatrick on the committee, at
the same time emphasizing the fact
that Mr.. kirkpatricks name would
nave TO be added. Mr.. Branegan after
apologizing for the oversight on his
part, obediently added the Middlesex
assemblyman's name, and the COM
mittee arranged to meet at 2 o'clock.
EEan Anxious for Hudson.
When the committee met Speaker
Beekman and Leader Branegan were
also present, as was Senator-elect
Charles M. Egan. of Hudson, who
seemed particularly anxious as to
how Hudson would fare in the dis
tribution of patronage 1t devel-
oped at once that there would be op-
position to the positions to be handed
out to Essex county, especially the
clerkship of the House, which was
held by Mark F. Phillips, of Essex,
last year, and which carries with it
a salary of $780, 1t had been ru-
nored that Hudson county was 60
ing to make a strenuous effort to
land this place, and the man whom
the ten Wittpenn assemblymen from
that county We're said to favor was
Daniel t. O'Regan, who was arrayed
against the Wittpenn slate for the
Assembly at the primaries this year.
Be that as 1t may, when the COM
mittee got together the OPPOSITION de-
Veloped from another quarter en-
tirely. When Mr.. McCabe, of Essex,
declared that his county was entitled
to the clerkship Assemblyman Kirk
patrick objected on the ground that
Mr. Phillips had shown Partially In
the appointment of minor clerkships
IL 81 year. This caused discussion,
which resulted In Mr.. Phillips being
called before the committee to explain
away Mr.. Kirkpatrick's allegation.
This Phillips evidently succeeded in
doing, for following his explanation
the committee decided to allot the
to Essex county. Phillips
was the unanimous choice of the Es-
sex delegation for reappointment. AS
a matter of fact the clerkships to
which the Middlesex legislator re-
fered were appointments made by
tees and over which the clerk of the
House had absolutely no jurisdiction.
Scramble for Minor Jobs.
The discussion of the clerkship
over, a merry scramble ensued for the
IL Id
alarms, supervisors of bills, door
keepers, file clerks and pages. The
position of sergeant-at-arms, which
was held last year by Cornelius J.
Ford, of Hudson who has since been
named as public printer at Washing
ton, was again allotted to that county.
The choice of the Hudson delegation
for the position was said to be James
+. Doody who was a street and water
under former Mayor II.
Otto Wittpenn, of Jersey City. AS
the latter holds ten of the Hudson
of twelve Doody's selec-
ton is regarded as a certainty
When the dust of battle had cleared
away Hudson had landed fifteen
Jobs and Essex twelve with clerkships
of eight committees yet to be appoint
ed. In addition to the clerk of the
HOUSE, DoStA was oiiphttb oiA esoiSN-
ant to the clerk of the House, an as
sistant supervisor of bills. one stenog-
rapher, two doorkeepers, four file
clerks and two pages. Hudson, be-
sides the ergeant-at-arms, received
the supervisor of bills. journal clerk,
an assistant journal clerk, one
stenogra pher, three doorkeepers,
four file clerks and three
pages. The other counties which re-
turned Democratic delegations to the
House obtained their due allotment
of patronage. while counties such as
Passaic, Cumberland, Mercer, Cam
den, Cape May and Morris, which
last year were entitled to patronage,
were shut out this year by reason of
having elected Republican delegations.
Committees for Inauguration.
After the committees report had
been submitted and concurred in
Assemblyman Beekman announced
the House committee on the inaugu-
ration of Governor elect Fielder,
which consists of Branegan of Hud-
son, Nutting of Essex, Holcombe of
Hunterdon and Kuhlke of Hudson,
Democrats, and Moore OF Mercer, Re-
publican. The Senate committee,
which was selected earlier in the day,
is composed of Senators McGinnis of
Passaic and Ramsay of Middlesex,