The Penn's Grove record., 1913-10-24

1--WE discussed the subway question,
the proposed contracts and various
other matters. The hour was getting
late and | finally said that unless
Judge Mccall was agreeable to Mr..
Murphy | would send in the name of
Henry Morgenthau to the Senate the
following Monday night, and if he was
not confirmed, of course Mr.. Wilcox
would hold over, and that that would
be agreeable to a great many promi-
tent citizens in the city.
Says He Demanded Pledges.
"Mr. Murphy was agreeable to the
appointment of Judge Mccall. and it
was understood that the Judge should
send me his resignation by messenger
Monday afternoon.
"At this meeting and subsequently
Mr.. Murphy demanded from me
pledges regarding legislation, and es-
pecially concerning appointments to
the Public Service Commissions, the
Health Department, the Labor De-
partment, the State Hospital Commits
sion, the Department of State Prisons,
and the Department of Highways.
He insisted that George NJ. Palmer
should be appointed chairman and
Patrick f. McCabe a member of the
Public Service Commission for the
Second District. This is the 'Packy'
McCabe who is Murphy's political
lieutenant in Albany.
"Mr. Murphy further insisted upon
having The McManus for Labor
Commissioner, a man named Movers
for State Architect, a man from
Brooklyn whose name I forget for
State Hospital Commissioner, and
James E. Gaffney for Highway Com
missioner, in case l wished to sup
plant Mr.. Reel. Mr.. Murphy said that
Reel ought to be kept, as he was a
good man. This is the same Reel
whom l subsequently removed.
mi. Murphy said that if I needed a
new Commissioner of Highways Jim
Gaffney was the best all around man
for the job. Subsequently he demanded
the appointment of Gaffney, and still
later a prominent New York man came
to me in the Executive Mansion bring
ing the message from Mr.. Murphy that
it was 'Gaffney or war; l declined to
appoint Gaffney."
Again Urges Gaffney Appointment.
Mr.. Murphy, according to MI. Sulzer,
told him hat he was anxious to get
away to Hot Springs and would like to
clear up some matters at Albany. He
asked the Governor to give him an as
surance that he would appoint "Jim'
Gaffney Commissioner of Highways.
In telling of the interview Mr.. Sulzer
says
"Mr. Murphy seemed very much
aroused. He said he would like to have
the matter settled before he went away
that if l would appoint Mr.. Gaffney
could have my own way regarding other
matters.
Says "Gaffney or War" Was Threat.
again Mr.. Murphy said that Gaffney,
in his opinion, was the best mar for the
place; that he would see to it that Calf
ney was promptly confirmed; that Gaff-
ney would make good, and that | would
never have cause to regret it. He asked
me again to give him a promise to ap-
point Gaffney. l told him | would not
make a promise about it that | would
consider all he said, but that in my
opinion Mr.. Gaffney would not do; that
it would be a mistake to appoint him
that the people would not stand for it
that Mr.. Gaffney was too close to him
"Mr. Murphy finally said, 4 am for
Gaffney. The organization demands his
appointment, and | wan you to do it.
81 replied, L will make no promise
about it,
"He said, 1t will be Gaffney or war"
Mr.. Sulzer says that from that time
on there was hardly a day passed with
out a threat of some sort being brought
to him with a demand by Mr.. Murphy
for one thing or another. He says that
some reasonable requests were granted,
and others he refused point blank to
consider.
Mr.. Sulzer tells of a meeting at the
home of Mr.. Murphy in this city on
March IS last, at which the Tammany
chief berated him for removing Colonel
Scott from the position of Superintend-
ent of Prisons. At this meeting Mr..
Murphy, Mr.. Sulzer says, argued against
the appointment of John Mitchell as
Commissioner of Labor, and asked that
"The" McManus be given the position
He also suggested names for appoint
ment to the Supreme Court Bench and
bitterly complained of Governor Sui