Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-09-02
LEAVING HAM|LL
IN THE LURCH
Anti-Wittpennites Said to Be
Looking With Favor on Nc
Grath Candidacy.
srecIal 10 nc E,enlng star.


JERSEY CITY, Sept. 2.=-If rumors
current in local political circles are to
be believed, and there seems to be
no reason to discredit them. war has
broken out in another section of the
anti-Wittpenn camp. Congressman
James A. Hamill, of the Twelfth
congressional district, is the centre
of the latest war.
At the Sea Girt conference about a
month ago the anti Wittpennites
selected Hamill as their choice for
denomination in the district This
choice was arrived at when it was
announced that it was the wish of
President Wilson that Hamill and the
other Wilson congressman in New
Jersey be renomnated When the
slatemakers returned to the city they
gave out word that Hamill. despite
his known allegiance to the Wittpenn
wing of the party, was to be sup
ported. instead of Arthur McGrath.
an employee in State Comptroller Ed
ward I. Edwards's office
This seemed to suit all of the anti
Wittpenn leaders at first, but real
trouble broke out in the anti Witt
penn camp when HamilI announced
that Wittpenn was to be his cam
paign manager.
County Surrogate John p. Egan.
who aspires to be the leader of the
County Democracy, was the first to
break away, so the story goes, and
now Egan's bosom friend. City Com
missioner George F. Bensinger is
openly with MeGrath in his fight. At
the time Hamill was agreed on as
their choice, Brensinger announced
that he reserved the right to support
whoever he liked for Congress.
William Roach p1arlx in ~
office is in charge of the meetings
that are held each night by the anti
Wittpenn spellbinders. Roach is a
close friend of McGrath's, and strange
to say, McGrath can be found any
night at the meetings of the anti
Wittpenn candidates. He has even
made speeches at some of them and
no one has interfered with him, even
though he is not officially on the anti
Wittpenn ticket. Joseph f. Fitzpat-
rick, who is Commissioner Bren-
singers deputy, spends considerable
time each night introducing Nc
Grath to the voters.
Hamill, it goes without saying, is
considerably disappointed at the
treatment he is receiving from some
of the men that pretended to be his
friends He was prepared for them
however, and is waging a vigorous
campaign IuT Te-eleCIlOn.
Despite the fact that Egan and his
friends are working against him.
Hamill is taking no sides in the
county political fight, in so far as
his speeches are concerned. He is de-
voting himself entirely to national
issues and intends to follow out this
plan to primary ray.
Egans action is said to be meeting
with disfavor with the rank and file
of the Wittpenn wing of the
party, and it is likely to react on the
county ticket.
Shrievalty Candidate Kinkead is
another who has always pretended
friendship for Hamill, but the action
of Egan, who helped place Kinkead
in the race, has not been criticised by
Kinkead. so it is thought that he, too,
has broke away from Hamill.
How Egan's action will be taken in
Washington is something that is in
teresting the County Democracy.
President Wilson has asked that
Hamill be supported for renomina-
ton, and Secretary Joseph P. Tumulty
is also among Hamills stanchest
supporters. Messages thick ana fast
are said to be flying between the
White House and the Court House.
Egan's headquarters, and it would
not surprise the political dopesters if
an official statement came from
either Wilson or Tumulty asking for
HamilPs denomination.