Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1915-08-24
South Jersey Rivalry, or the
Fence Picket in Politics


(From the Somers Point Record.)
Friday evening, the thirteenth was
adequately celebrated at Somers Point,
one of the most dlsgraceful scenes of
disorder taking place in the council
chamber, city hall, on that evening. AL
though no one was severely injured, sew
eral citizens were roughly handled, and
eighteen warrants have resulted from the
row.
The battle" commenced when Coun-
Gilman Thomas Birch started to leave
the council chamber, after he had warned
his three fellow members of council that
be was there ito do business, and not to
play politics" and when they, notwith-
standing Birch's warming. had persisted
In rushing politics to the fore.
Councilman Birch was halted by B. r..
Cramer, who claims to be regularly ap-
pointed officer. Inasmuch as there is no
mayor in Somers Point, and that the
mayor alone has the appointment of
officers, the righteousness of Cramer's
pretentions are evident.
you can't leave this hall y exclaimed
cramer to. Birch. II got orders to keep
you here! y
Birch.
None of your businessp replied
Cramer.
"Get out of the wayp' said Birch, as
he started for the door, but Cramer
grabbed him.
Cramer's two sons, Harrison and Bert,
both jumped for Birch, and jammed him
into a corner, one holding the council
man by the throat so that his difficult
breathing could be heard all over the
hail. Birch's effort to free himself were
met with stiff punches, and his desperate
fight necessitated calling further volun-
teers to subdue him.
Birch's game battle and heavy odds
was too much for Charles J. Collins, the
local hotel man, and he started for the
affray, crying, what are you trying to
dowkill this mar man? Surely this. this isn't
very far, Peter swartzbauer caught Mr..
Collins in the small of the back, and
sent him spinning across the room to-
ward an open window. Added recruits
soon pinioned Mr.. Collins's arms and in
asmuch as Mr.. Collins is well over fifty,
and not very physically flt, he was soon
rendered hors de combat.
| While this kind of strong arm tactics
was going on, the Higbeeftes claim to
have been holding, their council meeting
and organizing. They give no explana-
tion of how council meeting can be
conducted with meeting room full OF
with Birch and Collins pinioned to the
wall the affair was all one-sided, until
Joseph Margerum arrived on the scene.
shed his coat and hat, and demanded
that the two men be released Out
numbered by scores he was soon the
center of seething mob of ambitious
lighters, all duAlOus TO Udk6 crack at
him. Somehow or other he managed to
crawl out of the fighting heap, and pos
sessed himself Of a fence picket. Swing
Ing the picket wildly, the score that had
| beat him up pretty badly few minutes
before ran from him like frightened
sheep. His demand that Birch and Col
Inns be released was not necessary, their
assallants having released them as soon
fence picket. No further force was used
! to restrain Birch, and he left the hall, as
did the rest Of the gathering.
a
| The summers going by on wings,
with autumn drawing near, and signs
the coming season brings will shortly
all be here. The Panama and Palm
Beach suit, the garb of heated days
the sidewalk stand of luscious fruit
will no more meet the gaze. The
limousine in glass encased will fill the
roadsters niche, while citronellall be
disgraced. good-by the skeeter's itch
No more the sport shirt will display
the Adams apple bump, the swagger-
stick will pass away, the cane will
bravely thump. The furs that maidens
use to wind around their swan-like
neclxs will be as difficult to find as
presidents of Mex.
Although it's but the twenty-fourth
my, how the time does roll-its
; getting chilly in the North, there's
| ice around the Pole. Still autumn
isn't really born and summers never
sped until a certain standby's gone
and from our ken has f1ed. When
street car ads that show the maid
the blonde and rosy peach, a-drinkins
someone's orangeade upon sandy
beach are derricked from above the
rack in car and subway train, ther
summers gone and won't be back
until they're up again.