Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-10-18
4STR|KE" TICKET
THROWN OUT BY
COUNTY CLERK
"Wilson Democrats" and John
McCrudden" Petitions De-
cIared Invalid.
BIG VICTORY FOR THE
REGULAR DEMOCRATS
Action Clears Way for Straight
Fight Against Republicans
Election Day.

Gratis" nominated by petition against
the regular Democratic ticket, was
today thrown out by County Clerk Jo-
seph McDonough, who declared the
nominations invalid. The result of
this will be that the Democratic ticket
will go before the people on election
day without any opposition, which
would appear to come from within
the party ranks.
Along with throwing out the "Wil-
son Democrats" who were nominees
for county register and board of
freeholders, County Clerk McDonough
also threw out the nomination of the
elusive John McCrudden," nominated
for alderman by petition to oppose Jo-
seph McCrudden, of the Fourth ward,
of this city.
The action of the county clerk is
regarded as a signal victory for the
regular Democratic nominees. The
latter had charged Republican con-
nivance in the preparation of tickets,
as part of q scheme to split up the
regular Democratic vote, In order to
make the fight of the latter against
the Republicans all the harder. Some
of the candidates were admittedly
Republicans, while In the case of
John McCrudden," no such man
has ever been found and 1t is declared
that he is a fictitious person. His pc
tition had many suspicious angles to
it and it was said to have been en-
tirely the work of Republicans.
The 'McCrudden" nomination is said
to have been made with the intention
of bringing about the defeat of Joseph
McCudden, the regular Democratic
candidate. The Republicans and,
especially the men in Mayor Ray
mond's political household, are anX-
ious to wrest control of the council
from the Democrats. Meyer Zemel,
in whose lodging house "McCrudden"
is supposed to live, and from which
many of the signers to his petition
were secured, is a party worker for
the Raymond faction.
mot Filed in Good Faith"
In his decision County Clerk Jo-
seph p. McDonough sustains the OBJ
jections filed by several Democratic
candidates against the placing Of the
names of the Wilson Democrats on
the ballots for election day. A hear
ing on the matter was held by the
county clerk on October 8, but he re-
served decision until today. In an
nouncing his decision, Mr.. McDonough
holds that the Wilson League petitions
were not filed in good faith and are
not valid in accordance with the re-
quirements of the election laws"
The complete opinion is as follows.
L am Of the opinion and have come
to the conclusion and do hereby de-
termine that the said objections
filed were valid and the petitions
filed as aforesaid were not made in
good faith and are not valid in ac-
cordance with the requirements of the
election laws"
Besides the mysterious John Nc
Crudden" as a candidate for alder
man, the Wilson Democrats - petit
ton nominated Richard G.. Rust as q
candidate for register; Edward r.
Soleau, Edward r. Berry and John H.
Bunneil for eeeolders. Bunnell with
drew October 6, two days after the Pc
tions were filed, and the day that the
Democratic candidates chosen at the
primaries presented their objections
to the county clerk.
The Democratic candidates nomin-
ated at the primaries and at whose
candidates. the Wilson Democrat"
petitions were aimed, were John B.
Otterbein for county registers Emmet
j. Quinn. Fred q, Steck and Herman
Scheininger for freeholders, and Jo-
Joseph McCrudden for alderman in
the Fourth ward.
The county clerks opinion holding
the "Wilson Democrat" petitions IN
valid is a most concise document. Af-
ter setting forth names of the various
individuals involved, reviewing the
filing of the Wilson Democrat" petit
tions and the subsequent objections
thereto. the opinion states that the
affections were sustained and that the
petitions are therefore invalid.
The rejection of the petitions re-
moves what the regular Democratic
candidates considered the one big
menace to their campaign. Berry and
Soleau, two of the Wilson Demo-
crat" candidates for freeholders, had
polled as many as 10000 and 1000
votes respectively when running in
similar roles in past years. Hust, the
Wilson Democrat" for register, was
a. former Republican election officer.
Wilson League Repudiated Ticket.
The immediate and unqualified re-
mutation of the Wilson Democrat"
candidates by the woodrow Wilson
Democratic League was an important
factor in exposing the bad faith of
those candidates. Affidavits were pre-
sented at the hearing showing that
the candidates had no connection with
the league and that the league re-
garded them as masqueraders.
The attack upon the petitions also
attracted much interest because of
the mart Meyer ZemePs name figured
in the proceedings. Zemel is the Re-
nublican leader of the Seventh dis
trict of the Fourth ward and the
owner Of q lodging house at 1923 Mar
ket street, in which some of the "Wil-
son Democrat candidates lived, and
where more than ninety signatures to
their petitions were obtained.
"Joi1n McCrudden's' address was
given as this lodging house. but it
has been quite well demonstrated that
McCrudden is a fictitious character.
Affidavits by dodgers at Zemels place
charged that signatures to John Nc
Crudden's petition were obtained un-
der representations that it was for
Alderman Joseph McCrudden.
Jacob White, Republican election
officer in the district, was one of those
who circulated the petition of the un-
known John McCrudden. 1t was
charged at the hearing that White
offered at least one signer five cents
for his signature. Whites removal
as an election officer for his part in
the affair was announced by Judge
Harry v. Osborne this morning.
The county clerks rejection of the
petitions is believed to mean a break
ing up of the practice of putting lodg-
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