The Penn's Grove record., 1922-01-27
Sixteen Republican Senators Join.
ed by Democrat to Defeat Nomi-
nation for Essex Prosecutor.
AGANS BOLTS DEMOCRATS
All Votes for Confirmation Of Nugent
Are Democratlc-Defeat as Prose-
eutor Of Essex County Made
Party Measure by Republicans

confirm the nomination of James r
Nugent for the Prosecutorshlp Of ES
sex County.
The vote was II to 3. The three
votes given Mr.. Nugent were those Of
Senators Simpson Of Hudson, Barber
Of Warren and Heath of Mercer.
All the sixteen Republican Senators
and Senator Agans of Hunterdon
county, opposed Nugent. Senator
Rays of Sussex, Democrat, was alb
sent.
Nugent's plunge in politics never
had a chance to win. He was beaten
before he virtually demanded that
Governor Edwards appoint him, for 1t
is Just what he demanded in payment
for support given Edwards two years
ago when he aided the Hudson man
after he had himself been beaten fol
the Democratic nomination for gov.
ernor.
Nugent Defiant
But Nugent wanted his name sent
in; wanted 1t sent in when he knew
full well that his home county Sen
HOT WOulu OpDOS lie III iidliohf
and when he knew, too, that his own
party leaders would not go cunning
for Republican votes in the Senate.
With only five Democrats to oppose
sixteen Republicans, Nugent had the
same chance that a snow ball would
have to last during a double-header
at the Polo Grounds, in mid-August.
II he had a motive In having his
name sent in, the public has not been
taken into his confidence. The motive
If there was one. remains hidden.
The Senate acted In executive ses-
sion-as was expected. Outside a
veritable mob of humanity jammed
the corridor, waiting expectantly.
When the curtain lifted and the
doors were thrown open, signalling a
rough defeat, Senator Simpson, the
minority leader and one Of the three
who voted for confirmation, was
draining a cup of water. The drys
literally made Simpson take to water.
The result left Senator William H..
Parry, of Essex, who led the fight
against confirmation. smiling.
Republicans He'd Caucus
The Republican Senators caucused
in the afternoon, but at supper time
everybody was still trying to figure
out how many of the Republican SEN
ators would be summoned by Nugent's
support.
Then came the executive session.
A dozen w~Omen-besides church
men from all over the state, had made
for the gallery before Senator Mac
kay, president. struck his gavel. They
sion. Scarcely had they become COM
fortably seated in their seats, than
the executive session was called, and
the auditors had to leave.
Senator Mackay smiled broadly at
the apparent discontinue of the per-
sons in the galleries as the fact was
impressed upon them by dourkeepers
that the senate would meet in secret.
Executive Session Lasted an Hour
What happened behind those closed
doors during the hour of the executive
session will be made known by degrees.
But there was very little disposition
on the part of any one to find out
the result only was the thing ever
though speculation afforded so much
food for gossip in advance.
Mr.. Nugent. himself. was with Gov
ernor Edwards. in the executive cham
Jersey City and the Senatorial bout
was over early enough to enable the
Essex chairman to catch an early
train home. Edwards and Hague ac-
companied him on the same train.
Seldom in the history of the State
House and certainly not in recent
years, has such a scene been enacted
In the State House corridors. Tense
and dramatic though subdued, the
situation afforded "A remarkable study
of human nature. Hundreds Of men
were there ont Of pure curiosity, hun
dreds more to voice their sentiments.
BY a wide majority they were anti
Nugent. Church federation officers,
leaders of women's clubs, recognized
heads of reform movements-the host
literally swamped the corridors.
kilograms Swamp Senators
During the day the telegraph In
strument in the State House clicked oft
hundreds of kilograms that gradually
formed hillocks on the Republican Sen
ators' desks. There were hundreds Of
registered letters, too. At 8 o'clock,
when the Senators started to look
over the contents, it seemed that they
would never end.
That the Republican Senators had
mapped their course during the after
noon session, against Nugent was in
dicated on the c-ountenance of G. Row.
land Munro, counsel for the Anti-Sa-
loon League as he waited in the cor
ridor. He reflected not confidence, but
certainty.
Following the executive session, it
became known that Senator Simpson,
had delivered himself of a masterpiece
in %eloquence, in support Of Nugent.