President Twombly Now

New York, 1895

The Charter Election Attended With Unusual Scenes.

The annual election for the village of Jamaica was held Tuesday afternoon at the Town Hall. There were six tickets in the field. Charles E. Twombly, for president; Alfred H, Beers, for treasurer, and Elmer E. Bergen, for collector, had no opposition. When the polls opened at noon the workers were on hand in force, conspicuous among them being William Goeller, Jr., and Thomas Holcraft, the indicted bribe takers, who not only stood upon the Town Hall steps and gave out pasters in the interest of their ticket, but ran voters right up to the ballot box, in openly violation of law, Holcraft taking one man, known as "Bismark," who cannot speak or write English, and it is questionable if he is a citizen, right up to the booth with the paster in his hand that he had given him. There were other violations of the election law during the afternoon, and many of those who went to vote were disgusted at the spectacle presented in and about the hall. Wagons in the interest of the several candidates were run all over the village, and every man who could be reached was driven to the polls. It was more like a town meeting than a village election. There were cast 812 votes. The resolution to appropriate $4,200 to build an engine house and purchase a truck for the bucket company was carried. The following is the official vote:
The persons elected are: President, Charles E. Twombly; trustees, Thomas Higgins, Thomas Foley, Michael J. Carter; treasurer, Alfred H. Beers; collector, Elmer E. Bergen; clerk, George L. Powell; police justice, F. E. Detheridge; police constable, John Fogarty; superintendent of streets, William Wright.

After the vote had been announced the trustees, at the invitation of Treasurer Beers, partook of a supper at Daily's.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, May 3, 1895, p. 1.

Six Tickets Made Up

New York, 1895

THE VILLAGE ELECTION PROMISES TO BE UNUSUALLY LIVELY.

Voters Must Have Their Wits About Them or They Will Get Mixed Up — A Resolution for Which Only Tax-payers Can Vote.

The annual charter election for the village of Jamaica will be held on Tuesday next, in the court room in the Town Hall, from 12 o'clock, noon, until 7 o'clock, P. M. Six tickets are in the field. All of the tickets are headed by Charles E. Twombly for president, and his election is assured, as is the election of Alfred H. Beers for treasurer, and Elmer E. Bergen for collector, they having no opposition. The strife will be for the office of trustees, police justice, police constable and clerk.

William H. Hull is being boomed for clerk, and George Cornell for trustee, by the A. P. A. people.

Several of the old trustees are putting up an opposition to the election of Michael J. Carter as trustee. Mr. Carter has had experience in the board and is decidedly independent.

Mr. Foley has had experience in official life, and the west end of the village, claiming the right to representation in the board of trustees, have put him forward as their best man. The principle is right.

Thomas Higgins has an excellent record as a trustee, and is a conservative and safe man.

George L. Powell is a valuable public servant, perfectly competent and trustworthy.

TICKETS — INDEPENDENT PARTY.

President, Charles E. Twombly; trustees, Michael J. Cutter, Thomas Higgins, Jacob V. B. Voris; treasurer, Alfred H. Beers; clerk, Henry S. Bennett; collector of taxes and assessments, Elmer E. Bergen; police constable, Abram Magale; superintendent of streets, William H. Wright; police justice, John J. Broedel.

THE GOOD GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION.

President, Charles E. Twombly; trustees, Thomas Higgins, Linus S. Cooper, Thomas Foley; treasurer, Alfred H. Beers; clerk, George L. Powell; police justice, Frederick E. Detheridge; police constable, John S. Hendrickson; superintendent of streets, William H. Wright; collector of taxes and assessments, Elmer E. Bergen.

PEOPLE'S PARTY.

President, Charles E. Towmbley; trustees, Michael J. Carter, Thomas Higgins, Thomas Foley; clerk, William H. Hull; treasurer, Alfred H. Beers; police constable, John Fogarty; collector of taxes and assessments, Elmer E. Bergen; superintendent of streets, Michael T. Clark; police justice, John J. Broedell.

TAX PAYERS' PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION.

President, Charles E. Twombly; trustees, Thomas F. Foley, Andrew Kemmerer, Thomas Higgins; clerk, Harry S. Bennett; treasurer, Alfred H. Beers; police constable, John Fogarty; collector of taxes and assessments, Elmer E. Bergen; superintendent of streets, William H. Wright; police justice, John J. Broedel.

CITIZENS' PARTY.

President, Charles E. Twombly; trustees, Michael J. Carter, George Brons, George B. Cornell; clerk, William H. Hull; treasurer, Alfred H. Beers; police constable, John Fogarty; collector of taxes and assessments, Elmer E. Bergen; superintendent of streets, Michael F. Clark; police justice, Frederick E. Detheridge.

TAX-PAYERS' ASSOCIATION.

President, Charles E. Twombly; trustees, Jacques V. B. Voris, Andrew Kemmerer, Thomas Foley; treasurer, Alfred H. Beers; clerk, Harry S. Bennett; police constable, John Fogarty; collector of taxes and assessments, Elmer E. Bergen; superintendent of streets, William H. Wright; police justice, John J. Broedel.

The taxpayers will vote on the following resolution for an appropriation of money:

Resolved, That the sum of four thousand dollars be raised by tax upon the taxable property and taxable inhabitants of the village of Jamaica, for the purpose of building a new hose house for Woodhull Hose Company, and for purchasing a lot and building a house for Continental Bucket Company, and a further sum of four hundred dollars for purchasing apparatus for Continental Bucket Company.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, April 26, 1895, p. 8.

Note: Twombly was occasionally spelled Twombley in this article. I changed it to be consistent.

A Candidate's Haste

New York, 1895

The Board of Canvassers of Oyster Bay were called together Friday afternoon to rectify a clerical error in the certificate of the vote at Farmingdale. There was an error in copying from the tally sheet by which George E. Stearns, Republican, got thirteen votes belonging to Augustus Cock. The correction of the error would elect Charles H. Wright of Locust Valley by five majority.

Stearns learned of the condition of affairs and drove fourteen miles in an hour and a quarter to file his acceptance before the Board met. The Board refused to take any action on the ground of no jurisdiction. The affidavit of the Board of Inspectors calling attention to the error was filed with the clerk. The Board of Canvassers admitted that the error probably existed. The matter will be carried to the courts.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, April 12, 1895, p. 8.

The Village Election

New York, 1895

PRESIDENT WATTS WILL NOT STAND FOR RE-ELECTION.

Charles E. Twombly Likely to Succeed to the Presiding Officer's Chair — Trustees Mills and Downing, and Justice Faber Prefer Retirement — Good Government Club Will Name Candidates.

The village election will be held on Tuesday, April 30, for a president of the village in the place of J. Tyler Watts, three trustees in the places of Charles Downing, Thomas Higgins and Stephen Mills, a treasurer in the place of Edwin H. Beers,4 a collector in the place of Elmer E. Bergen, a police justice in the place of Leander B. Faber, a superintendent of streets in the place of William H. Wright, a village clerk in the place of George L. Powell, and a police constable in the place of Christopher D. O'Brien.

President Watts will not seek a re-election. His business will not permit him to devote the necessary time to public affairs.

Trustees Downing and Mills, and Justice Faber, prefer to retire from public life.

There should be no opposition to Mr. Beers for treasurer. He has filled the office very acceptably. Mr. Bergen has proved to be an energetic and courteous collector, and Trustee Higgins has a good record behind him. Clerk Powell is a careful and trustworthy recorder of the board's proceedings.

George L. Powell, the present clerk, is the only person now mentioned for the office, to which is attached a good deal of work for little pay.

There are several persons mentioned for the presidency, among them Robert W. Higbie, Charles E. Twombly, and Henry A. Van Allen, and it is probable that there will be three or four tickets in the field.

The first ticket was made on Monday evening by west end and south side citizens, who think they ought to have representation in the board. They named Charles E. Twombly for president, Thomas Foley, Michael J. Carter and Thomas Higgins, trustees; Elmer E. Bergen, collector; Edwin H. Beers, treasurer; Michael Clark, superintendent of streets; John Fogarty, police constable; George L Powell, clerk.

James F. McLaughlin has been mentioned for the office of police justice, and he would make a very capable officer, but to a reporter of THE FARMER he said that under no consideration would he take the office.

The Good Government association have determined to put a full ticket in the field.

The tax payers will be called upon to vote for an appropriation of $4,400, with which to build two engine houses and purchase a truck for the Bucket company.

Possibly a vote will be taken on the question of the village establishing its own water and electric light plants.

A second ticket was made Wednesday evening, as follows: For president, Charles E. Twombly; trustees, Irving W. Boyce, Thomas Higgins, Linus S. Cooper; clerk, George L. Powell; treasurer, Alfred H. Beers; superintendent of streets, William W. Wright; collector, Elmer E. Bergen; police constable, Frank Isenbrandt.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, April 12, 1895, p. 8.

The Spring Election

New York, 1895

In the town of Jamaica the Republican ticket swept along to victory as a whole. There was no Democratic ticket in the field. The ticket that was nominated in caucus, and ratified in convention, was rejected by the Town Clerk for informality. At the last moment some Democrats made up a ticket of the nominees of the caucus-convention, and by naming it the Citizens' Democratic ticket, and obtaining one hundred signatures to the petition, got it on file with the Town Clerk and had it printed. Not many of the men who were delegates to the Democratic convention supported the patched up ticket, but turned their strength against it. They had done this before and doing it again occasions no surprise. Judge Lester was unable to make a canvass, and no one made a canvass for him. He can stand defeat better than the town can afford to lose his services, and time will prove it. No officer who does his duty squarely and manfully can fail to make enemies, and Judge Lester made a good many, and they were active while his friends slept. The hardest fight against Mr. Lester was made in his own election district, but he was able to carry it by a majority of 18 in spite of everything. It is one result of which he may feel justly proud. Nothing is plainer than that the Republican machine sold out their candidate for Excise Commissioner, Mr. Waldron, to secure the liquor vote for their candidate for Justice. Every saloon in the town was stocked with paster ballots for B. Frank Wood and William Broedel.

The town of Oyster Bay turned back into the Democratic column, solely because the Republican and Independent voters of the town have sickened at Boss Youngs' overbearing management of affairs. They don't believe in a Boss.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, April 5, 1895, p. 4.

Democrats Did Well

New York, 1895

THEY RECAPTURE FOUR TOWNS WITH GOOD MAJORITIES.

Oyster Hay, North Hempstead, Flushing and Newtown Get Out from Under Boss Youngs' Rule — In Jamaica the Liquor Dealers Carried the Day for the Republicans.

Democrats did not expect to get much out of the elections on Tuesday. The party did not try to pull itself together, the offices to be filled not being considered worth a battle. The Democrats have, however, good cause to rejoice over the result, for they have regained the towns of Oyster Bay, North Hempstead, Flushing and Newton, all of which went strongly Republican at the Spring and Fall elections last year. The Republicans are entitled to the credit of giving three of these victories to the Democrats, for in Flushing, Oyster Bay and North Hempstead party men proclaimed their intention of resenting the arrogant rule of Boss Youngs. The election last fall was a thunderous protest against Boss rule all over the state, but Boss Youngs was blind to the lesson that it taught, and has gone on bossing more offensively than ever. It is not likely that this last emphatic protest will make any difference to him, for he has gotten in so deeply, and has so many jobs on the spit, that he cannot recede gracefully.

Here in Jamaica the Democrats took little interest in the election. It seemed to be a time for bleaching soiled linen, and every politician who had a grudge to satisfy went in for blood. The people, without regard to politics, put up a good fight for Justice Lester, and would have won the day but for the combination between the saloons and the Republican machine, which was well organized and had plenty of money.

Mr. Waldron, the Republican and Good Government candidate for excise commissioner, courageously announced himself as in favor of high license and a limited number of saloons. The liquor interest took alarm, knowing that Mr. Clayton would co-operate with Mr. Waldron for a high license. They knew, too, that Mr. Clayton would vote against every applicant for a license, and that it would be within Mr. Waldron's power to decide who should and should not have license. The saloon people approached the Republican managers for a deal on candidates. The saloon people were willing to accept the whole Republican town ticket if the Republicans would accept the Democratic nominee for excise commissioner, and the deal was made on that basis at 2 o'clock in the morning in A. B. Pettit's hotel.

The vote shows that the saloon people had good reason to feel alarmed, for under this deal Mr. Broedel was only able to receive 1087 votes against 920 for Mr. Waldron. Mr. Broedel's majority over Mr. Waldron is 167, and, taking Mr. Bauman's vote of 168, Mr. Broedel lacks a plurality of the votes. It shows that the people have waked up on the excise question, and had the news of this deal got to the people in time, Mr. Waldron would have been elected by a considerable majority. The deal is made fully apparent by the figures of the vote, the head of the Republican ticket running 487 ahead of the Republican nominee for Excise Commissioner. These 487 votes represent the strength of the saloons.

The board of canvassers met at the Town Hall on Wednesday and canvassed the vote, the results being declared as follows:

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, April 5, 1895, p. 1.

Note: It's interesting that B. Frank Wood won and Justice Lester lost. I had no idea what kind of influence The Farmer had, of course, but they sure editorialized against Wood in a harsh way. It must have been a little bit humbling to see the results.

Some Features of Election

New York, 1895

In Oyster Bay there will be 32 ballots, 28 being for resolutions and appropriations, 2 for town officers and 2 for excise commissioners.

For the first time in a great many years no resolutions will be submitted to the voters of Hempstead.

There will be fewer resolutions than usual in the town of North Hempstead, the appropriations aggregating only $3,977. The citizens will vote on the question of appropriating $12,000 to macadamize the Middle Neck road.

There will be but one resolution voted upon in Jamaica. There may be five official ballots, some of the Republicans feeling that they should not submit to the dictation of Boss Youngs.


Jamaica Good Government Club

At the meeting of the Good Government association of the town of Jamaica, Monday evening, twelve trustees were appointed who, by the constitution, will meet and appoint officers of the association. The club's influence will no doubt be felt in the coming town election.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, March 15, 1895, p. 8.