Horace Goodwin Githens
Horace G. Githens, 1931
HORACE GOODWIN GITHENS was born in Pennsylvania on October 10, 1869 to Isaac Collins Githens and his wife, the former Josephine Goodwin. Isaac Githens was a lumber merchant, and the Githens family lived at 327 North 4th Street in North Camden from the 1870s through early 1890s. As a young man he appeared on stage, although as of this writing this author does not know in what context.
Horace Githens appears in the Camden City Directories in the late 1880s and early 1890s, living at 327 North 4th Street, and working as a clerk in his father’s lumber business. He married Georgia Stockham, and the marriage produced a son and a daughter. Sadly, Horace Jr. passed away in July of 1899. Daughter Dorothy Githens grew up and later married William S. Ely. When the Census was taken in 1900, Horace Githens was living with his parents at 504 Linden Street in Camden.
Horace Githens was living in Pennsauken NJ when the 1910 Census was enumerated, and had moved to Merchantville NJ by the summer of 1912. On June 1st of that year he sailed to Europe from New York, returning aboard the SS Sixaola on June 25th. He was then working in the New Jersey State Treasury Department.
The 1920 Census shows Horace Githens working as the chief clerk at the New Jersey State Department of the Treasury. He became a Camden County Freeholder in January of 1927, and served as chairman of the Finance committee in that year and in 1928. He had risen to the post of New Jersey’s Deputy Treasurer by April of 1928, and served as the Finance Chairman for Camden County in the early 1930s as well. By 1920 Horace and Georgia Githens had bought a home at 3312 Cove Road in Pennsauken NJ, which would remain his abode until his passing on December 14, 1943. Horace Githens was buried at Colestown Cemetery in what is now Cherry Hill NJ.
Photographs
Horace G. Githens — Photograph taken 1888
Kausel Is Given $4000 Job Over Hot Protest by ‘Rebel’ in G.O.P.
Camden Courier-Post —
“Not Fitted for Job and 20 of You Admitted it” Declares Van Meter
Collingswood Man’s Insurgency Punished — Vocational School Incident is Recalled as Democrats Join in Battle
Joseph H. Van Meter, insurgent Republican freeholder from Collingswood, today declared that David Baird Jr., Republican leader, had admitted that Theodore Kausel was “not the man for the job” to which he was appointed by the Board of Freeholders yesterday.
Baird told him, however, said Van Meter, that a promise had been made “to take care of” Kausel because of the latter’s aid to the Republican Organization at the last municipal election.
Van Meter quotes Baird as follows:
“I’ll admit that Kausel is not the man for the job. But you have to help me out because we promised to take care of Kausel when he came over to us in the city election. And it was through Kausel that we got Hitchner and a lot of his crowd.”
“We’ve got ourselves tied up with him. We’ve got to take him, and I want you to go along, and help me out.”
“I know his business record and I know his political record. I know the freeholders don’t want him and our conference don’t want him, but we’ve got to eat crow, and I want you to help me out.”
Under the watchful eyes of organization leaders, Republican members of the Camden County Board of Freeholders yesterday took care of Theodore “Teddy” Kausel.
With David Baird Jr. and other chieftains of the party occupying front row seats, the board created the post of “general manager of county institutions” and promptly named Kausel for the job at an annual salary of $4,000.
Like ghosts at a feast, Baird and the other party leaders sat silently at the freeholders reorganization meeting. Like actors in a carefully pre-arranged play, a little uncertain of their cues, 20 Republican freeholders cast furtive eyes at the group of spectators.
They said no word, these freeholders. They made no reply when Joseph H. Van Meter, of Collingswood, breaking from their ranks, declared that 20 of them had told him that Kausel was unfit for the position to which he was being appointed. They listened in uncomfortable silence while Van Meter gave voice to a scathing denunciation of their “lack of backbone” and while a running fire of sarcasm from Democratic members fell upon their ears.
Scene Was Drama
The scene was drama. It might have been a revised performance of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” with 28 furtive-eyed Uncle Toms and an impregnable line of Simon Legrees, cracking invisible whips in threatening gestures.
And the scene was also comedy. For of that score of men who, according to Van Meter, had agreed that Kausel was unfit for the job but “had to be taken care of,” none arose to protest against the action. Within their Hearts the chorus of Uncle Toms may have been saying.
“The county may own our bodies, but our souls belong to the Republican Organization.”
But if they thought this, they said no word.
Today it was pointed out that it will not be long before freeholders come up for renomination at the primaries. Today, it was also predicted that Van Meter has signed his political death warrant so far as the Republican organization was concerned. But at least he received the ungrudging tribute of the Democratic minority on the board, who joyfully proclaimed that they had found “at last a Republican with guts.”
Van Meter Fights Hard
Van Meter spared no words, took no half-measures. He accused his fellow Republican members of coercion, double-dealing and weakness. He fought the appointment bitterly. He raked up the vocational school matter, in which $85,000 had been paid for the school site on Kausel’s recommendation, a price later declared to be exorbitant.
Democratic members joined the Collingswood insurgent. They charged that the $4,000 appointment was the price of Kausel’s allegiance to the Republican party. They declared that he wasn’t worth it. They recalled, later, that Kausel had shifted from the Republican Organization to the Non-Partisan movement and then back again after being one of the loudest to criticize the Organization. They asserted that after his removal as chairman of the vocational school board, he had sought the appointment as city purchasing agent. They avowed that the Republican City Commissioners had “refused to handle Kausel” and had “wished him off on the county.”
The 26 other Republican freeholders — all of those present, excepting only Van Meter — continued to listen in silence. And when the vote came, every one of the 26 voted for the creation of the position of “general manager of county institutions” and for the appointment of Kausel.
A little later the reprisals upon Van Meter began. He was removed from the central plant and county farm committees of the board, shifted to the elections committee and allowed to remain on the printing and agricultural committees, regarded as unimportant groups.
Reprisals Were Threatened
“It doesn’t surprise me,” he said. “I was threatened with it. They told me they’d ruin me. But I couldn’t go back to Collingswood and ask the people to vote for me again if I hadn’t fought against this appointment.”
The defection of Van Meter came apparently as a surprise. The meeting had opened with the passage of the county budget on the first reading, the selection of Leslie H. Ewing, of Berlin, as director of the board, the calling of Frank P. Moles, of the Third Ward to be sworn in and his failure to respond or to appear for the gathering.
Minor matters had been attended to and then Fred W. George, clerk of the board, rose to his feet and began the task of reading a long list of proposed amendments to the rules. Buried far down in the list of revisions was that which, “for purposes of economy,” sought to place all county institutions under a central head to be known as general manager.
George lost his breath before he had more than half completed the list of amendments, and George Rothermel, pinch-hitting for Walter Keown as counsel for the board, took his place. Then Director Ewing called for a vote.
Schorpp Speaks
Frederick W. Schorpp, Eighth Ward Democrat, was the first to speak.
“I want to congratulate you gentlemen,” he said, “on the wonderful way you have camouflaged these changes.
“We have heard a long list of amendments to the rules read. But what the whole thing is can easily be seen. You gentlemen of the majority have a lame duck to take care of, and so you create this job. But I can’t see, really I can’t see why it is necessary to create a $4,000 plum for your lame duck and saddle it on the taxpayers.”
There was silence in the room. In the seat of the absent Freeholder William A. Robinson sat Baird. At the press table were Sheriff Walter Gross and City Commissioner William D. Sayrs, Jr. Ranged along the front row of the spectators’ section were Mayor Winfield Price and Commissioner Clay W. Reesman. They said nothing.
Louis C. Parker, Gloucester City Democrat, was next to speak.
“All these changes in the rules accomplish is to create a new job,” he declared, agreeing with Schorpp.
S. Raymond Dobbs, Fourteenth Ward Democrat, objected and moved that the resolution changing the rules be laid over until the regular January meeting. He was overruled by Director Ewing. Schorpp sought to have the rules voted upon separately, but James Davis, chairman of the committee, refused to accept the suggestion.
The roll call began. In alphabetical order the names were called and the freeholders voted. Republicans voted in favor of adoption of the changes. The three Democrats voted against the resolution. Van Meter’s name was the last to be called.
“No,” he said calmly, and there was a gasp of surprise in the room. The clerk recorded the vote on the resolution as 26 to 4 and then began reading again. This was a new resolution. It named Theodore T. Kausel to the position just created and explained that he was to report to the “Lakeland Central Committee.”
Van Meter Protests
Van Meter rose slowly. He obtained recognition from the director and began, quietly but decisively.
Charges Unfair Tactics
“I knew when I went ahead with this that I’d be an outcast, but I was determined to do the right thing. This appointment is not the right thing.
“They told me I’d be ruined if I opposed them. Even up to the last minute before the meeting they came to my desk in the freeholder’s room and tried to throw a scare into me.
“I knew I’d be thrown out of committees and barred from the caucuses. They’ve let me remain on the printing committee. I’ve been on it a year, and it hasn’t met yet. Nevertheless, there is a $50,000 appropriation for printing.
“I’ve always tried to be on the level on this job. Why they had the workhouse slated for $120,000 but I fought and fought, and finally — well look at the budget — it’s cut down to $50,000.
“It’s not the first time I’ve saved them money. I don’t know Kausel personally, but I do know his record. It was because of his extravagance that he was fired from the Castle Kid Company.
“And when I say he is extravagant, I can prove every word of it.”
The new Lakeland central committee, authorized in the resolution appointing Kausel, was announced by Director Ewing at the close of the meeting. Ewing is to be a member, ex-officio, and Horace G. Githens becomes a member by virtue of being chairman of the finance committee.
The chairman of the asylum committee, of the County Hospital committee, of the Almshouse committee, of the Detention Home committee, and the Tuberculosis Hospital committee all will become members.
Name ‘Official’ Papers
An earlier vote had been taken in which the Democrats moved to designate The Evening Courier as the newspaper in which the budget was to be officially printed. The Republican majority had designated two weekly papers, the Camden Argus and the Berlin Breeze.
“It’s obvious,” said Dobbs, “why these designations have been made.”
Parker, Gloucester City Republican, agreed with this view and declared that the newspaper with the largest circulation in the county should be given the official county notices for publication as advertising.
Schorpp ironically suggested that the Christian Science Monitor be substituted for one of the two weeklies designated and the roll was called. The Argus and the Breeze were officially designated.
The appointment of Kausel brought the meeting to a conclusion. Of all the Republican freeholders, Davis was the only one to speak. He merely declared that he was not one of the 20 men who Van Meter had said agreed that Kausel was not the man for the job.
Middleton Takes Seat as State Treasurer
Camden Courier-Post —
Trenton, April 2.—Albert C. Middleton, Moorestown, today formally took office as secretary of state to succeed William T. Read, of Camden.
Treasurer Middleton’s first official act was to reappoint Horace G. Githens, of Merchantville, as deputy state treasurer at a salary of $6000 a year, the same as received by Middleton. Githen’s salary was increased from $5000 to $6000 by a clause in this year’s legislative appropriation bill. Githens is a member of the Camden County Board of Freeholder, and draws a salary of $750 a year. It also was announced that there will be no changes in the personnel of the state treasurer’s department.
Flowers were received today by Middleton from two of his associates at the Victor Talking Machine Company, A. W. Atkinson and H. R. Hathaway, and from the South Jersey Port Commission, former Senator Albert S. Woodruff, William T. Read and several Trenton banks.
Wimer Appointed as County Manager
Camden Courier-Post —
Kausel Given Leave of Absence and Miss Denery Is Made Acting Head Until March 15
The Camden County Board of Freeholders late yesterday confirmed the appointment of William E. Wimer as general manager of Camden county institutions.
Theodore T. Kausel, who tendered his resignation January 1 to become effective March 15, was granted a leave of absence dating from February 1. Miss E. M. Denery, chief clerk, was designated acting general manager to serve until Wimer takes office March 15.
Dr. Leslie H. Ewing, director of the board, and Horace G. Githens, floor leader, announced the appointment of Wimer is from month to month and he will receive instructions from the central plant committee of the board. Wimer was selected at a caucus of the board last Friday night after Freeholder William J. Dallas withdrew as a candidate.
The board confirmed the appointment of Miss Thelma Marie Gilmor, Gloucester, as clerk in the prosecutor’s office at a salary of $1200 yearly.
The court house annex committee was authorized to advertise for bids for steel furniture to be installed in the offices of Vice Chancellor Leaming; surrogate, register of deeds and county clerk in the new building. The property committee was authorized to advertise for bids for 400 tons of coal for the present courthouse. A contract for 4000 tons of coal for the central plant was awarded to Kilroy Coal and Coke Company for $17,000 or $4.27 a ton.
A resolution was passed requesting the State Highway Commission to designate that Route S42 follow the Milford-Berlin road parallel with the Camden and Atlantic Railroad to the Bishop’s bridge underpass. The county agrees to obtain a 66 feet right of way for the road.
A resolution was approved authorizing the county treasurer to borrow $100,000 in anticipation of taxes. The purchase of an automobile costing $1500 for the bridge committee was authorized.
Haines and Reinert Head G.O.P.; Madden To Lead Democrats
Camden Courier-Post —
Pictured: Joshua C. Haines — Isabella C. Reinert — Elizabeth C. Verga — David Baird Jr. — Walter Keown — Frank B. Hanna — Etta C. Pfrommer — Howard B. Dyer — William D. Sayrs Jr. — Lottie B. Stinson — Anna G. Holl — Margaret Wermuth — Carlton M. “Cy” Harris — J.C. Remington — Charles A. Wolverton — Carl Kisselman — Edward Deibert — L. Scott Cherchesky — William E.A. King — J. Claud Simon — T. Phillips Brown — J.H. Reiners — Rocco Palese — Morris Praissman — George R. Pelouze — Albert S. Woodruff — Clay W. Reesman — William Wimer — Horace G. Githens — J. Wesley Sell — A.C. Middleton
Robert Brennan — Marie Mackintosh — William H. Heiser — Mary McCready — James Corea — Susie Marchiano — James E. Tatem — Mary A. Ivins — Martin A. McNulty — Madeline Salvatore — Howard B. Dyer — Mary S. Hartung — Edward A. Kemble — Mary D. Guthridge — Edmund A. Walsh — Mamie F. Piraine — Edward Holloway — Deborah Schuck — Henry I. Haines — Lillian M. Walker — Horace B. Beideman — Etta C. Pfrommer — Carlton M. Harris — Mary E. Hamel — Henry Knauer — Louella I. Whaland — Jesse M. Donaghy — Lottie B. Stinson
Baird and Mrs. Verga Decline Posts During Spirited Committee Session
Joshua C. Haines, Camden county register of deeds, was elected chairman of the Camden County Republican Committee at its reorganization last night in one of the most spirited contests held within the Organization in a decade.
Mrs. Isabella C. Reinert, of Collingswood, nominee for Assembly, was elected vice chairman.
Haines succeeds Walter S. Keown and Mrs. Reinert takes the post held by Mrs. Elizabeth C. Verga.
Their election came at 11.30 p. m., after more than three hours of heated argument behind closed doors, and after former U. S. Senator David Baird and Mrs. Verga had declined to accept the offices.
Keown, Hanna Mentioned
Others nominated were Keown and Camden City Commissioner Frank B. Hanna, for chairman, and Mrs. Etta C. Pfrommer, of the Eleventh Ward. Mrs. Pfrommer twice declined.
In previous years reorganization of the county committee had been effected without dispute, and with unanimous action by the members. Last night, however, the discussion waged long and loud.
Though newspapermen were excluded from the meeting, the voices of the debating members coming through the locked doors left no doubt as to the progress of the election.
Other officers were re-elected as follows: Howard B. Dyer, secretary; William D. Sayrs, Jr., treasurer, and Mrs. Lottie B. Stinson, assistant secretary. Mrs. Anna G. Holl, of Collingswood, was elected assistant treasurer to succeed Mrs. Reinert.
Keown opened the meeting and then Baird spoke.
The former Senator presented the recommendation of the Republican executive conference committee that the members elect Haines and Mrs. Reinert in view of the fact that Keown and Mrs. Verga had resisted all requests to continue.
Then Mrs. Margaret Wermuth, of Delaware township, and Carlton M. “Cy” Harris, of the Twelfth Ward, presented a petition signed by virtually all the committee, asking Baird and Mrs. Verga to accept the chairmanship and vice chairmanship.
Baird Declines
Baird then declared that he was unable to take over any additional work.
“I must not be chosen, but must work with and for you, and I ask that you respect my wishes.”
He then proposed that Haines and Mrs. Reinert be chosen unanimously.
Despite his proposal, Mrs. Wermuth moved the election of Baird and Mrs. Verga. The vote was virtually unanimous. Immediately J. C. Remington, Jr., of Haddonfield, moved to adjourn. The chair refused to recognize the motion.
Several members threatened to resign from the committee unless Baird and Mrs. Verga accepted. To this Baird answered:
“I’m still fighting for the party, no matter who quits. If you quit, you’re not worthy to be members.” His remarks were greeted with applause.
In announcing her decision not to accept renomination Mrs. Verga said her duties as state vice chairman, taking her into all the 21 counties, made it impossible for her to continue to devote the time to the county committee which it deserved. In explaining these reasons to the vice chairman still has two years to run.
Haines Finally Elected
Then Baird accepted the resignation from the chairmanship and Mrs. Verga from the vice chairmanship.
Keown was nominated for re-election, and Hanna for the chairman position.
Baird was renominated by Remington. Keown reiterated his insistence, issued some months ago, not to stand for re-election. Baird again declined.
Then Keown moved the election of Haines and Mrs. Reinert and the discussion which followed continued for three hours. Finally the vote was taken at 11.30 and Haines and Mrs. Reinert were elected.
Mrs. Reinert, however, declined the office, stating her candidacy for the Assembly precluded her at this time. Then Mrs. Pfrommer was nominated, but she turned it down twice. After much persuasion Mrs. Reinert agreed to accept the office, with the provision that she serve through the summer and that she be permitted to resign later, if she wished.
In congratulating Mrs. Reinert, Congressman Charles A. Wolverton urged the election of Baird and Mrs. Verga.
The committee elected the following solicitors: Carl Kisselman, Edward R. Deibert, L. Scott Cherchesky, William E.A. King, J. Claud Simon, T. Phillips Brown, J. H. Reiners, Jr., Rocco Palese and Morris Praissman.
Members of the Republican County Committee, which organized last night, follow:
Camden City (*Indicates New Member)
First Ward — William H. Heiser and Marie McCready
Second — James Corea and *Susie Marchiano
Third — James E. Tatem and *Mary A. Ivins
Fourth — Martin A. McNulty and Madeline Salvatore
Fifth — Howard B. Dyer and Mary S. Hartung
Seventh — Edward A. Kemble and Mary D. Guthridge
Eighth — *Edmund A. Walsh and Mamie F. Piraine
Ninth — Edward Holloway and Deborah Schuck
Tenth — *Henry I. Haines and Lillian M. Walker
Eleventh — Horace B. Beideman and Etta C. Pfrommer
Twelfth — Carlton M. Harris and Mary E. Hamel
Thirteenth — Henry Knauer and Louella I. Whaland
Fourteenth — Jesse M. Donaghy and Lottie B. Stinson
Vocational School to Remain Open
Camden Courier-Post —
Freeholders Also Rescue Farm Aid Bureau and Home Extension Service
By approving issuance of a $20,000 emergency note, the Camden County Board of Freeholders yesterday afternoon assured continuance of the Camden County Vocational Training School and maintenance of the Agricultural Demonstration Bureau and Home Economic Extension Service until December 31.
To bring this about, the board voted to take advantage of a new state law permitting them to either refund present bond issues due or declare a moratorium on paying-off maturing bonds for three years.
Being relieved of the obligation of paying off maturing bonds, the board decided to continue the work of the school and two bureaus. The board voted to allot $16,500 to the school, $1700 to the agricultural bureau and $1500 to Home Economics. The school was scheduled to close this month. The two bureaus were closed February 1 despite protests from thousands of citizens.
The resolution authorizing the move was introduced by Horace G. Githens, Republican floor leader.
“This will assure continuation of the school at least until the end of the year,” said Githens. “We have always been of the opinion that these three functions of the county government are essential and should be continued without an increase in the tax rate.
“When, however, the county budget for 1933–34 was being considered, it was honestly determined that the money would not be available. At that time our legislative delegation suggested the possible relief through legislative action. These matters were therefore held in abeyance.
“Now we are happy to be in a better position. The legislature adopted or assured the adoption of bills sponsored by our Camden legislators which will make available to our county sufficient money to provide continuance of the three agencies without increasing county taxes.”
Refunding to Be Sought
Resolutions set forth that $330,000 worth of bonds mature this year and $2,352,000 in 1934 and that the board cannot see its way clear to meet these obligations. Therefore the bondholders will be requested to agree to refunding these bonds, the first installment to be made in five years and the balance not later than 10 years. C.C. Collings and Company were named agents for the bonds and the First Camden National and Trust Company depository.
If the bondholders refuse to agree to this arrangement, the board will declare a “holiday” and defer payments for three years.
When the board passed its resolutions regarding the school and two bureaus, Mrs. Marion R. Gilpin, president of the Camden County Council of Parents and Teachers, thanked the members. She had led a fight several months against ending the activities of these branches of the county institutions.
Petitions signed by 10,406 residents of Camden and 13,689 living in the county were withheld when the board announced it intended to reopen the two bureaus and keep the school in operation for the balance of the year. Fifty-three civic groups, clubs and Parent-Teacher Associations were included in the protest.
Mrs. Verga Appointed
Mrs. Elizabeth C. Verga, vice chairman of the state Republican committee, was named to the board of supervisors for old age relief for a five year term over the objections of Minority Leader George Brunner, of the Fourteenth ward.
Brunner said that because of her political position Mrs. Verga could not be expected to give impartial relief into which politics might be injected.
Alexander P. Schuenemann, Republican, jumped to his feet to defend Mrs. Verga, saying Brunner’s remarks were in the nature of charges against her.
Brunner replied that he would make the same objection if a prominent Democrat were being considered and for the same reasons.
County Engineer Beal M. Shucker was authorized to ask the State Highway Commission to match $25,000 appropriated by Camden County for the purchase of rights of way for relocation of the Haddonfield-Berlin road to skirt Gibbsboro.
Bids were rejected for the Church Road bridge, Colestown, because one was in error. The road and bridge committees were authorized to re-advertise for new bids.
A communication from the Camden County Medical Society asked the board to transfer the Department of Labor from the hall at Fifth Street and Taylor Avenue to more adequate quarters in the new court house annex. The society said the Workmen’s Compensation Bureau is housed in unfit quarters which are far too small. The letter was referred to the property committee.
Contract Awarded
The Had-Col Construction Company was awarded a contract for the reconstruction of River Road from Springfield Avenue to the northeast end in Pennsauken township on a bid of $14,633.
After passing a resolution of sympathy on the death of Edward Holloway, former custodian of the court house and city hall, the board elected Thomas Dickinson, Jr., acting custodian, at no increase in salary over what he received as assistant.
Bruner protested. He said the office of assistant custodian should be abolished as an economy measure.
Dr. Leslie H. Ewing, director of the board, replied the county was saving money by naming Dickinson as acting custodian without drawing the salary given to Holloway.
Hospital Bids Asked
The Lakeland central plant and asylum committee was authorized to advertise for bids for furnishing the new hospital for mental diseases. They will be received at the hospital board room on June 28.
In a communication to the board Wayland P. Cramer, county director of emergency relief, thanked the board for the quarters provided in the court house annex and for the cooperation of the board. He thanked the leaders of both political parties “for not permitting any phase of human suffering to become ensnarled with political expediency during the present crisis.”