New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-11-27
g THE ERMINE IN THE RING. >"

r. I+;s o., extraordinary production every way, I'D
subject manner of treatment, andstyle. IL
Of hu,nan sbame. II calls men by their names IL
recounts with simplicity that startieS you "
they have been doing There is great deal 10 In
struct the reader collateray but the interest
as it should do around the three heroes OF tne mar
ratiye.p These three heroes are George g. Barnard
Albert Cardozo, and Richard OGorman' No"
George G. Barnard and Albert Cardozo are Judges OF
the Supreme Court of the State OF New iorR.
Richard O'Gorman is Counsel to the Corporation OF
the CITY of New-York and the Narrative tells the
world with marvellous exactness how these three
men were induced by Fernando Wood to help him 10
ssOOOO out of the City Treasury. Two OF these men
sit daily in Judgment on every variety OF legal qes
tions which concern q human being. All sorts OF
social disputes. of family controversies, OF business
deficiencies, involving honor, reputation me- anu
property are daily submitted to the judgment Oh
two men, 1t is the business OF Richard oOorlhah l"
represent the City of New-York in legal capacity
to protect its interest therein 10 ward on atIeps
the treasury made under Color oi l9sai Tbs
ings and to keep plunderers at arms Iength. lhs
Narrative" tells us how these three men pc,Ia{P
their trust 1t calls hard names 1t does NOT dea
in a single eXpleive its tone Is even suOdued pu,
there is in 1t ghOut fidelity to truth 80 eod ane
remOrseless that it makes you shlyer HOW u VIII "a
feet these three men is yet 10 De kown NJ cav
hasheard of the Fernando Ood lease case "esa9;
'has heard of it," 1t is doubtful If 80 people out OF
the 1000 900 in this city really know care anything
If Wood has cheated the City ont of $4,000. and
these three have helped him to 90 H. why IL -
less than 20 cents apiece, as contribution rom can
souI-and il is "A great satisfaction TO know lnat ~
mi gbt have been much worse. Will not this Nara.
tiveD stir up the people to sense OF their danger
For no one can tell whom next may he iOfced 10 at
tempt TO protect his rights III court Wnere e Iopk
est purse is sure TO win. But to our history
The Ermine in the Ring is. in substance, the eh-
planation of beaten lawyer TO his clients OF the way
Ia, oh fhair lost These clltnlS arc TIC
taxpayers of the City of York VINO are H az
judged TO pay the $4,000 to Fernando W oo1; an9
O'(iorman the leading counsel for the city III tnls
Wood lease case. and the official defender OF the
ctys treasury. No. on the contrary hichaFd Op0r-
man abos successfully 10 let the assalants INTO the
fastness which he had volunteered by a sacred
promise to guard. This explanation 10 enents, 80
lar as furnishing the facts is concerned IL that OF
Isaiah f. Williams esq, the counsel associated WIN
Richard OGorman for the city, who worked win an
his might from first 10 last To prevent the ntenaeo
spite of Barnard and Cardozo, II OOOrmah lad uohe
his duty. 4. !, ,oo,bino
mare than mere explanation lt is, as the writer
nyows an attempt 10 check wlekedness by turning
upon it the power of an aroused puplie 1poni ile
heves that the United States are healthy ana nom
est and good and that when the people are male 10
feel the real significance Of such gross pubic eSiI rs
that of n prostituted Supreme Court Of New-lork
Civ the mere effect of the universal cOntenptNhcb
will focus upon the dishOnored bench from tue mn
lion souls of the city, the three mlliohs oI the olteI
fine thirty millions of the Union, Will 90 lar To shrNel
fine criminals inylsbility and leave their places
| TO be filled by better men. We extract the writers
| Introductory statement of this doctrine and pur'
This transaction bears with immediate and intense
force upon " the most vital ana present prooes
Of the republic IL suggests WIN great eieacSs' s"0n
l. the ,%s e f or great cities f"0ean
l. an elective Judiciary IN great el'ies p'"'ue"'
source 81 TO- seek to purify the municipal govern.
ment OF New 1osk Ie en- i h
sin ~ 1act That shows them To be as Praecai ns ts
MI fact is that the discussion Of vigilance c"iHt.ro
fr the CITY OF NewYork after the pattern o thal VI eau
Froc,co becomes more and more frequent among AO"'
e., and often been said that the corruption Of
,he Nav York Ciy Government II beyond cure Tor tno
tan that the evil has ceased 20 interest inc puOue
a,,nou that good citizens have become apaiheuc oh
The subject; and that thus nobody viii Try IN any way to
| interfere with the d0lnEs Of the 'Kiug' - ,,
To believe this, is To despair 81 the lephbc ana As
matter of fact whatever may he concluded as 10 the ca
rrcr of the Ctzens Association 8s whole te history VI
the first beginnings of that body substantially proves
that the corfnpons great city can be cured II az
tlckcd in the right way. Among the Observation-Disclosures
for such purpose probably none can De luie
than the simple yet difficult process OF PLAIN ana anthem
lie narration. The American NINA IT, ~ Whole 80 Jas'
clean, morally healthy ihal Tue lne,o @ -
great evil proved aud believed. attracts pressure OF
ethical opposition which Is humanly ,peaklnel sure to
cXurpaie tie evil SCOOTER or Later III 'le 'oHS rum e
United states l. sure To do rght. -, ,. -. -
NrwYork is the exponent OF all that IA worst not IN
the State OF Newlork only but III Ia. e"unlH -! ~
importance head and "A heart of rolhmelcal anu
literary and travelling, and all other movements IN
word, by virtue oi IFS position as the chFi Cchet VI
our national hfc-by virtue OF TINS, IL u htttssy anu
an he rest This theory has already been reduced into
successful practice by the Metropolitan commissions
that are governing New-Nork Cy. and which, IN their
me Sfte enforced upon Me OeT.r DoruY 81 NE ety IL
l. in the strong hope of materially reinforcing tue ataes
imam the worst citadel OF evil IN tile United States, tat
tile present true story Is told
Ii would be delightful experience. II mere mar
native of the doings of wicked officials should suffice
10 drive them out OF office. And Yet suppose tbat
"A record could be produced as We have promised III
shall he al necessary, of one hagTant transaction
after another and another, and another. and so on
as full the present one as open ami detailed IN It's
explanations of the secret tricks anu nanlpnathss
of these bad men. would not the effect Ot the aceu-
mutation of frighiul truth after time lralyIe ana de-
sruy Them just IN the contrary manner the effect
of the su-caiied " cumulative pOisons paIayZes AMI
destroys the healthy body Or To avoid further eN
pOsurcs viii Barnard, Cardozo and OGornon retire
from public life. and rid the bench ana the oar oi
their dIscredtabe official presence IL can do no
harm To make this suggestion compliance Win
which would save vast deal Oi labor III preparing
further narratives" -
The story itself of THE Ermine in the Ring may
he condensed into the following enumeration OF
points . -
yote, to renew certain leases of rooms IN Woods
luldng Nos l15 and III NaSSaIl-st the rooms being
nominally for the use of the City Law Department.
The former rent had been $40 year; the new
rent was tn Ice SlS,UOO year.
IL is perfectly notorious that the old rent was moro
than they were worth. The Corporation Counsel had
not used them nj all but occupied other rooms at Nos
81 and 81 Nassast. Other parties had occupied pcI
tions of them. and paid second rent 10 Hood. who
thus collected two rents for rooms whose nominal
occupants were paying third rent elsewhere"
1ne resolution was earned by means of the dis
trbutOn OF about $1,000 10 membeTs OF the Common
Council, and the promise If about as much more.
Mayor Gunther signed the resolution, and then, II
seems. retraced his signature, or tired To do so, on
the ground that it MAS fraudulent ana hnally or
possibly at first for the Mayors story Is confused
ban gained with the Aldermen TO " he IN favor of 1t
if they would he i'll favor of the Ann-St Exten-