New-York tribune., 1871-11-15
REFEREE LAWYERS
a SYSTEM WHICH CoRRUyrstsEscH I. AND

a cAOiAA "hIod OORkURIsy BENCH AND
t.a bAK, ,,6fsksff{ .a,-l- u slat
LIST oY OUR JuDaEs AND FTEelR eRAaxBer-
WI M TWEED Az A KEfBRH1 LAWYkR-
I'D, hAhAAho AND oARnoEOv- kRlATiVEa--5N-
af. 1890 v sLA9hANT hAT0hIIohi AND
" vI0ar S,s.-.n..s - @ ststLA WnIon nUor
~ GsvAA Ihh soptCaAHi'
GEORGE saao Mf. Wilham n. Tweed, sew
erai yeafs AKU, When nrss attempting TO recover om
financial BANKRUPTCY through political intrigue
George" addressing the Hon. George q. BaFnard then
- now Judge Of tha S1pfeme Court II hear these ref
aree cases arc very prontaoae' ana I'd Ike 70 have
share In EN-" n, ,. n. r.r. .tf'.
Xou canf' Tycod, NAs the ses"sr OF the Honofaols
Judgei " yo1 Gin'te ANTer"E,l. .- ..H
"Weri can't you make me lawyer" ....-
"Yes, sfisr sue On three pears Study"
But amt there some quicker method T. aaked Tweed
"oh, yea" said the complaeept justiosi certainly
there L. 90 b Fret -i tall nm you are ri0ed OF
mine and hen give 700 diploma 70 me shortest way
posSole" .,.t - oil .sr1.uL'.. t
AccordingU Ar Tweed repaired - tne Proiessor wnen
tho follOWng conversation y sntd 70 nave r1curred'
Ar'Tvecd-Ffoteasor' my name y TveediA an n1end
Of Judge HaEnard's, and want b be lawyer How
long II 1t going 70 takep ,, ,.,,, 80, ,..'f..
Professor-Wel, about two ysaFa f D. .e tJ's.r
Mr.. Rxeed-Twc years, professoRi Why George tOld
me you could AZ 1t for me, nEnt GgHy. AZ TIE asme
time opening weilhlled purse. ,--fo.a NEs.1
Professor TOu are friend Of George gBernArds you
sayS .'.. - 6.a
hr. Tweed-YeA NOw couldn't you let me have the
diploma at once1 "t -
Professor tsmibngiy)-HSye you ever studiedlaw, Mr.
Tweed' 4r.t
Mr. Tweed--Yes, Bir-that Is, have had considerable
practice in It for . number of years rs.s
PrOfessor-Wel II you have studied law ana are =
friend Of George Barnards think We prepare your
diploma and send II 10 you.
And thus Mr.. Tweed. with capacity which must have
astouiahed e. much q his hbOrslty delighted tts Pro
Ava
Of profesaon knowledge Of which the ordinary intel
lect requEes years 10 Stan But those who inclined
10 smile incredulously at Mr.. Tweeda assumed mowl
edge Of the law shOuld remember that no haa made all
the law we have had IN ths city and county for year,
The pecuniary attraction Of the Referee busnessthe
enormous extent Of the mine TO which legal diploma
was the open sesame ;" may be readily Inferred when
Tweed himself coud not resist IT, Having t}us secured
right 10 share in this legASed plundeF he proceeded
TO exercise Il By having himself appointed leeree in
cases wherain large amounts Of money were involved
and corresponding fees were consequently obtlnable
ImmediAtey after his admission certain prominent pol
iticians made tour Of the courts and solicited the
Judges TO send Mr. Tweed the references they could
At this time Judge Cerko senior Professor Of tho
University, and all diplomas required to be signed
by him. The judge, in q conversation lately held with
the writer stated that he was much surprised whom In
formed Of Mr. Tweeds admission TO the bar a. he was
not aware that e latter had ever devoted khmse 10
the study Of the law m any Office Hand hsd never At
tended the courses a the Unversity and be had
Aigned any diploma for Mr. Tweed The Judka u posi-
tive that be never aligned Tweeds diploma, unless the
same was presented 70 hm for agnsture with number
Of others, ana he dgned It unwittng1y But this, he
thinks was highly improbable as he was in the habit of
examining personally every certificate brought to him
before signing
By act passed April Isoo any person whom tho
University had conferred the degree Of Bachelor Of LAws
was entitled 20 admission to practice a. attorney and
|
ance Of not Isas than three terms Of twelve weeks eacb
or rwo terms Of twelve weeks each and ono years study
OF the law elsewhere required before degree
could be conferred.
Judge Cerke was, in common with all members Of the
bar who respect their profesa0n Indignant &C the abuse
pfacticed By the admission of persons utterly unoua
fed and in order to check the same recommended and
obtained an Amendment Of Rule Of the Supreme Court
which prevented the private examination Of applicants
thereafter Upon his retirement from the bench Judge
r1erto res,,rad tha nrocrtce ana ,nctdorton 10 a..
tesaloo sIs prHeu0e, ana iac,ucn'any uy Tue
OcnSen1 OF cOunSel Sas appointed NeIoree IN number
Dro.sn.sd 70 Yna~s arnorT 1os sra. sr"" ,a
order, and the name Of james H. Coleman, on some
OTHER of the lstters Gratses," inserted instead And
paragng 10 Judge Clerke, this being OF ts ways
y'Ss 70 70 'I1 snS %
ne may n0Ppen " en'sr'"n ASain'' particular i"d''
AZ further instance of this, IL may be related that no.
,onS sca h.haas cornns came nm hesors h, whsro,r
the production Of Ohd alleged % be in the custody of
the Commissioners o. Charities, & was clatasd kstHrn
petitioner Denied and asked for an order of reference TO
decide the question In n rSpCnSe s.S JUDGE barnard ,ad
pat.ras a. tn,. ns,ts, h.rss anS Go,lars q, ~ sOd
them turning to friend seated Oe.ie hm, he put biz
hands 70 his mouth and made some satirlc remark