, 1873-04-05
JUDGE MAlLlSTER.
Conclusion Of tho Interview with
Ills Honor on Public
Affairs.
The Judge Gives His Views
on the Criminal
Court.
The System Of Judges Sitting
in Rotation Condemned.
The Influence of Sentences
on the Morale of the
Police.
The Probable Successor Of
Judge Thornton.
The Organization and Working
Of the Supreme Court.

VI GA0 0AtACA4V SVAA"
His Honor Resolves to Resign
Under Certain Contin-
gencics.
In the conversation hold with Tribune rep
tescntasiye, as already reported, Judge McAl1s-
tor made somo references to matters outside tho
Buprone Court md ita troubles, Which arc not
without interost, and which, coming from man
Of tho Judges position, nro vol worth printing.
The writor has already glven general idoa Of
Tbs honorable gontloman's appearance, which Is
strikingly composed and dlgniled.. As citizen
'of that vi}]age Wnnkogan, remarked, In Direct
Ing tho writer how he should recognize the Judge
u he SOW him on the street, or OF the way
TO his houses stYou can't mistake him, COS
there's nobody about hore that looks o bit like
him. Don't be afeora; you caut miAtake tho
Judge for anybody elss but tho Judge !" with
which rathor vague description, added to tho In
Formation that the Judge woro a plug hat, tho
man Of tho lead-penci had to bo satisfied. il.
It appeara that d local preacher has been Bit
ten with tho Supreme Court fever TINT seems to
have lately preVniled in country p1aoeB Ha fol-
lowed the load OF Mr. Clarloa Reed, with au Ut
lack on tho personal character Of the Supreme
Court Judges. He wRa not ashamed to inBin-
nate, from the pulpit, in The yery home Of the
Judge, that he was corrupt. He VAS Of that class
of men. however, who contno their attacka to
tnnuondoes. The unploasantnesa born out Of
Charley Reeds reniaanoss In the suporsodcas
business having thus roostod on tho Judges
very doorstep, 1t is not to DO wondered at that
the Judge has bocor1o reativo.
Judge McAlGstor has pleasant Way Of talk.
Ing, anu his words fall with wonderful clearneas,
1t ia not difficult task to become gratited
listener whom tho Judge Bpoaks. His action is
emphatic. but always digni6ed. When warmed
TO thesubjeot he starts up, md PAGES thoughtful.
~ toand fro, bonding his eyos on the ground. aud
winding up his intellectual works with tho action
of his laga- In thougnt anu purpVso alfn0si in
advance Of the day iu those reforms TINT tho law
can sanction, lis attiro aud bearing reminds one
Of an almost forgotten race. Flo jumps up from
hiB chair, to finish incomplete thought, and
10! one imagines that Ills great~grandfather has
stepped out Of tho thick-frnmed picture at home
and gone out for q walk without his throo-cor-
cred hat and wig. They do not build such col
lars these days. And mon prefer to talk fast,
and walk fast, than talk well and walk with q
iignifol mien.
The Judge has lively recollection OF tho days
when Ae was
RECORDER OF CHICAGO. 5
He also is firm believer in Austin Doyle, tho
Assistant Clerk Of the Criminal Court, whom he
characterizcs ns ono OF tho few men he feela dis
posed to tr1as. He WAS once believer in the
System exchanging the Judgeahip OF the Criminal
Court, but not as it ia now carried out, namely:
each Judge Bitting for d month, taking turng.
He took prominent share In agitating for the
Judges Of the Circuit aud Superior Courts sup
plying the Criminal Court with Presidents, but ho
nover contemplated tho stringent fashion nov
followed; or il he did, ho, now most strongly
hlsappro7ss Of it. Tho writer tudges, from tho
Judges remarks, that ho Is not an
admirer Of tho administration Of Cook County
criminal business. It is not likely that be would
be, be, Judge OF final appeal, receiving $1,000
and the public prosecutor in salary and
The reporter asked what His Honor proposed
regarding tho
PRESIDENCY OF TIE CRIMINAL COURT.
Tho Judge said there ought to be but one
Judge. It was impossible that g man should
step into tho Criminal Court, onco in q year. aud
be familiar with the businoss Bupposing that
tho rotation system continued, it should not bo
plated binding down the Judges to such system
"a was now adopted. They might nit for six
months in the year, or moro, it they liked.
There WIS nothing whatover in tho Constitution
although 10 might be rusty ut the beginning
would becomo q useful man at the cnd Of tie
term. In year, ho would become tho terror Of
criminals. What good was it to deprive man
s 1 Was 'gs ggs ors n q esEEas
BILE, but dangerous. It was impossible that o
Judge who sat only once in year could inform
himself Of all that was going on among tho
detoct q, prisoner as ono who Ind beona
occasion, bocauso ho @ bad soen I him. n.
The rotation judge did not sec enc prisoner in
formed his duties faithfully, would instantly
detect tho nun who. appeared the second ti1no
before him, aud give him tho benefit Of tho
WAS vol known That, under the present system,
thief convicted under ono Judge frequently
imposed upon another Judge who Ind noyor
i Tor 1e 81 spea an %
people would soon 500 TINT tho criminal system
must 10 reformed, aud the subject might thou
be a<1vantageously ventilated.
He spoke Of the demoraliztng effect on
TIE roLI0E roRuE
Of inadequate sentences. 1t vas impossible that
D Judge who sat only once or so i'll tho yeaF
should DO acquaintad with tho infamous charao-
tors Of tho city; and, consequently, a that Il. lo
He {a1cAllister) had not llkoa his position OF
Recorder; it was not an agreeable ono, Per-
haps tho position Of permanent Judge of tho
Criminal Court would not be much Of an I'M
proyomont, as far as the person elected to the
ofaco was concerned, should 1t ever be orcatol
but tho present system would soon cease to DO
1Is spoke with emphaAiH, and at some longth,
sto tho late police troubles OF this city, He
considered that, nt tho bottom of tho whole
Thing, was tho biclcring of tho Police Board.
Outsiders genorally saw these things better than
those who woro mixed up with thein The Het-
uoment Of the police question was a capital
hing: Tho police foroo should not bo brought
into ridioulo, and itR administrators should bo
SUSTAINED by tho aympathy ind moral aupport Of
lhe people. That support had boon afforded.
And the result Was satisfactory. At ono time.
Chicago might bs said to hayo boon withoniu
my police force O, at al, all 1hstlss, .sdluqas
Tho otizon. Lot the law bo brought Into con-
teupt, either In Ito higher Or Ito loNor btauohes.