The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-09-22
JUSTICE BOUGHT AND SOLD
THE SHdMEFUL TRANSACTIONS OF
A DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
Indictments and Bail bonds stolen from the
Criminal Court In Washinaton-The Cash
Price for the LibernIion Of n Priaoner.


WASHINGTON. Sept. 21.-The shameless
prostitution Of the courts OF this District Is we'll
known. The temple OF justice was denied. as
everything else was, by the Grant-she pherd
Ring but now that the day OF reckoning has
arrived, and the public is allowed one peep at
the inside condition Of the Police Court, even
those who thought It very bad are astourded.
The release OF the safe burglar benton bv Fisher
and Harrington was bad enough, but that was
necessary TO save those two officials from the
peDitentiary. hut the release Of the burglar
Schneider not influenced by any such
motives. II was "a simple bargain and sale OF
justice. It is true that Harrington and his
coadiutor In tho safe burglary, WIN. NJ. Evans,
were the pfinciDnl agents with Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Fisher IN this bold crime. Hut It
was done Tor 50 much cash, OF the equivalent
thereof.
And no sooner Is this piece OF viliainy un-
covered than the community and the country are
startled by the intelligence that the records OF
the Criminal Court OF the District, the highest
timpered with. and indictments and bail bonds
abstrNcted. Persons here began to ask them
selves and their neiRhbors " hat next2 IL was
well-kuown fact that indictments against pUto-
rious criminals had not been called, and the
guilty parties had been allowed to 20 free time
and again. But II was supposed that these
papers had simply been suppressed by the Dis
when an honest ofiicial would have charge OF
thai once, something might be done. But a few
DAYS ago the startling discovery was made that
hfy-two indictments aud ball bonds could not
be found by the Clerk Of the court.
The case was given 70 two city detectives who
were known to be unfrlendy TO the Ring, and
last night they srrested Charles q. Fisher and
locked him up In Police Headquarters. To-day
he waived a he airing and was admitted to bail.
forty-two Of the stolen papers were found in
the pOss, ,esion OF a sporting man, with whom
they had been deposited by young Fisher. Many
persons have since come forward and said that
they have been arrested on trivial charges, and
then 10 few days received propositions to com
promise the cases from some one OF the shys-
ters who nave made the police court their head
quarters. The gang which has infested this pur-
lieu of Justice has long oeen headed by A. B.
williams, who was Indicted with Harrington as
one OF tine safe-burgliry conspiritors. lie has
been the go-betwcen OF the District Attorneys
office and the gamblers and houses OF prostiJu-
tion, on whom monthly blackmail OF 500 was
levied.
lie was also OF the counsel for slater, who
was a few months ago sentenced to the peniten-
tary for the killing of one Hussey. Slater W 8
convicted OF murder In the Drst degree on his
nrst trial. He was told, however, that he could
have new trial " he would pay for IT, lie paid
Sl5,OJO. ana obtained his new trial, md was re-
leased on bail. lie subsequently pleaded guilty
to homicide, ana was sentenced to three years
III tue Albany penitontary. lie was from first
10 last bled 10 the tune OF $4,000. There.are
many other cases similar to tnis Trial by jury
here had become mere farce. The juries were
packed, and convictions or acquttdls were Sc
cured at the Will Of this combination of scoln-
drcs who run the District Attorneys ofice.
such shameless prostitution Of courls Of justice
has not been knOWn In any country.
Ii +. Leighton, Deputy Clerk OF the Police
Court, has resigned, stating as reason for doing
50 that portion Of the press had unjusty CON
nected his name with the release OF Schneider,
the burglar. on fraudulent bail, and further,
that no imputatiOn might rest on the Police
Court through him. Mr.. l. ighton was acting
as Chief Clerk at the time that Green, barber
OF baltimore, WAS Int oduced TO him 10y schnei-
der's counsel AS David Edcs. wc-kDown cIti-
zen of Georeetown. IN whose name Green en-
tered MS bail for Schneider.