The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-26


A very nice witness, and evidently very
useful young man, is Mr.. Michael Nolan, al
present Assistant District Attorney Of the city
and county of New York, under Mr.. Phelps.
From the testimony he has already given before
the legislative committee now engaged in IN.
vestigating the affairs of Cast Garden 1t Ia
clear that he is hiding his light under q
bushel while employed in the dry and often
Improbable business Of trying indictments
for conspiracy, Matchmaking, bribery and
corruption, perjury and other eccentricities
unsanctioned by the law. to which certain
portions of the h. he
should 90 to Washi yider
cellent successor of Boss Shepherd, or place
in the Cabinet would suit him, provided Bris-
tow and Jewell and Pierrepont go to the wall
in their fight against Delano AT all events.
wherever he may go, he should go out of the
Office of the public prosecutor of the city and
county of New York. That is no place for
Nolan.
Nolan's genius is of the precocious kind.
At the early age of twenty-five he enlisted
as gallant soldier in the cause of reform
Reform he says. was in fact his ''hobby" In
the days when the mighty engine bearing
that name rolled over the Tweed Ring, break
ing it into thousand pieces and crush
ing each separate piece to powder. 1t may
have been that the adventurous Nolan saw
visions of new rings in the air as the engine
noisily pulled forth its steam and smoke. At
all events he rode his hobby to Albany, car
rying with him bill to reduce the emigrant
head money from two dollars and
halt to one dollar and half. II
was q very just measure, says Nolan,
and went through on its merits Boss
Tweed, Alexander Frear, Larry O'Brien and
other public spirited citizens then represent
ing the city at Albany recognized it as e
good bill and supported ton its merits.
But the ship owners, who were to be saved
from paying dollar head to the public
treasury by its enactment, had agreed to pay
reformer Nolan one quarter that sum if it be-
came a law. 1t did become law, and Nolan,
it is said, received over sixty thousand dollars
for his services. This was certainly liberal
reward. But it was no more than an expert
rider on the "hobby" of reform valued him
self at about those days and no more than
many other reform champions secured. And
Nolan was sharp. too. II had some one in
troduce the bill for me- says the artless
Nolan to the committee; 81 forget the mans
name now, but he was country member.
preferred to have it introduced by country
member because I thought it would SAVIOR
more of REFORM And Nolan succeeded.
His country member, his arguments and the
merits of the measure prevailed. Of course
Nolan paid out no money at Albany-not a
dollar. He was ''reformer." SO was his
country member. So were Boss Tweed,
Aleck Frear, Larry OBrien and the rest OF
the friendly representatives. So was the bill
So we're the newspapers that clamoree for tho
passage of this reform measure. Admirable
Nolan-persuasive Nolan-reform Noanl In
justice to yourself let the people of New York
persuade you to vacate an Office so unworthy
OF your remarkable talents as that of Assist
ant District Attorney. You will do better
without such an Office and it is just possible
the Office will do better without you.