The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-24
Jus1rcr PINcKNEY,s nEHA ZION.
Lawyer seeor's Conversations with Clerk
Anthony and city Marshal Farley.

At the hearing before Referee Buel yester-
day in the application for the removal Of Civil
Justice Walter s. Pnckney. Morris Goodhart, n
lawyer testified that he had always found the
Justice sober and clear minded when he was in
his court. John Sweeney. clerk for City Mar
shall Byrne. had been in court more than fifty
times. and he had always found Justice Pinck-
ncy sober. David X. Shuster. q lawyer. had
always found him sober and gentlemanly.
William II. Secor, large man with n small
black moustache. is lawyer and a friend Of
John Kelly. He testified that he had appeared
before Justice Pinckney twice. He first met
Patrick Anthony. clerk Of the court. one day
when the Justice was absent from the bench.
Before seeing Anthony he had met City Marshal
Cornelius Farley. who told him that Pinckney
drank to excess. Anthony said that Pinckney
was drinking but that Farlcys story was not
true. On the day Anthony received the note in
which the Justice said he was obliged to dis
charge him for political reasons. Secor met
Anthony again. Then Anthony told him that
Farley's story was true He added that he had
been shielding him. but now he had been re-
lieved from all obligations and he would got
square with him; He told Secor that no had
that there would be proceedings against Justice
Piuckney. and that he would take part in them.
The witness told him not to do anything with
going on. Anthony at that time applied an on
probrious epithei to Justice Plnckney, but Nj.
Secor did not wish TO repeat IL to the referee. II
was too vile. he explained. TO repeat
Under cross examination Mr. Secor testified
that he did not know Justice Pinckney person
rs to sobriety All his knowledge relating to
that was direct from Farley. Anthony, and But
House. Long Brunch. Farley told him that
Pinckney was drinking 10 excess. Butler ex-
pressed doubt as to Farley's story. and Anthony
dan t.aNH a hat
1t was true. Mr. Secor had seen Justice Pnck-
ney lying on the. sofa in his private room one
He asked him what was the matter, and Pnck-
ney told him that he had been much All icted
with q nervous disorder and was also afflicted
expaned ved in New J Jersey on the " shrsws
bury River or Toms River. where there WIS
plenyof fever and aRue, and he had caught
the disease there. Once in coming from Long
Branch Mr.. Secor had spoken TO John Kelly
about the case, but the remarks were merely
on the truth or falsity OF report about the case
that both Of them had read. The witness was
not allowed. under objection Of Mr.. a. II,
iNeayey,t 70 answer the question. Did you tell
Mr.. Butler OF the Mansion House that IN Justice
Pinckney came to the house you would NOT stay
there 2" As far as Mr.; Secor knew the general
thought that the matter was of no interest TO the
community anyway.
Mr.. u. steifei a lawyer. testified, that he had
seen Justice Plnckney nervous but he could
not swear that he was intoxicated.
Mr. Jacob N. Beck, a barber. was the deien;
dant In suit tried in the Seventh District Civil
Court. He testified that Justice Pnckney was
clear minded and sober when he saw him.
Assistant Corporation Counsel Miller unsuc-
previous testimony stricken out on the ground
that II was not contradictory Of the charges
brought. Referee Buel thought It was admis-
sibe as touching on the question OF general
Jacob L. HaDes a lawyer. had tried long
case before Justice Pnckney. during which he
had seen no indications of intOxcation in him.
The next hearing Is to be on Friday afternoon.