New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-06-14
ODE DISTRICrATTORNEY.


To say that John r. Fellows has achieved
n diseraceful failure as District-Attorney IS
sin,ny to record the verdict OF this community.
He has justified the most drastic of the criti-
cisms that were passed upon him during his
canvass. He has evinced contempt for pub
tic sentiment a lack of professional pride, a
disregard of even the ordinary claims OF pro-
fessional duty that have been simply amazing.
A new broom however worthless the material
Of which it is composed, commonly does some
clean sweeping. But Fellows has been
worthless and unfaithful public servant from
the start His management Of the Squire
Flynn case could not have been worse It's
.outcome-a direction from the court that the
iury should acquit-was an emphatic testi-
mouial to the incapacity, Incidence and general
untrustworthiness of this chief law officer of
the CITY and County of Newly York. 1t was the
well-nigh universal feeling Of those who fol-
lowed the trial that it would have been scarcely
possible to imagine prosecution that came
nearer being synonym for impotency in the
first degree.
Now once again public attention is called
to District-Attorney Fellows. 1t might hayo
been thought that the wretched spectacle which
he made of himself in the Squire-Flynn case
would have the effect of inducing him to be
careful of his official reputation-at least Tor
little while. But no. The disgrace OF
March is followed by downright scandal in
these carly days Of June. The details of this
scandal were given in these columns Tues
day. They prove, if proof were needed, that
every hour that Mr.. Fellows remains in the
District Attorneys Office is fraught with dan
ger to the public welfare. He shows by his
conduct that pleasure before business is his
motto and that he is more interested in partisan
politics than in the administration of justice.
lie does not hesitate to leave Special Grand
Jury in the lurch, to bring the business of
the Dissrict-Attorney's Office to standstill at
a critical slime, and in so doing to embarrass
the very interests Of the people which under
his oath of office he is pledged to promote.
And WHY For the purpose, forsooth, of at
tending the st. Louis convention and OF in
dulging in subsequent frolic in Minnesota.
And yet this is the same John r. Fellows
who. when he was running for Office last fall
used this letter as his chief campaign docu-
ment:
Executive Mansion, Washington, Nov 2.
Hon. George H. Foster, Chairman:
Dear sir: 1t Will DO impossible f0r mo 10 comply
with your courteous invitation to meet with those who
propose to ratfy to evening the nominations
of the united Democracy. With the hearty wish that
every candidate upon your excellent ticket may be
elected, I yours very truly,
GROVER CLEVELAND.
The reputable voters of New-York organ
lied non-partisan movement to defeat Eel
lows and elect candidate thoroughly
equipped by character, capacity and special
training for the District-Attorneyship. 1t
might have been thought that President Cleve-
land would either help along this righteous
movement or at least would keep his hand
out Of the canvass. But he chose to back
FELLOWSHIP is that kind of reformer. And
so Fellows, believing that ono good turn de-
serves another, naturally turned up at st.
Louis as one of the managers of the Cleveland
machine. Judge Barrett holds that the Special
Grand Jury had prior claims on the District
Attorneys attention. Mr.. Ceveland-well, of
course, he cannot be expected to agree with the
Judge