New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-12

THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICE.
If the machinery of the District-Attorney's
Office has been set up and put in motion for the
purpose Of diverting the community, it might
not be worth the money it costs, but it would
at least be making brave and persistent effort
30 earn It. Since, however, the object Of Great
ing and maintaining that expensive establish
ment Is the conviction of criminals. every man
who likes to see some sort of relation preserved
between purpose and achievement is justified in
asking whether on the whole 1t would not be
quite as we'll for Colonel Fellowss assistants
to accompany him upon his travels, and to let
knaVes laugh openly as they now do in their
sleeves.
The boy Krulisch, charged with the murder
of fellow-clerk, has been declared innocent
by twelve good men and true, and it does not
become anybody to hold him guilty after that
verdict. His trial, however, suggests certain
reflections which It does no harm to express.
It is the theory of the law, often dwelt upon
with rapture by practitioners in the criminal
branch of that noble science, that sharp and
vigilant prosecution is equally benefcent in
clearing the innocent and in oonfounding the
guilty Colonel Fellows is hired by the city to
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have long since ceased to expect that he will
do so, they feel certain lingering curiosity as
TO his motives in abandoning all the precedents
of his Office. In the case of Krulisch there was
abundant evidence to warrant a strenuous effort
on the part of the District-Attorney to mako 1t
conclusive. Was the selection Of the youngest
and most inexperienced of his assistants to try
the prisoner accused of this conspicuously
brutal and cold -blooded murder an altogether
satisfactory and convincing proof of that rare
ability and devotion which Mr.. Hewitt and
MIR. Cleveland recognized In their candidate
two years ago? We desire to express our adj
miration for the delicate sensbihty which kept
Mr.. Jerome awake at night and caused him to
shed tears In court. and which finally led him
to thank the Jury in voice ohoked with emo
ton fer their disregard of all that he had said
and done in the course of the trial. MIR.
Jeromes tender heart is 4 thing to be proud
Of, and it will doubtless give him many de-
licious sensation, half joy half pain, as in the
present instance, before he has done with il;
but we are inclined to think that he has missed
his vocation. Certainly If he had stayed
awake in the daytime instead Of at night he
might have been of more assistanceto the jury.
They might have even rendered q verdict with
out leaving their seats.
We frankly acknowledge that the District
Attorneys staff are entitled to considerable
amount Of sympathy, and ought not to be
judged harshly IN respect to their constant and
lamentable failures. OF course, they are de-
moralized and discouraged by the absence and
indifference Of their chief The moral and in
tellectual effect upon them Is bad, and in add
ton to that they are subjected to many prac-
teal difficulties and embarrasSments. Subor-
dinate naturally shrinks from displaying quail
fies which are manifestly dstasteful to his
superior, and from rebuling by his own activ-
fly and energy the sloth and unfaithfulness
which are set before him as an example. In
the case of sensitive soul like Mr.. jerome
this constraint must amount to total blight
but every man on Colonel FellowSs staff must
feel as often as he goes into action that he has
been "hoodooed" by his chief.
Under this shiftless and disreputable admin
istration of the District-Attorney's office New
York is rapidly becoming safe and agreeable
place of residence for criminals. A good many
have ascertained this fact already by expert
ence or common report, and the manner in
which the trial of Krulisch was conducted will
have an encouraging effect upon many more.
1t is seldom that the predictions of either party
in campaign are fulfilled so accurately as
those made by Republicans in tho campaign
which resulted in the election of Colonel Fell
lows have been fulfilled. He was declared to
be totally untitled for the Office by his char
acter, his affiliations, and his habits Of thought
and action. That was the truth then, and
everybody now knows that it was the truth.
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