New-York tribune., 1889-10-29
4 LETTER FROM RENRY SCHMITE
HIS ABSURD EFFORTS TO DEFEND LEON
kBBETT
22e broadway. New York. Oct 2s 1880
70 tho Edltor OF The TribMnn

ALBEIT.
900 broadway. Ncw-York, Oct 2s. 1880
4" 'he Editor Of The Tribune.
m sr; My attention has been called TO an article in
lug Irioune Of this morning headed " Leon Albeit
ana the Barr The article was evidently written az
a political campaign document against Mr.. Albeit.
INC chargos referred to IN the article ars false.
Inc transaction referred TO I'm the article is alleged
10 nave occurred I'm 1870 fifteen years before I be.
zane partner OF Mr. Albeit and seven years befor,
i was admitted to the bar Therefore / could not
nave appeared for either the Stock Yard Company
VT 'h' Erie Company, IS nmated In the article.
In the fan of 1887 yielding the persuasion of a
personal friend. member OF tho Bar Association,
aIo"ed my name to be presented for aim ssIon. !
understood that the committee OF the Bar Association
oh admissions consisted OF twentyone members. !
am informed that the subcommittee who inquired
ih'o my qualifications reported favoraby TO the com.
mluee OF twenty-One. and that the committee OF
t"ehty-one unanimously recommended me for election
W membership Before the association had acted
upon the report in my case Mr.. Albeit withdrew
MS name. / am informed that IN May, 1888,
moro were 1Ol6 members OF the Association ::
Oh ths number sixteen seventeen cast their votes
against me- which, under the rules Of the association
prevented my election Many eminent members of
ihe bar and Of the association subsequently
ana Informed me that, had they known there would
DO any opposition, they would have attended and voted
were given to tho committee from judges of our
courts, and by such eminent members Of the bar as
Messrs. John f. Parsons, Frederick X. Coudert John
d. scrlbner, Mr.. Alexander. exJndge Fancher and
many Others
No written charges, or copy Of the charges" as
yout article states, was ever presenter to mo by my
partner. Whatever charges may have been male
secretly TO the committee, tho investigation OF them
by the committee must have satisfied them that they
were false. for as stated, had their unanimous
recommendation
The whole attack is a cowardly one. evidently
maie for political effect against the canvass of Mr.
Albeit anl intended to njuro our repuiatlons
/ therefore ask you 10 publish this entire com
munlcatlon, and to give it the prominence that you
have given to the article TO which It is reply, AMI
that you send me the names Of the persons who
inst,gated caused the article 10 be published.
Yours, etc. HENRY SCHMITT.
This foolish letter from Mr.. Schmitt does not
alter the facts lie may have his own opinion
about the exposure of the record of the Democratic
candidate for Governor Of New-Jersey, aad may
continue to hold it.. But all his excuses and eX-
plantations cannot obscure the plain truth, that
"A sufficient number of members of the Bar AS
soclation TO decide the result did not wish to have
either Mr.. Albeit or Mr. Schmitt become men,
ber Of the organization, whose membership IN
cludes all the really hOnored and esteemed lawyers
at the bar of the metropolis. Mr.. Albeit in
order to escape the ignominy of being black
balled, withdrew his name. Mr.. Schmtt pre-
ferred that ignominy. Every man to his choice
No letter from Mr.. Schmtt can pervert or oh
scure the evident fact that the door of the Bar
Association was practically shut in the face of
both men, As to any names which MIR. Schmitt
would like to get, he may be an old man before
he gets them.-Ed)