The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-01-07
BIGGER THAN BHDLH.
A Reminder of the First
Impeachment New Jer-
sey Ever Knew.

The death at his home on Fairview ave-
nue. yesterday, of ex-Judge Peter N Hors-
ley, calls to nlind'one of the most inter
esting incidents in the history of the
State.
Mr.. Horsley enjoyed the unique distinc-
tion of being the first man who was i'm
peached in New Jersey. He was elected
Justice of the Peace back in the sixties,
when that office was of mnch more i'm
portance both from financial and judi
cial point of view than it is now.
The Justices court corresponded to
the present District Court in all civil
cases where the amount involved did not
exceed 500. Exceedingly complicated
questions sometimes arose, which to-
gether with other circumstances made
the Office of Justice of the Peace one of
some little dignity, and many of the en-
cumbeDts lost their heads in conten-
plating this dignity.
Horsley seems to have been one of
those, and conducted himself in such q
high-handed manner that there was q
general movement among the bar for mis-
removal
THE CLOCK SET AHEAD.
Jacob Weart once appeared for the de-
fendant In suit before him which the
Justice set down for hearing at ten
O'Clock of a certain day.
When Mr.. Weart appeared before
Horsley prepared to defend the case, he
was greatly surprised to be informed by
Mr.. Horsley that he was too late, as the
case had been decided against Kim an
hour before.
Weart and those with him produced
| watches, which all agreed that it WAS
ten o'clock. But Horsley only pointed to
his clock. which denoted eleven o'clock.
| and said that Horsley's clock said eleven
O'Clock, and that court was run by
| Horsley's clock.
| On one occasion Jonathan Dixon, now
| n Justice of the Supreme Court, took ex-
| ceptions to some of Horsley's rulings and
| in denouncing them, spoke out in pretty
plain English. Horsley declared that the
| dignity of his court had been assailed
| and that he would commit Mr.. Dixon for
| contempt.
| Mr.. Dixon defied him, and although
| Horsley went SO far as to make out the
| commitment he did not cause Mr. Dlxon's
| imprisonment
JUDGE BEDLE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING.
| The act of Horsley which did more
| than anything else perhaps to lead to his
| impeachment was his disregard of writ
of certiorari issued by Justice Bedle of
| tie Supreme Court.
Justice Dixon was also concerned in
| the case. He had a dispossess case before
f1OfSley anu remembering the scenes
mentioned above went to Justice Bedle
| and obtained the writ of certiorari re-
moving the case to the Supreme Court
| for review before a warrant could be is
! sued to dispossess his clients.
In issuing the writ Justice Bedle told
| Mr. Dixon not to serve it until Horsley
had rendered his decision.
AS was expected Horsley decided
against Judge Dixon's clients, and the
writ was served upon him. He imme-
| diately became furious and declared that
Judge Bedle did not know what he was
doing and had no right to issue the writ
| before judgment was given. He refused
to recognize the writ and issued his war
rant.
This was too much for the lawyers of
| the city and they resolved to take some
action against the man. Articles of i'm
| peachment were found against him in
| the Assembly and sent over to the Senate
| for trial. 1t was a celebrated case, both
| from the fact that it was the first of its
nature in the State and the standing of
the men engaged in it.
RoBEsoN's START.
Ex-Secretary George NJ. Robeson. who
was then Attorney-General, and Jacob
| Weart, prosecuted the suit, and Judge
| Williamson defended him.
1t is said that the speech made by
| George NJ Robson in this trial was what
| first attracted attention to him and was
the beginning of his subsequent State
| and national career. The trial lasted
some time and resulted in the conviction
| of Horsley. and he was forever barred
| from holding an office of public trust and
emolument IN this State