New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-05
.JTDGE md Boo''

,,,Ioo Uor, cl,'s continuance in the position
r. = f,ction leader at Albany while holding the
,ei.o of Sunreme Court Justice has become
,,t;nn Ioss than q public scandal. lie is cX-
omnlifyino the evils that were prcdlctod as
sure 10 result from the method OF eIcc'in9
.Judccs. Fortunately, the general experience
has been that politicians upon becoming Judges
lave laid aide that part OF thcir character is
politicians which i inconsistent with the JUDI
cial Office. Judge lIcrrickS case Is an eXccp-
,;,r and an unfortunate and humating one.
II was suproscd that the qualification OF his
ambition to be a Supreme Court Judge would
bling an end to h' activity as political boss ::
Int TN the contrary, he seems to be using his
new authority as a means of Strengthening his
faction and himself in its leadership.
The LITIGATION now going on between rival
boards of directors. each claiming To represent
a majority Of the capital stock of The Argus
ncwsu,ucr nj Albany has served 10 place the
conduct Of Judge lIcrick in particularly dis
agreeable light One Judge having determined
that LITIGATION in favor Of the board headed by
Mr.. William Men, Spccr and against the board
headed b. Judge II"nick'S friend Mayor Man
Ming. Judge lIcrrck stayed the effect of that
decision. intcrpoSing - prevent Mr. Spccr from
aSumng c.ntrol Of "Thc Argus ard to hold
Mr. Manning in POSSESSION OF II. Ihcfeupon
Mr. Spcrr'S attorneys requested Judge llefilck
to send the hearing Of the stay T. another Judge
than himself. alleging that he had formerly
been Manning'S attorney and the law par/cr
Of Nannng> broth rr-n-law, that brother-n
law bring one of the directors who sustained
Manning and who were ou>'cd by The decision
Judge llcrrick had suspended. Thos: certainly
were REASONS enough why Judge IIcnick should
never have interviewed At all. and why, having
inicrycnod. h. should now let the matter 20
before another Judge.
I,ut 10 all these rea.onS an affidavit Of Mr.
Spccr ad Is much more serious one. Mr. Npccr
acg, that Judge lIerick subsequently 10 tn"
inc when ~pccr obtain Il Il controlling interest
in 'Thc Argus Company. sought interviews
with him inquired IL 10 the position he in
tended to assume in LEGAL politics, asked him
TO pledge The Argus To the support Of the
Iicrrick faction. insisted on The reelection of
MIR. Manning a, pl, >idcnt Of "Thc Argus
Complny. and. upon ~pecr> refusal 10 do these
things. threatened him with the starting OF
rival Democrat. paper. 1t j. d>gracetul that
having been party 10 such conversation a.
this. Judge lIcrch should At any time have
vcnturrd I, Use hi> power, IL a Judge III behalf
If the Manning directory. II i still more dis
graceful that. with this conversation made pub
ic IN an affidavit read in court before him and
bv him admitted 10 be substantially accurate.
he should now declare that nevertheless he will
hear the case.
Judge llcnick should take himself ont OF
polite, 81 ont Of the supreme Cont Of New
York Judges who Try to decide cases Ia >ery"
their political Interests out of count and then
undertake. to decide those cases in count are not
the kind of Judges honest people want.