New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-04
THE COURTS.
TIE PECK INDICTMENT.
ITf. I u n INDIv I 'ITsNI
WHAT TIE DECISION OF THE GENERAL TERM

WHAT TIE DECISION OF THE GENERAL TERM
SIGNIFIEs-HEvIrw OF THE CASE.
Albany. March 3 CspecaD.-Thc decision Of the
General Term OF the supreme Court Of the Third
Department I'm the Of "x-Tabor Commissioner
Charles i. Peck must have awakened good deal OF
surprise throughout the state. There las been a
decided impression that the Peck case was dead and
buried: that this Ceremony took place shortly after
the election last November. II seems that this was
all mistake: that Peck is still under Indictment and
liable to be called to trial at time in the
future.
OF course everybody is aware that the Peck incl
dent purely political matter, and il Is not sur
prislng that the people generally should have come
to believe that with the close Of the last campaign
this case also came to an end. A brief review Of
the facts In the Peck prosecution. persecution,
good many have believed II, will be Of general in
terst at this time
Early last fan great CONSERVATION produced in
the Democratic camp. not only in this state. but
throughout the country. on account Of a report made
10y Charles +. Peck. the COMMISSIONS Of Labor sta
stic who had held that Office for nine years. having
been appointed by Governor Cleveland and allowed TO
retain the place under Governor Hill and Mr. Flower
The report dealt with the effect OF the Mckinley
tariff upon labor and industry in this State and it
was far from being good Democratic campaign docu
ment In fact. II showed that there had been great
prosp rity in the state since the new tariff went into
anu III icrIfHaf lHal inc WAGES Oh II IilE'
number Of worbInemcn had been increased The
Democrats at once ~ct about III" task Of diScrcditing
Commissioner Peck and his report. forgetting that he
dealt Only with the facts reported 10 him. and
hkcwi,' forgetting that when he began collecting his
statistics he could have had certain knowledge rs
To who would be- nominated for President In 1892.
Their idea was that h" was acting in tn" interest Of
senator II I'm preparing and giving out anti
Cleveland report.
The attack Mr. Peck W ne
Of them WAS furihcrd by the Democratic National
committee. which applied ~ him for transcripts Of
the oridnal documents ilc in the Office Of the Com
missioner Of Labor statistics: but this not pursued
very far. The committee found that they were
not getting what they wanicd-cyidcncc TO di,crcdit
III" rcpOrt-aud, moreover. they thought that Mr..
Peck ought 10 furnish all tAs matter to them for
nothing, while he insisted that they must pay for it,
Then it WIS discovered that Mr.. Peck had burned
some Of the papers In his Office and instantly ther"
WIS IA cry ihat h" had been destroying public docu-
mcni-. which i 81 criminal offence. Ihcfrlpon he
,iininomci - polio" cOurt - answer Thu h'iuonS
chire" IN" matter dragged along III the police court
FOR { me. bat ElciuWl. tho District Attorney
o! AlbanN County saw ~ 10 tii" III" COS" before th"
Grand Jury and b'or" the police justice had dec d-d
the Iccu-"d man. an indictment found against him
Having shown >ich r'miikahc zeal In pros 'ing ~ =
mp to ihi, point. I'm way which to many minds
s,enrd rrcguer to say the hast. tn District Attorney
then T,nt"It To rest on his oars. ana seemed In
u hurry no morr \ demurrer to ti" Indictment was
ut mp on Commissioner r,cl, I"liaIt but u, every
Ioiy expected the" was 10 decision until after ~"
cleo ton after November p. Jud. clint" r"nd red
decision .iI-tuiung the demurrer. Naurally II was
believed that Till med the cdoc ri"ctually. The
purpose which I"ck. prosecutor, Had In view had
horu accomplished and there was no apparent reason
Tor c:'rrNIrs IT," matter any flth'r.
Nevertheless, the District Attorney entered AN ap
p.nl from this drcl-ipn. and II that app
which the General Term dr'icd on Thursday. They
oyrrrul. Judg Cute. and give lrav" to the defendant
To- Withdraw hi and plead to ia" merits"
Although VIZ. Peck J, no longer COMM ->oner Of Labor
Statistics. l. ,If" say that the further progress
~ This unique viii b" followed with interest by
the prOpc OF t." state.