The sun., 1895-02-03
RECORDER GOFF'S GRAB.
THE THREE OTHER GENERAL sEs-
sIONs JUDGES TO PROTEST.
They Usapimousiy Regard ss an Insult
Hi. Proposition 10 Becoms PresidipR
Justice at s11.SoO. with Fall Charge OF
Grand Juries and Control or Patronage.

Grand Juries and Control or Patronage.
The efforts Of Recorder John w. Goff to in
vest himself with absolute control over the
100000 patronage of the Court of General
Sessions, and TO increase his own salary from
$4,000 to $4,000 year for fourteen years,
were discussed at a conference OF the other
Judges OF the General Sessions yesterday after
noon. Since Senator Robertson introduced the
Con grab bill Judges Fitzgerald and MARITIME
have not spoken to the Recorder. Judge Mar
tno, when asked about It, said that he and Ro-
corder GofT spoke "as they passed." and then
the fact became known that they took occasion
never to pass. Judge Rufus B. Cowing, Repub-
lican, who has been Off the bench for the past
month"; returned from Washington yesterday
and attended the conference. lie is of the same
mind as Judge Fitzgerald, Rad he carefully
avoided the Recorders chambers yesterday.
Judge Cowing had this to say before the con-
ference:
This bill affecting our courts was read to mo
last night for the FIRST time. have no personal
knowledge as to who is the instigator of that
bill, but from certain earmarks which / dis
cover have my suspicious. ! want to state
what do know of my own personal knowledge.
do know that Judge MARITIME and Judge Fitz-
gerald and myself had nothing to do with get
ting up the bill, and that 1t was offered without
our knowledge and without our approval.
IL unhesitatingly say that in my judgment It
is pernicious, revolutionary. unfair. and un-
just bill and is direct insult to each one of the
Judges presiding in this court. and have too
much confidence in tho fairness OF the repre-
sentaives of the people to believe that they will
give it favorable consideration.
There seems to have been much prominence
given to the office of Recorder during the last
election for reasons which / need not now
state and also gather from what has occurred
Recorders court. This is a great mistakeIt is
the peoples court, and all the Judges have equal
power and responsibility.
with. reference to the clerks Of this court,
/ am glad to state and believe that they are
efficient and NIB honest men who N trSm much m ser ,T
duties pertaining to their respective offices and
cannot say too much in praise of the stenog-
who are also honest and very efficient. With
reference to the court attendants | speak from
the honor to select. and belieye that the
others axe the same-they are fail hful and
sn fr tRsy
fail to ace why their tenure of office should In
or attendant in this court who can DO shown to
be either inefficient or dishonest l will most
cheerfully give my vote for his removal.
Regarding the presiding Judge or chief Judge
o: this court believe that there is no written
Law upon the subject making the Recorder the
all things being equal. that he who has been
the longest in service should be the chief Judge.
nave Une nOHOT VI htNlHE DeeH sixteen years u
Judge presiding in this court, and both OF my
associates, Judges MARITIME and Fitzgerald, have
Khh u G nSe. 70 Of %
court Ti ,,,,,o =, .,,, -, so -. o,,,,, o..
themselves infallibility, but we do insist that 1t
has always been our earnest endeavor to ad-
minister the criminal justice so as to entitle us
TO tho confidence and respect of our fellow
No amount OF questioning would induce Judge
the author of the bill. 1t was stated, however,
by an officer of the Court Of General Sessions
himself. 1t is said that he first asked Senator
Lexow TO engineer 1t for him, but that the Sena-
tor refused 70 handle it; and that the RECORDER
Robertson, who consented to Introduce the bill
and try and R1t it thGGsh wSa hill
was member OF the Lcxow investigating com
mit,ee and and as IS such became friendly With Re-
bers yesterday morning and had a long consulta-
tion with him. He was uncommunicative after
ing that he had called to talk about withdraw
ing the bill. Recorder Con wouldn't say word.
The conference of the three Judges, which
was held in Judge Marines chambers, lasted
two two hours 5 and forty minutes Just exactly
but it iua was sscertained that the % judges have
agreed on plan Of action which will convey 70
the Legislature thei oPini93a Of the grab biz
ment. After the conference Judge Cowing, who
emerged with Judge Fitzgerald on his arm,
II was much pleased to find that we were in
accord with regard to this n measure and all con,
have considered the bill in all its details and all
W, VIII You protest to the sensts against its
I'VE M shall decide at future meeting what
'@s Fact M Te@%rfsd adss
who listened approvingly 70 Judge, tCowing's
statements, that We consider the bill an as
'.Ti JudSe Se s she was
merely n general conversation about this meas
and thoroughly unjust, improper and unfair.
We shall protest AGAINST any one Judge of our
ate. changing the conduct OF our court
o,bsr or II uassy interfering With
court @ has the respect and confidence Of the com. @
munity and don't think that could be continued
with the Judges subordinated to one one, Of their
:" Was Recorder s;Off asked to take part in the
msntiins with color. :" The bill s Vas introdaeSd
uf snee Is b in the e Interest t Of ono only and
the Others are completely ignored, and Il means
tics wholly to the discredit Of the court. The
author Of that bill Is the author OF direct in
i VT /" is I the most extraordnaTy @ dim T legislation
ever heard Of 1t not only gives one Judge CON
trol OF Sll the employees and attendants IN the
all papers and Indictments belonging to the
Court OF General Sessions and the Court of Oyer
the present Recorder, tho Board Of Aldermen
might appoint whom they chose and he would
have complete control OF the court
The bill Is now in the hands OF the Senate
Committee on Cities, composed of George W.
Robertson OF Peekskill, Cornelius X. Parsons OF
Rochester, William H. Reynolds OF Brooklyn,
Charles Lamy of Buffalo, Charles w Stapleton
of Morrisyile, John +. Ahearn and Frank A,
O'Donnell OF this city. All are Republicans ex-
cept the last two. The bill makes the Recorder
presiding Judge. and giycs him the power OF re-
moving all the present stan OF the court within
ninety days and appointing their successors.
lie will be enabled To remove the chief clerk
OF the General Sessions. all the clerks. stenoE-
raphers, attendants and forty court officers.
The other Judges will not have tho privilege of
naming even their personal attendants. The
bill reduces the salaries OF tho employees by
amounts Of SlO0 TO $3.50. and increases tho
salary OF the Recorder from $4,000 TO 1880,
The regular salary Of the Recorder Is $4,000,
but he has also 81 900 for ofice rent, 81 900 as
a member of the sinking Fund Commission,
and $40 for each session which he attends MS
director In the Sailors Snug HarbOr
Recorder Con would have charge Of all the
Grand Juries, and would be enabled 20 sit in
RI 1 COntiuuuuAly instead of changing around