New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-05

HE CHARGES TIE GRAND JURY TO IN
vEsTlGATE THE COURT.
TIE JUDGE DECLARES THAT THE GENERAL. sES-
sIoNs HAS BEEN FREE From POLITICS
HIS ATTITUDE VIRTUAL. At
TAck ON EEcoEpEH GOFF.

HIS ATTITUDE \ VIRTUAL. Al
TACK ON RECORDER GoFF
Judge Rufus l.. Cowing charged the February
Grand Jury in Part Of the Court Of General Ses-
sions yesterday. and made Use Of his opportunity
to denounce the bill which Senator Robertson
lately introduced at Albany to give greater
movers to the Recorder. That bill Judge Cowing
characterized as unfair in all its parts infamous
and wicked" lie declared that the bill meant
the opening Of the door for political patronage To
despoil the court Then he made the deciara-
ton that never. II his knowledge. had poll
tics ever before entered the Court OF General
Sessions lie directed the Grand Jury to make an
investigation Of the court and report whatever
was found to be wrong in 1t.
The charge to the Grand Jury was considered To
ne an attack upon Recorder Gon. who II Is UNI
derstood has favored the bill which has been IN
troduced in the Senate The Court OF General
Sessions has been made a refuge for Tammany
politicians including it is said. several liquor
dealers who have positions as attendants al the
courtrooms and the chief clerk OF the court II Il
Tammany district leader. and yet Judge Cowihg
wanted the Grapd Jury to understand mat poll
tics never had entered the court
Judge Cowng is generally believed to nave ie''
a peculiar tenderness and sympathy for ram
many Hall ever since his friends sought ana Cd
tanned for him the support of Tammany nan
when he was nominated for n second term on the
General Sessions bench Previous 10 that time
Judge Cowing had always been looked upon as IL
Republican and he had been one of the VICE
presidents OF the Union League Cluo. but NJ
was extremely solictous and anxious for re-elec,
ton and II Is understood that h" conUlou'eu
s. 600 as his judicial assessment to the Ianlha"S
Hall campaign fund In return for his nomination
by Tammany Hall. while 1t is understood ne con-
trbuted nothing to the Republican campaisn
fund although he received the Republican ho"''-
nation. .. ,-,o,.
Judge Cowing spoke to the Grand Jury as io'-
lows:
call your speciai attention TO INA ma'e OF
which scarcely comes under any OF he sections y,
law which / have read 10 you but "hlon 1 81
matter OF vital interest TO all the judges anu "
riety that for the first time in THIS court Il ~
method has been employed for introducing lnn1-
consists OF lnnucndoes and misrepresentation so
vafions are needed and are tho proper thing as
Grand Jury Now. ! apprchend that there IAN .b y.
necessities OF "A given line Of action The "fahd
Jury Is a non-partisan body. .,.,
your religion may be. but | apprehend YOU have
Wills OF your own. and that you follow me d,,at's
body n representative body. and a part and parcci
70 take up this court ana TO investigate from the
hnmbiest Official to the highest, Visit all the court
clerks onices TAKE down rom the shelves no
volumes and books Examine without stunt win
out fear ana without favor. every hrai-'h - this
court from top TO bottom. and see whether YOU
ind any derection OF duty or any dishonesty. ana
II so. do not hesitate 10 speak out Hhom"Eer IL Nus
and wherever IL may lead. DO ~ thoroughly
40 POLITICS ~ sIXTEEN YEARS.
ask this OF you In behalf o, this court. For the
first time IN my experience politics has Invaded
this citadel OF justice. and 1t looks nov as II The
attention OF the Grand Jury should be called 10
this question. Here. where justice has sat SUI
preme and serene. undertaking 10 uphold and
maintain the laws and the properties o, courts
met with bill sweeping In Us Icnuh'ls-
IL means opening the door for political PATRONAGE
TO despoi these courts. Each succeeding admins
years the political patronage again VIII be
come the pivot wheel upon which the admins
Ter OF importance In my judgment. that the
gentlemen who represent this state IN our LeHis-
iature should learn from this impartial body the
exact status OF this court and OF its needs ior
reformation. The Judges and attendants upon th mi,
you upon my honor as gentleman that kno"
OF crookedness or OF no unfair treatment that
years OF service as "A public ofcer. also tell You
that politics hrs meyer no ny h,i,ey" as has
been CHARGED that there has been any unfairne-s
or Injustice In the clerks Office. For forty years
MIR Sparks was the clerk OF these courts. ana ~
make charges against him The present clerk. Mr..
and Thoroughly j.st The officers OF this court
and rapablilty IL there are any who should be
removed. let them be marked out IN an open ana
manly way
ALL OF rs REFORMERs. HE SAYS
40 matter what your findings may be- ! and my
fellow Judges Messrs. MARITIME and Fitzgerald. VIII
humbly bow TO your decision. We VIII abide 10y
the results The only thing to be considered IL
the general good. II is for YOU also TO determine
whether there Ia any necessity for legislation ana
whether that bin or any Other VIII me-, s,' anv
acceptable reform. Let IT by all means be susses".
viii abide by your findings We all reformers.
and IL should be the cndeayor or all oi ns 10 re-
form any abuses that are brought To our a'''h-
ton. ..,u
Heretofore the courts have not been opened unui
II o'clock. Judge MARITIME and have consulted
and make 1t more convenient for all coa'>rnei
iG.s6 o'clock' Herraft,r our two courts viii con
venc at that hour. The Grand Jury VIII do me
transactions here I'm court let motto always
be: Justice tempered with mercy
IT ARoUsEs MUCH TALK.
Judge Cowing's extraordinary charge made
great deal Of talk about III" Criminal Courts
Building yesterday. Recorder Con-. when he was
Informed Of the nature Of the charge b. Judge
CowIng declined To make any comment upon II.
The names and occupations Of the ifand
Jurors for February are az follows
william l.. skIdmore, foreman, No. 80 West Fifty
second-st. - -
John 4 Crane merchant. No. a South-st.. No. %
West Forty -ninth-st -.
George p SIade treasurer. No 700 Broadway No.
II West feminist.
George H. Sionebrdge builder No. " Fast Eighty
thrd-st. . M.
Alfred p. Dix banker. No. Is Wall-st.. No. So
Madison-aye
Frederick g. Wagner. real estate. No. 80 Broad
way, No. l3i East Forty fourth st ~
Joseph Dillon. painter. No. ~ Sixth-ave., NO llS
West Forty-scvcnth-st.
John BoarClman, Jr.. treasurer, No. 80 Broadwa!'
No ~ West One-hundred "A nd twenty hrst-st
John l.. Griffin, collector. No los East Twenty
second-st No. l3o West Sixty-sixth-st. ~
Michael u. Fielding, cotton merchant, NO. u Will
lam-st., No. - East Srventy-ciehth-st.
Edward G. Oppenheim real estate. No q Thomas
ST. No l6 East ed-nnd-sixteenth-sf.
John Magnnis. jr. NJ. , Wal.-si.
David Chalmers manager. NJ. ia Iiberty-st, No.
2lI West One-hundred-a nd twenty ttird-st
Theodore +. Vail; woolen merchant No S2'