New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-31

| MENT OF THE RECORDER BEE olsf- ltiE 'i'->-
| ATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE. AND CRIES OUT
ITS A LIE! IT'S LIE"-MR- GoFF MAKES
', A CONVINCING SHOWING OF THE IRREGU-
IARITIEs IN THE COURT OF GENERAL
| sEssIoNs-JUDGE CowING REPLIES. DE-
| FENDs THE ATTENDANTS. AND DE-
| CLARES THAT HE SHOULD BE CHIEF
JUDGE or THE COURT - THE
HEARING ADJOURNED oUT OF
RESPECT TO JUDGE MAR
TINES MEMORY
The Committee on the Judiciary OF the state
| Senate yesterday began an investigation or the
Court Of General Sessions in this city on account
Of the bill pending in the Senate to make
Recorder Goff the Chief Judge Of the Court and
give to him increased powers. including the
power to appoint the clerks and attendants OF the
court 1t has been claimed that the court has
been made a harbor for many worthless attend
ants who are Tammany henchmen. and that
number Of disgraceful acts and much ofilcia
neglect has shown a need for a reorganization
Recorder Goff gave testimony before the commit
tee yesterday. presenting important facts In sup
port of that claim. and he was Interrupted by
Judge Cowing who declared that the Recorder
lied The scerc was shocking. and the Senators
! evidently were aston!shed by the bitterness OF
feeling which caused a judge publicly to accuse
| his associate on the bench OF fasehood under
| oath Judge Cowing went 50 far In his express
sion Of that feeling to declare that he had not
spoken to Recorder Gof for months
Emboldened by the attitude % Judge Cowing
| subordinate named Curry also made the pupIc
declaration that the Recorder Ted. He shouted
the statement to interrupt the Recorder who had
mentioned him man who had been Re-
publican and had d'turned to be Tammany ad
herent. Curry had been appointed to MS pace
by Judge Cowing. and the statement about his
/ change OF political faith doubtless was true.
Later Judge Cowlng testified before the com
mttee. and I'm his testimony exhibited marked
bitterness toward the Recorder. The testimony
showed that the Court II General Sessions Is in
| a badly dlsorganized state. and that there is
urgent need for legislation which will place the
! court Under proper discipline The inquiry by
! tho committee was interrupted by the announce
mcnt OF the death ~ Judge Randolph Il MARITIME.
one ~ the judges - the court.
Tho members Of the Investigating Committee
! are Senator OConnor chairman. and Senator'S
! Iexow. Pound. Mullin. Raines. Mcmahon. Cog
gesnaU Parker and Cantor. II was expected
J that all the Judges ~ General Sessions would be
! called To- give their opinion OF the bill. 1t was
| took from them considerable power and patron
THE HEARING BEGUN.
! A vhe Fearing was scheduled for 1880 o'clock.
bst the lpauiry did po' get under way until
I long aftorward. number Of the court attache'
/ we're standing about the corridors. expecting to
/ be called 10 tell the Senator's what they knew of
! court routine.
The Senators found tho Judges Chambers too
/ small for the hearing and moved to the court
room, ~ Part III. General Sessions. District
Attorney Fellows came in and chatted with
! Senator T.cxow while waiting for the proceed
/ incs to begin. Judge Rufus Il. cowing entered.
! shook hands with some II the committee and
| fhon took a seat among the spectators. He was
Ioined by Judge Fitzgerald. and both entered
! into an earnest conversation.
A. ll:20 Chairman OConnor called the COM
mlttcc to order and announced the object OF the
hearing
Judge cowing then arose and addressed the
committee follows:
JUDGE COWINGs WELCOME.
Permit me TO extend a hearty welcome TO your
committee on behalf OF the Judges OF General Ses-
sions We shall oncr every assistance In our power
! "a AID your investigations We are In sympathy
with tho puruossof the inquiry and hope you viii
10 away with knowledge OF the true facts. we
! hope you viii hear all that Is to be SAID on poth
sides.
ON being asked by the chairman. Recorder Goff
said he was in favor of any mode Of proceeding
| the committee chose 10 take. Il have no eXor-
dunn" he said mo Grafton 10 make. and offer
| no suggestion to the manner OF proceeding
RECORDER GOEF SWORN.
Recorder Gof was then called to the witness
stand and was sworn Chairman OConnor ex-
amined him The witness said there was one
| Judge called the city Judge and two other
Judges MARITIME and Fitzgerald He himself
made the fourth judge of General Sessions.
Each Judge is an appellate Judge on appeals
from the Special Sessions.
lis there any difference in the duties OF the
various Judges
..rbere * not so far as their judicial duties are
| concerned"
| The witness said General Sessions was the
most important criminal court In the United
| States He said he had been an Assistant Dis
trict-Attorney for two years and also praciised
a, the bar. and was familiar with the judicial
| duties Of the court.
lie was asked to give his views OF the Court OF
| General Sessions and said:
Well. Senator'S with to say that ! have learned
for the first time this morning that there has been
cupied by Recorder smyth. but not by Judge cow
| ng, as he states
Judge Cowlng denied that he had so stated.
| 40 PRESIDING JUDGE OF THE COURT
The witness continued:
There has never been any statute, never any rul-
| ing 10 fix a Chief Judge of General Sessions IL
| has always been an assignment OF custom |
| have long been convinced tnat the attaches or tns
court are thoroughly incompetent ana unht 10 tuihl
the duties of this court. There has been no o:der,
| no discipline Six eight OF them one day were
| found down at the racecourSe They are never
| found on duty. They come when they want TO and
| go when they want to. The appolntees OF eacn
Judge consider themselves independent or the other
| Judges. There no hours OF duties once com
planned to Court officer Collyer or the absence OF
| The attendants but received satisfaction.
| Whose appolntee was he?
| Il prefer not to name those judges. Not mere
| AS Judge MARITIME was the only Judge absent.
hn Sol smiled