The sun., 1895-03-31

unsnimeusly?" asked senator Cantor. " Yes,
sir. unanimously: not as an idol. either" said
Sow. Judge" said Senator 0C onnor, will
you 60 on with your statement In your own
Judge Cowing looked at Mr.. Goff and began:
Gentlemen Of the committee. have not come
here to drag down my own court. to besmrch
stood high In the estimation OF this community.
Of the people Of this great state. for many years
believe the Judges on the benen have had the
confidence and the respect of all the people Of
this city. For the first time in the history of
heard rumors and counter-rumors that there
1ssss sSn q s tEs
shall conilne myself principally. or may say
altogether, to what is within my own personaI
shall not bcsmirch this court with at all. but
shall conflne myself to what personally know"
AN oBJEcT LESSON FOR corr.
The Recorder moved uneasily. The Senators
smiled, Judge Cowing went on:
lesson in tho first Instance, and prove what
have to state by way OF illustrating my position
and my associates position In reference to this
"Suppose that had taken my seat on the
bench Of the supreme Court OF this state IN the
associates. that had conveyed to Albany a bifl
mS making s'ary myself eher cssi Jus
tee and taking from them every appointmehn1e trah1t
body have said OF Judge Cowingf''
senator RsinesWe are not under oath; :,
% pSw allow Ss mot 20 'ss
inncrmost conscience to tell yourselves how you
would have characterized me. There is no Ian;
Characterize me with that would not have been
merited by me. Then are you surprised that
disnantf Are you surprised thst they have re-
sented such an insult as that2 And, right here.
let me state another object lesson. notice that
NV n tati n shP hPl ussn in to Unt
over to some marks on the bench. which he said
had to be pounded there. In order to keep order
Recorder Gofr-I did not say anything of tho
kind.
thing Of that Kind was done by me- My court is
cond uctcd in so orderly q manner and with 80
much decorum and propriety that last month
did not even have n mallet in my hand, and
beg you will not charge any Of those dents to me.
Perhaps the Judge who has made them has not
and confidence that should have been otherwise
accorded to him. Therefore, that object lesson
Recorder Con was very red in the face. He
rubbed his head industrously and looked un-
happy.
THE SALARY GRAB.
Now let me address myself to what you are
really here for. said Judge Cowing. the salary
difference TO me. and think it is to my fellow
Judges, whether tho State or city of New York
Mr.. O'Connor-The bill does not, practically,
Increase the amount over W hat he now receives
os: allows asfs sr Of ase
suppose You gentlemen have visited our offices
here. They are furnished at the expense OF tho
city. There was an excuse in the other build
ing. They were dingy quarters. They were
next to a closet. where it was really disgusting.
grand. this splendid. this commodous building
furnished at a great expense: and therefore to
put 5000 on his salary for Office rent, making
Senator O'Connor- Judge. are any of the other
A.-No, sir. not cent.
AS TO THE PRESIDING JUDGE.
Now we come down to the question of Presid-
Ing Judge-Chief Justice. called it. Now. my
learned associate says here, this morning. that
Chief Judge or Chief Jusiice. Let me T give You You
an object lesson to show how faulty his memory
Judges stood ready. with open arms. to receive
him. We stood ready to receive all kinds of
suggestions from him. There is but one idea in
Of my associates said. Recorder Gofr you have ave
ties have been onerous and hard. Wouldn't you
like one OF your associates to take your court
for his whls Andi he sad no. no he would
to lecture, and il no did that. he would
Would nsSs ,Ss, f Fl, sSt So saa
Judge. asked him il he would not Ike to 10 in.
Quoted into office with some formal ceremony
a body and introduce him with some compii-
mentary remarks by the District Attorney and
please his Honor and He saa he %oad
it. My associates then and there and to his
knowledge designated me. being the senior
ductory remarks. As the senior Judge in point
OF service introduced him. and yet he never
t!cpant in a portion of my remarks when in
troduced him TO this very court as Judge,
here in th; court and selssed BY
of regulating this office OF the Chief
Judge. 1t is purely conventional believe the
own Chief Justice. and also of the superior
Court. Who can be better intrusted with that
delicate and responsible duty than those persons
who meet from lay TO day ard know we'll the
responsibility and the duties pertaining to their
office! Who Is the better person? The Judges
themselves or-I say it with great deal OF re-
smsct TO you gentlemen at A bany-your Senate
is the Chief Judge, by virtue Of his office. That
is not so. There is not any law about it or any
Smyth was recognlzcd. as he was on such
occasions as Chief Judge. it was because
Of his ability and worth as a man.
The Senators all laughed We did not do
II because he was the Recorder. That ought to
the Judges; The Recorder speaks of his office
beins old. & i is h But the supreme Court of this
even Judge; that the Recorders office is not a
Judicial office: He performs some executive
buoiness and and by reason Of that he is allowed to
practise law. Now, what an anomaly il would
be to bring man in here who is nof even a
Judge or lawyer and make him the Chief Justice
of our court. II is absurd
Senator O'Connor Then the Office of Re-
corder does not come W hin the Disqualified
tion OF Judges from practising lawl
Judge Cowing-No. sir; he need not be q
lawyer at all The General Term OF this district.
am told, stated that he'is not even Judge;
and nothing would provoke Recorder Smyth
more than TO call him Judge Smyth. and he
would say, am not Judge. am Recorder"
He would not allow any one to call him Judge.
Now, let us see who is entitled to be chief Judge
Of this court. In the first place, have been
here seventeen years. Mr.. GOff has not been
here seventeen weeks. | outrank Judge Fitz-
gerald by. think, eleven years, and Outrank
Judge MARITIME by seven years, was elected,
prac ctical!y, nnanimou-ly, And let me state
here tand / do 1t with great deal of
hesitancy, and | hope the committee will not
consider for moment that lay any stress on
my politics, because do not, and, when | do it,
do it in passing by, and | consider 1t extremely
low ground to take. that | am Republican.
and that have been Republican ali my life,
and | never missed an election in my life. and,
on national and State issues. never missed vot-
in: the Republican ticket in my life. Notwith-
standing have been sought TO he ruled out of
my party, sim claim that am going 70 control
out Of my party. The Republican parry does