New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-30
WANTS RHODES IMPEACHED.
THE JUNE GRAND JURY DENOUNCEs THE
POLICE JUSTICE.
DECLARES THAT THE METHODS USED bf 'A0oD
pnoDn's COLLECTING AGENCY WERE IN
IANFr1. AND THAT THE OFFICIAL
AIDED HIM-NOr TINE TO
FINISH THE INvEs-
1.rcArIOSS
LEGATIONS.

The June Grand Jury, before adjourning yes
s.,, rook occasion to refer in no compliment
-. ,ern,s 10 Jacob Brcdie. whose Systematic
coua. ing Agency with offices at No. 3o' fuitoi-
81 has for several years attracted much a'teh'
zion The Grand Jury also recommended '"''
charges for Impeachment be preferred aeai''s'
p,u,e Justice John c. Rhodes. Of Bath beao"'
,a that the case be submitted to the July Orahu
Inv, 10 the end that he may be indicted.
r+ iurv condemned Brodie's conduct IN get
ting assignments of claims. ana theh heeu'eS'siS
onnoying and harvesting people who are debtors
Cor small amounts and in many cases annoying
those who are not debtors =,
His practices the jury declared, were unia"tui'
ovid the conduct Of Justice Rhodes In Lending MS
Office TO aid and abet Brodie. and In violating the
law in not keeping proper records IN MS oi'ioc'
was disapproved and condemned
The i1rv charged that Justice Rhodes assisted
Rrod,e in his unlawful work. 1t also found that
=, .,.o,,a certain crimes committed by Brodie
for the proper investigation of which the jury
.,5 ro, have time The statement TO the Court
,ecommends that the July Grand jury take UP
~. work and carry the investigation TO COM
pletion.
METHODS ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN USED.
The iurv. in its report, gave detailed account
NJ :
A letter was sent to a debtor. stating that the
account had been purchased by the company
from the creditor. I'VE presume you VIII be
anxious To pay without litigation" it would read.
n case of no response by the alleged debtor a
second letter would be sent, suggesting tha'
trouble and costs could be avoided by setting
the account or before certain date. II no
reply was received TO this letter summons
would he iss led in the name of Brodie against
the alleged debtor. giving a fictitious Christian
name usually. and with the summons would be
issued a subpoena which would be served at the
came time with the summons. and would require
the alleged debtor to appear in court
Many OF these summonses. the report Of the
Jury says have been issued by Justice Rhodes
Continuing the report says:
HOW RHODES. 1T Is CHARGED ASSISTED.
These summonses are prepared in the office Of
Rrodie; both the original and the copy served
and the subpoena are prepared there The orgl-
nal sumnnonees are then taken to Justice Rhodes
at Bath Beach where he signs them and signs an
authority deputizlng tht agents Of Brodle to serve
the said summonses. 0 record is made by Jus
tice Rhodes of said surnmonses and said suDpoe-
,es and they are all intrlsted to the piaintif
12rodie These summonses are all made returna-
HE on Saturday afternoons, half OF them at
O'clock and the other half at $50. There were
on an average about one nu1ured anu 'HiI'! W
these issued every week.
in two years over 1900 such actions have
bean commenced by said Brodie. as plaintiff be-
f,rA "a Rhodes These alleged debtors came
from every part of the city and were summoned
10 appear at Bath Beach before Justice Rhodes
on Saturday afternoons, no matter wnetner lhey
came from GreenpOint or East New-fork' cr any
other mart Of the city. When these suinnonses
we're returna BILE said Brode appeared with list
Of the same and with sworn statements by his
agents OF the service to the alleged debtors. OF
whom on an average about one-third appear IN
court Those who DO no; appear are marked IN
dAfault and those who do appear are required 10
furnish ,h.. testimony 10 whether they owe
anybody bill or not. and II they aNege they 90
no. owe q bill adjOurnmcnts are taken from time
to time thus harassing and annoying those who
d. owe small bills, and those who d. not owe any
bills at all
The report fnds-th many persons VINO "wei
NJ debt at all paid 70 Brode an alleged judgment
With costs 10 avoid the annoyance threatened IN
Rr'dies letters. The closing paragraph OF the re-
port reads ,. !.
There were certain crimes committed by
Brodie This Grand Jury had not the time 10
comnlete this investigation, ais evidence was &C
curnula ting against said Rhodes and Brodle oeIoie
rs We therefore recommend that this matter De
aleo submitted 10 the next Grand Jury, and That
sv., persons who have been thus harassed De
brought before the Grand Jury. that the evidence
NAV be completed TO the end that said Brodie
may be indicted.