The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1898-03-02
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
a New Style of Gotham Judge-Redv.ed
Insurance Rates-The Man Who
Talked Himself Free.
Especial Correspondence

Justice Maddox, who at the last mo-
ment, teranse of the illness Of Justice
Smith, was called upon to preside at
the trial, has demonstrated that if "a
iaan has the necessary legal ability and
natural Judicial temperament he can
! ach the cid line judges a good Ilany
things that they ought to know.
Hereabout it is the custom with most
OF the judges in charging a jury to cite
certain conditions under which certain
verdicts would be justified. Justice
Maddox simply told the jury what con-
stituted murder in its various degrees
and said that be would not touch upon
the facts in the case, as they came with
i'll the province of the IL men who had
been selected from a long list of tales
men to decide between the state and the
accused.
A Just nj Fair Judge.
When the verdict of guilty was rem
dered, the l. armed Judge did not follow
precedent by informing the jury that it
had brought in the only finding that
was possible under the circumstances,
but he did thank it very politely for
its conscientious attention to the
sometimes tiresome evidence and re-
marked that men who were willing to
serve as jurors during a long trial were
entitled to the thanks Of the communi-
ty. Justice Maddox evidently realized
what SO many of his brothers of the
bench seem to forget, that a murder
trial does not end where it begins, but
that it is always the court Of appeals
which finally sends the man to his
doom. Not infrequently. too, the find
ing Of the trial court is reversed on err
rors and u new trial is ordered. Where
IA judge has previously commended the
finding of q jury his opinion must have
had. its effect upon the masses of the
people from among whom the next jury
must be drawn.
Judge MaddoX's purse in the Thorn
trial has opened tine eyes of the people
of Greater New York to the fact that
they have one more very able occupant
CT the bench than they thought they
had q few weeks ago. The surprise is
all the more great when it is stated
that Maddox is almost a brand new
judge and appears to have no sympathy
with the flummery which so many men
assume as soon as they take upon them
selves the dignity Of judgeship. Predic-
tons are freely made that Judge Mad
dox's course in the recent trial will have
an important bearing upon the conduct
Of criminal cases Of Importance here.
Reduced Insurance Rates.
Not since the tariff association was
organized, i'll 1891, has such important
action been taken as when recently in
surance rates throughout the metropoli-
tan district were reduced in some in
stances 33 1-3 per cent. The circum-
stances which occasioned this action are
interesting. The reduction of 33 l-3
per cent upon preferred classes is un-
doubtedly a wal measure. 1t covers a
class of business in which companies
outside of the tariff association can
compete. 1t aims to shut off the organi-
zation of new concerns which the recent
great profits in the business have en-
courag,d.
Many underwriters believe that there
will be DO money for them III the new
rate Others say they can well afford to
give the public the benefit OF III low
rate. The old companies have felt that
they must either adopt a low rate or see
their customers taken away by specu-
lators in the field. There are many
strong companies outside of the tariff
association which are making great
raids upon the insurance business by
paying excessive commissions to brokers.
This is the cause OF Ii of the chief
difficulties which the members OF the
association have experienced III holding
the business.
While tie association believes that
It's action will have the desired effect
lpon its would be competitors, 1t main-
Gains that the general public will be
benefited by the united action of the
underwriters, AMI that under a system
which permitted each company TO work
according to its own ideas the ultimate
'eaults would be unsatisfactory to all
concerned.
Talked Himself Free.
Al sCrts e SORES have been told OF
maletactors Ct various degrees of bard
ness who have succeeded Is devious
devices i'll Keeping ont IF prison, hut to