The evening world., 1901-10-08
VANDERBILT 7
IN CON TEMPT
Alfred G, Fails to Respond
to Summons for
Jury Duty.
MAY PAY FINE OF $110.
MAY PAY FINE OF $110.
Justice Fitzsimons SAYS "WeaIthy
Young Men Neglect Duties
Of Citizenship"

The failure OF Alt-cd Cwynnc Wander
biit to appear bcfor. judge James n.
Fiiss!mnrs. III Par; !. OF the City Court.
to-day will cos; tho young millionaire
$40. this being the maximum, nnc for
contempt OF court In such cases anil the
costs OF subsequent proceedings.
Owing to the leaient custom prevail.
ing in the City Court. young Vanderbilt
will no, b. compelled to appear in per.
son when proceedings for con,emp, are
instituted against him. no. Is there any
probability that he will he compelled to
suffer Imprisonment,
The custom makes II possible ror any
one to Ignore summons TO jury duty
with no more d!sagreeable consequence
than the payment OF n hne and costs.
Young Vanderbilt has simply followed
q custom adopted long ago BY men OF
wealth. wt,o would rather pay what Is
to them n nominal fine than undergo the
discomfort Of jury service.
year ago Cornelius VanIc.s.!t, Al.
fred Gwynne's brother. ignored sum.
NOR Under similar circumstances and
pS the fine. The practice has become
30 common as 10 excite 70 comment. and
although judges have frequently "S.
pressed their annoyance. no step has
ever been taken toward the adoption OF
measures to compel personal attendance
In response TO a summons.
In this case young Vanderbilt HaE
out OF the city. being on coaching
trip 10 Philadelphia. Inasmuch as the
summons was sent BY mail. however. |,
probably reached him or some person
identified with his affairs. and his fall
ure TO be represented in court BY some
person with n proper excuse for his nom
appearance makes him as much In con-
ttnpt OF court as II the service OF the
summons had been made In person By
Sn offcer OF tho court.
Mr.. Vaadcrbilts name was on tn.
panel ordered to report FOR duty Mt 10
o'clock yesterday morning. lie failed TO
respond to his name and the clerk Of
the cor.t notified Judge Fitxs.mons.
The Judge said that his case would be
allowed to take the usual course. This
means that some time during the month
the Corporation Counsel will issue M
orler requiring the young milllc:a!rc 10
snow cause why hc should not be pua.
!shsd FOR contcmp, Of court.
Should the defendant set forth that he
was no, served with the summons or
give some other suitable excuse the case
will he dropped. In all probability. how
ever. he will allow the case to 20 by de-
failt. simply paying the fine and costs
through an attorney.
Judge FItzsimons said to-day that
ne had no intention OF making an ex-
ample nf Mr.. Vanderbilt. hut he would
certainly make no exception In his case.
These wealthy young men habitually
ignore their duty as citizens" he said
to an Evening World reoorte-. 1T
seems TO me that the least the: could
give us would be thei- presence or
some suitable reason for their faiiaro TO
appear.
I'VE do not want 10 make fury duty
n hardship for any one. and II II would
seriously interfere with large business
interests that fact might be sufficient
10 excuse u person from service.
I'm the case OF the vunierbilts and
eihcrs like them. though. they do not
even deign 10 offer an excuse. All We
can do IL to impose the maximum n1e
upon them. and I shall do that In this
case unless II should develop that Nj.
Vanderbilt has some excuse for falling
to appear"