New-York tribune., 1902-12-15
LUKE VINCENT LOCKWOOD.


S, .ds nromntIy 1t should have re-
oured only a few hours. Ihe relTrs 49, IL +ried
to hold hearings for two years Ineh ne 49, eiie,
~ ~ noi tr,n1r +o make me pay the bill. although
his decisions were all in favor or the f
I was able to show couslon l. PEI" - referee's
cree and the defendant. and to have the reIereeS
report set aside Another referee was app 9is
ed He held the case three years. 1u anu H -
without making a report. Then appeaittn ittort ~
the court TO have an accounting made wlthouC
further delay. The judge took II up IN opst PEI
court, and the accounting was mace anu '"e
case ended in half an hour ..s
That hundreds of cases in Whlcn pidlntiHiLo IH
are being treated to similar mockery OF justice
are occurring every year under the & TeIeree @ -
tenn is believed by the lawyers. Iney SOY ~
will be a great triumph for justice II tne colli-
mission can devise and get the legislature 10
adopt measures for doing away with so great
an aviI as now attends the referee system
Some of the lawyers say that the state owes
to all the right to go into court ana get justice
free from exorbitant cost. They suggest tnat IL
would be fair to amend the law so as to pro
vide well paid judges for all references, Tree oi
expense to all plaintiffs in compulsory cases.
THE COMMISSION IS REPRESENTATIVE
The political aspect of the referee system was
called to the attention of the commission py
Charles Stewart Smith. who read the following
extract of testimony given by Richard croker.
when he was before the Mazet Committee:
O-You look upon the appointments which
iudge NAV give out whether clerk referee
or Commissioner. legitimate matters OF pat
ronage which he should yield to the organiza-
ton which elected him? A--Provided We give
him proper man who will satisfy h1ln
of he does not give his preference he loses
his standing in his party? Ale does not
stand well.
Q-And he would not naturally be renom-
mated? A-Not in all cases. sometimes they
do.
Mr.. Smith said he believed Croker had SIAN
dered judges now the bench. but he could
remember when justice had been sold for money
in the County Court House. AS to references.
he said there were too many; they were too
long delayed and thc~ were too expensive. He
thought the number of referees could be cut
down if there were more judges
1t had been the hope of members OF the
Chamber of Commerce and of many lawyers OF
the city that the commission could begin its
investigation last summer, but Governor Odell
delayed appointing the commission until after
of the commission however. the Governor has
pleased many business men, who nope much
good may of the investigation. The six
lawyers on the commission represent many
varied interests in the city. and are regarded
as independent in their profession to be
swayed by undue fear Of the judges IN CRITICS.
ing court methods. They are Wheeler H. Peck
ham. Edmund Wetmore, Lawrence Godkin Ed
ward Lauterbach, Robert z. DeyO and Horatio
c. King. William F. King the former president
of the Merchants Association, was appointed as
a representative of the business men in general.
and of the Chamber OF Commerce in particular.
but he has declined to serve account of
business engagements, and in his place the
Governor has appointed A. Barton Hepburn,
vice president of the Chase National Bank.
J. Noble Hayes, who has been selected the
working counsel to the commission has been
preaching reform IN the referee system for
eral years, and has sought to move his brother
lawyers Of the city to action in seeking remedy
for the laws delays. He is expected TO conduct
inquiries on behalf of the commission into the
court methods and obtain information on which
the commission act in making recommen-
dations to the legislature