The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-13
JEROME AFTER HERMAN BOLTB
INCOMPETENCE AND CORRUPTION
CHARGED AGAINST HIM.

Justice Must Show Cause to the Appellate
Division Why He Should Not he Re-
moved-ENdence Gathered by an Fast
Side Club and Presented In Jerome's
Private Capacity - Belte Indignant.
Justice Herman Bolte Of the Second
district Municipal Court must appear be-
fore the Appellate Division Of the Supreme
Court on June 20 to answer charges OF
general incompet ence, corruption and dis
honesty made against him by District At
torney Jerome, and to show cause why he
should not be removed from the bench.
The charges and specifications we're served
on Justice Bolte vest erday afternoon by
Assistant District Attorney Cans, as at
lorney for Mr.. Jerome
The District Attorney is not acting in
this matter in his official capacity, but as
. private citizen and member Of the New
York bar, His counsel in tho case are
Wheeler H. Peckhain, Will am b. Horn
blower and ex-Justice Cohen. The course
Of the case has been directed and approved
by these three eminent counsel and by
one other. Nathan Blur.
Justice Bolte was presiding in his court
at Grand and Centre streets when the
papers were served on him. He didn't
recognize Mr.. Cans and apparently thought
that the bulky list OF charges against him
self related to some case coming before
him
What case Is this?" he asked. where
shall / sign this document1'
That's something for you. personally
Judge" explained q clerk.
THANK you, thank you" said Justice
Bolte to Mr.. Cans.
He showed the charges in his pocket and
soon afterward adjourned court and hurried
that he lives up there and not in the district
Of his court Is the basis OF one Of the
charges.
There are eighteen charges The least
serious is that Justice Bolte in the presence
Of visitors has conducted himself in a coarse
vulgar. arbitrary and tyrannioal manner,
TO the great scandal and reproach Of his
court
From this the allegations run through
list of alleged corrupt acts In the conduct
Of his court to charge Of personal dis,
honesty In this. Justice Bolte is accused
Of feloniously appropriating to his own use
money belonging to an estate Of which he
was the executor.
Credit for securing the information upon
which many Of the charges are based, Mr.,
East Side Civic Club at 3s4 Grand street.
Three months ago the Civic Club ap-
pointed Julius Bloomberg, its president,
Paul Abetsop and Dr.. A. A. Himovitch
AZ subcommittee to investigate a batch
Of complaints Of injustice and corruption
against Justice Bolte. Louis Lande,
lawyer, who Is a member Of the club, was
engaged as counsel and Mr.. jerome as
signed Assistant District Attorney Iselin
TO help tho Investigation. The results
were placed before Mr.. Jerome.
hot al 4 1t.,sl
Jerome consulted Mr.. Wheeler Il. Peck
ham and others and they advised first
bringing q civil action for Justice Bolte's
removal! That has been done, regardless
shiss suggest o os% aGn sos as 'a' charges
In hfs petition TO the Supreme Court. Mr..
Jerome first declares that Justice Bolte
has violated his oath OF office and that he
S. yn to q on the bench
are a. follows:
EIrst That !, n. ,t said Herman PETE While
Ss she sR q to TIN s.as.
for professional services which were never
second-rhat tn. said Herman Bote. Will.
estate q Christian Koch. felonIeusly ppr9-
to his y usn the Of ss and
proprta,lon. credited himself with pay paving TIE
"a Id sum to ono George Braun, belonging
,eststor. Christian Koch. which, said notes
we're forged and never presented to the said
him. that the name Of tie said George e Braun,
the Pave in the said notes. was fictitious and
that there was no such person In existence
Seventeen days are specifically men
Toned on which Justice Rolte did not open
his court until long after the hour fxed
by law notwithstanding the fact that on
each OF those days there we're more than
100 delayed cases on the calendar Eleven
court days are mentioned on which the
Judge was absent altogether.
Other charges are that Justice Bolte
permits persons not regularly
to the bar to practise as attorneys
in his court. one case being cited OF fifteen-
boy being allowed to appear In a
case: that Justice Bolte .un justly. partially
and corrupt,y decides cases
in favor Of persons friendly to him." and
-corr,iptly refuses to follow the rulings OF
the Appellate Term in cases tried before
him for the second time II any OF his friends
are retained as attorneys
These persons are referred to as friends
~ Justice Bolte who are permitted by him
to institute suits in his court:
Aaron Morris. Meyer GreenberR. Max d.
Stcuer. Max s. Levine. Elias Rosenthal and
Israel NJ. Lerner.
Among the several cases cited in support of
ne oppression Nilul " VIC CITY VI
New York against the Horton Ice Cream
Company. an action to recover $40 for
obstruction OF the sidewalk. Defendant
dcfaulted. but Justice Bolte refused to give
Judgment to the plaintiff, and is alleged
10 have remarked to the policeman who had
Ieetified to the obstruction:
What are you talking about? l live
right next door to defendants and I know
that they are law-abiding citizens"
According to another charge Justice
sons who wish to have their cases trans !
Ferred out OF his Jurisdiction.
The eleventh and twelfth charges arc |
that Justice Bolte corruptly abuses his |
power by allowing summonses to be filed |
with him personally on return days and |
that he sdjourns cases for the benefit OF
any of the six friends to the prejudice OF
other persons. The other charges are
OF these.
At his home In White Plains last night
Justice Bolte WAS very angry. He said:
The charges are too ridiculous to an
swer pay no attention to any charges
made by East Side kindergarten lawyers.
The fact Is that a co-executor OF mine IN
handling an estate was short some 1900.
never personally conducted the settle
nent Of the estate, but l did pay $4,000
out Of my own pocket to make good the
oss OF my co-executor and for referees
and stenographers' fees. propose
10 hold this man Lande for criminal libel.
know Jerome, and why he should con-
slider any such charQee aQainst me do not