The sun., 1904-08-07

cdfno tIlo Uldi OF teql. Dnalef OF tne army
Board for bribery. Elihu Root was against
me In that case. He defended Shaler and
he has never tried criminal case from that
day to this.
But, OF course, the case that attracted
the most attention OF all was one OF the first
that came to me after entering the District
Attorneys Office. That was the Grant and
Ward case-or. rather, the trial and con-
viction OF Ferdinand Ward Bourke
Cochran and Gen. Tracy were against me
In that case. That was the first time I
had ever heard Bourke Cochran speak. and
I made a mental note then and there that
Bourke Cochran was destined to be the
greatest orator in the country. He had
always teen rather sneered at before he
shone out for what he was in the Ward
case.
THE DOODLE CASES.
well, after that came the Doodle Alder
men cases. Duffy, you know, and Full
graf confessed-tumed States evidence.
They had to had them dead to rights on
another matter-the Thirty y-fourth Street
Railroad matter-and they knew It very
well, 1t was while Duffy was testifying
that the word combine was born, you
remember. Duffy was the father Of that
word. 1t Ia now fxed in the English
language. When McQuade got new trial.
after his first prosecution, 1t seemed as
though the Doodle prosecutions might come
to an end. But we kept at it, and he was
convicted again and served his term of
imprisonment
1T was in 1887 that first entered poll
tics as a candidate for Office, but l always
was in politics from the time began law
practice. l took an active part in Queens
county politics for years. took the stump
! In the Presidential campaigns Of 1870, 1880,
1884, 1888 and 1882. inherited my Democ-
racy from my father. He was a Demo-
crat-a war Democrat. But I could not
] support Mr.. Bryan. l was q delegate to
the Chicago convention in 1895 that nomi-
mated him and heard his cross of gold
speech. But however much esteemed
him as a man could not but believe that
his election would be q misfortune to the
country. I took the stump that year for
Palmer and Buokner and talked Palmer
and Buckner. But THE Sun kept on say
ing every day. Why throw your vote away
Why not vote the straight ticket?' So l
voted the straight ticket-voted for McKin-
ley both times he ran.
ELECTED TO OFFICE.
an 1887, as was saying, first ran for
ofice-ran on an independent ticket for
District Attorney against Col Fellows. l
was defeated, but felt on the whole that
came out Of it pretty we'll, as l ran about
| 20, 600 ahead Of my ticket. This, however,
was only natural being Democrat. Then.
In $780, l ran for District Attorney again
on the regular ticket, and was elected. l
left the oflce in 1894 because felt that I
ought to. need not have done So but
thought had had about enough Of sending
men to Jail and would try some other branch
OF the profession for change
Two Of the notable convictions during
Mr.. Nooll's term as District Attorney
were those Of Buchanan and Carlisle Har-
ris, the only inst ances in the criminal
been convicted Of murder by poisoning.
Both Of them were executed.
OF Mr.. Nicou' assistants in the District
Attorneys office. remarkably large num-
ber have since attained eminence in the
legal profession. Vernon H. Davis, now a
Justice Of the Supreme Court Barlow S.
Weeks, Gordon Battle. Francis L. Well
man, Henry B. B. Staples, John Lindsay
now one OF Mr.. Nicoll's partners, have
all attained more than the ordinary run Of
success at the bar. Mr.. Nicoll himself
commands one Of the largest and most
lucrative law PRACTICES in the city.
In 1894, Immediately after leaving the
District Attorneys office. he was a MEM
ber OF the constitutional convention and
served with distinction on the judiciary
committee and on the suffrage committee,
having much to do with framing the laws
that now surround the ballot with safe
guards.
In 1890 Mr. Nicoll was married to Miss
Maud Churchill He has two children:
De Lancey, aged. twelve and Josephine,
aged ten.