The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-20
SCHEME OF COURT SHAKE.Up
TO BEGIN WIEN JUSTICE VAN
HRUNT RETIRES.

Clarke, 1t Is said VIII succeed rs Pre-
siding Justlce--More Renubll cans VIII
Get Jobs as Court CIerks-Enort 10
ncpublIcanize Inferior Local Courts.
The term of the Hon. Charles II. Van
Brunt, Democrat, as a Supreme Court
Justice, expires on Dec. 81 Justice Van
Brunt is Presiding Justice Of the Appellate
Division for the First Department. On Dec.
90 Justice Van Brunt will be 20 years old
and he is 10 be retired because OF the age
limit. although he Is a hale and sturdy
"old Roman of the bench" as some law
yers call him.
The Appellate Division Of the department
Ia made up of Justices Van Brunt, Edward
Patterson. Morgan j. O'Brien and George
L. Ingraham. Democrats. of Now YORK
city; Chester B. Mclaughlin OF Port Henry,
Edward w. Hatch of Buifllo and Frank e.
Laughlin of Mayyille, Republicans. Justice
Ingrahams term expires on Dec 81, but
there is no doubt Of his denomination. which
is equivalent 10 a reelection.
Gov. Higgins, it was announced yester-
day is to designate Republican supreme
Court Justice for the term of five years TO
succeed Justice Ingraham on The Appellate
bench of the department and this will give
the Republicans four Justices on that bench
to the two Democrats remaining, Patterson
and O'Bren, and it was further announced
that programme has already been agreed
upon by which the four Republican JUS
tees Of the court are TO elect as Presiding
Justice, Justice John Proctor Clarke.
Republican whose term IA a Supreme
Court Justice expires on Dec. 81, 1915.
The news that such a programme had
been agreed upon was accompanied by
the further announcement that with the
Republicans in control Of the Appellate
Division of the First Department steps
will be taken for n shake-up OF the stalls
of all the Supreme Court justices in the
first judicial district, namely Barrett,
TruaX MacLean. Scott, Fitzgerald, O'Gor-
man. Dugro. Blanchard, Clarke, Green.-
baum, Mccall. Amend, Davis, Bischof,
Freedman, Gildelsleeve and Gieger1oh,
In other words, according to the state
ment from high Republican sources yes
terday, tho Republicans want some OF
these places and the Appellate Division
Of the district Is considered TO he sufficiently
powerful to get 'em despite civil service
regulations, municipal or State.
1t was also announced frUm the same
authoritative sources that with the APP
peate Division in the hands OF the Re-
pubicans it is the intention TO devise a
new system for the selection Of justices
of the municipal courts and Of the City
Magistrates. Under the Charter the first are
elected and the second are appointed by
the Mayor. The proposed new system,
It was added is TO provide for the selection
of a number of Republicans TO preside in
the municipal and Magistrates courts.
While the programme to designate
Justice Clarke presiding justice OF the
Appellate Division Of the first department,
with accompanying results, cannot be carried
out for year at least, the fact that 1t IL
to be accomplished was known to a few
in judicial circles, and there was CORE
spondng gossip, which approached appre-
heusion. among some ot the employees
OF The courts.