The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-16
JEROME ON BUSINESS CRIMES.
roTITtBLE GRAFT EXPOSC RES
PtRT OF THE TENT.
rInancIers win Larry Summerneld Morals
Tammany Hall Code a Better One
Even II Tammany "Is Pack OF
Crooks Except Those That Aren't"

Even II IaUlInaVy ~ rack OF
Crooks Except Those That Aren't"
Tho Merchants Protective Association
,sye District Attorney Jerome Delmonico
dinner a-, night to testify their apprecia-
,on of his work in getting through law
., Albany enabling the State authorities
II ;, prosecute merchants who obtain credit
1 tvmak.ug false statements Of their assets
| .bo,t seventy.fve members OF the asso-
/ cation we're present
After Edward D. Page, the president,
had presented to Mr., Jerome an engrossed
act of resolutions, Mr., Jerome said in part:
Il am sensitive to public appreciation Of
such work a. do It would be foolish for
me to say that | am not. l was not so
al,ruis'ic as it may appear in getting the
amendment passed for which you are
thanhing me- | wanted the good opinion
ri the commercial community. found
that commercial people had great diff
c,lties caused by professional swindlers
who were advised by eminent counsel and
succeeded in classifying their assets and
eyading their responsibilities. found the
prosecution of such swindlers almost hope
sss They we're so well advised by coun-
rel they kept 40 closely within the laws
the DOCKS lildl We Cpulu nOJ tOuCn tTeIn
| resolved to work for a more effective
law"
Mr. Jerome told OF his journey to Albany
70 push the amendment. He found every
tody busy with gas and Niagara Falls, he
said amid laughter.
And. he added. with mock pathos,
the boss was in Europe and no one had
en- ear for me, The Legislature was busy
carrying of everything in sight that wasn't
nailed down. The Governor, 7 believe
to be an upright and honest man. But the
statesmen were so busy with their states
msnshp and gas and Ma CARA and my dear
friend Bra ckett was breaking out at such
frequent intervals. that couldn't make
myself heard. But at last reached Fraw-
icy and Sake. Through them the bill got
through and whatever credit you think
due to me must be shared with these
Gentlemen.
Gentlemen, we are developing in this
poser, Gay subtler form Of crime than
any our father, knew. In the ocen
days criminals moved along the line Of
knock down and take. Nowadays rob
rery has a more commercial aspect. This
change is not being met ny a correspond
Ing Development Of laws to punish com
rercia crimes. England and France
nave nonA better than we Here a civil
suit Is often the only remedy -an inadequate
remedy.
The trouble is that the moral sense Of
most people IS governed by the statute
Rocks Thousands of ,is are blind on our
mora side. Too many men do not know
tha. they are doing an immoral thing
until il is pointed out to them as a felony
IN the statute books Let us consider an
amin ,x-El
have been concerned in the Equitable Life
Assurance matter have done things which
are NOT described in Section 52S Of the
Pena Code As larceny in law but in moral
eanse defy YOU to distinguish some Of the
scts Of these gentlemen from the crimes
named in that statute"
Mr.. Jerome dwell on the immortality Of
the CANTON dinner, which he called an ad-
vertisement az the expense Of the honor Of
a friendly nation as much az though a mer-
chant we're 10 advertise his business at the
expAnse Of another merchants wife or
"slshter. He proceeded;
Since the Equitable matter has arisen
! have been receiving letters every morn
ference between the acts Of the eminent
gentlemen in the Equitable directorate
and the confidence game az played by
men like Larry Summerteld whom I re.
Gently sent to Sing Sing. | cannot mako
these people understand the difference.
finance, and they say Good gracious
That's not finance, that's s,eainsn Thea
they lose their tempers aud write to me
Ike tbs this: = ,,o r,,.... ..,.,
for you as an honest man. Why don't
you put some Of these fellows in jail? You
put Larry Summerfeld away. Why don't
you do something to these big crooks2 I
cant make my correspondents understand
that these men are Just outside the criminal
statutes, though their morals are really
no better than those Of the bunco steerer
Summerfield.
v met Larry in restaurant just before
he was tried the last time. He had talk
didn't see why he had been indicted and
didn't believe that he could be punished.
because, he said, he had the best legal advice
n New York and had always kept inside Of
4 The high finance people will tell You
the. same thing. They are in the same
10 value to suckers. Laughter
Now that's funny, and again it isn't
funny When the writer's Of my letters
see men prospecting by just such practises
tdred, then there is a state Of contempt for
hT or disesteem OF lawpossible in this COM
munlty which We ought to do something
10 correct
Recorder Golf Judge Holt Senator
a ,st ana Assemblyman Stanley, who
IN nieO nRohc' E9ttld-
tor SAKE said that the Legislature wasn't
es bad as It was painted. Criticism was
easy but not always fair. He had heard
Mr Jerome criticized very severely.
jerome Where' At the Fifth Aven,ie
Hotel Saxe' Mr.. SAKE wouldn't say.
blt he added that he never heard anybody
say that Jerome was crooked, and seemed
70 infer that Mr., Jerome ought to return
Inc compliment to the rest OF the world.
Senator Frawley took Mr.. Jerome to
task for having said in his ca mpaign
speeches that Tammany Hall was a col
seton OF guerrillas. who would never vote
except a. they were paid. He said one
Of The most beautiful spectacles in the
world was the appearance Of Jerome and
hh'Is tDevery's lawyer, arm in arm in
support OF the fraudulent assets law. II
elait went by the looks Of this he asked.
xnat ought We 10 think Of Jerome after
nat He wanted credit given to Assem-
n,yIyman Char les Anderson for his share in
me Passing Of the bill.
n r, Jerome rose to question Of privilege
ne mao forgotten to mention Anderson
.; Anderson he began -is an unostenta-
"2!s square, little Irishman---"
NJ frawley-Dane, Mr.. Chairman.
NJ Jerome-He has brogue.
Mr Frawley-Aye tank no.
l. WI Jerome-He has brogue, though
may be that he caught it from Tom Foley.