The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-20

ParenthetcaUy it should be recaIled
that at the meeting Of the State Bar
I Association at Albany on Wednesday
LESTER +. STEARNs was the whip for
the Hooker forces.
On Jan. 0, 1904, tho jamestown Bar
Association, the vast majority Of whose
members are Republicans as well as
neighbors of Justice HOOKER, adopted
resolutions that he should reply TO the
charges Of the Bristow report The
Republicans of Chautauqua county
adopted resolutions declaring that MAU-
RICE HOOKER, nephew of tho Justice,
had been carried on the rolls of the Ere
donla post Office and had drawn hun
dreds of dollars of salary for which no
services were rendered or Intended TO be
rendered. FRANK p. BALL. il was also
charged had been put on the payroll
and his salary turned over to Mrs. WAR
Rem b. HOOKER, Justice HooKERs wife
There was very much more Of the same
character.
Last spring the president OF the State
Bar Association appointed sub-com-
mittce OF the grievance committee OF
the State Bar Association TO investigate
the charges preferred against Justice
HOOKER, This committee was made
up of three Republicans and two Demo-
Gratis.
All last spring and summer the testi-
mony of witnesses was taken by the sub
committee, and on Sept. Is Chairman
HUFFCUT directed the attorneys TO sub
init briefs.
The next scene was at Albany, on Tues
day last, when the State Bar Association
received the report Of the subcommittee
of the grievance committee and by
vote of So TO 20 decided to make tho
report public. The majority report OF
the subcommittee sustained all the
charges against Justice HOOKER, with
one or two trivial exceptions The most
henous offence probably was tho YER
dict of the majority members of the sub
committee that FRANK =. BALL had been
appointed first a laborer and then clerk
in the Fredonia post Office at the request
of Mr. HOOKER, and that BALLS salary,
received from tho Government, had
been turned over to Mrs. HOOKER.
Chairman HUFFCUT and his Republican
colleagues on the subcommittee in their
official report on this matter declare:
Tina, Justice HooKER secured said BALLS
appointment without any reasonable grounds fer
believing that his SER Ices were needed in the Free
donna post onioe either laborer cerl
That the only substantial interest as disclosed
By the testimony. that Justice HooKEs had in
tald BALI was BALLS Indebtedness to Justice
HooKrR's wife. and these facts and circumstances
lead to the conclusion that Justice HooKER procured
BALLS appointments TO enable BALL to liquidA,c
that Indebtedness
This report also sustains the charges
against Justice HOOKER concerning the
employment Of his nephew. MAURICE
HOOKER. of LINK. the barber. and of
LESTER F. STEARNs, and as to the leasing
of their building to the Government at
largely increased rentals. The minority
members of the committee submitted
report. with findings, declaring that
inasmuch as Justice HooRERs conduct
had been fraudulent and corrupt
they recommended his removal from
office, adding: Justice HOOKER has
shown himself morally unfit to be and
he is unfit to be Justice of the Supreme
Court.
It would be twice told tale to re-
count how on Wednesday. by a bare
majority of four votes the friends of
Justice HOOKER, led by LESTER +.
STEARNs. defeated the recommends
tions of Chairman HUFFcUT and mis-
Republican colleagues composing the
majority of the subcommittee OF the
grievance committee of the State Bar
Association, ard how later the assoc-
alton adopted resolution. by vote
of "a to 81, 10 the eject that the
charges against Justice HOOKER related
solely to political matters, and in 10
way were connected with his Judicial
office and did not afford ground for his
impeachment
Those two tallies of votes will, in our
opinion, be discussed in the years to
come with many pregnant consequences.
Like his political accomplice, genial as
sociate and moral sponsor. BENJAMIN
b ODELL, Jr.. WARREN B. HOOKER is a
reproach to the State Of New York.