The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-30
POLICE JUDGES ON TRIAL.
BILL ASK BAR ASS aI4TION TO
HEAR THE CHARGES.
Breen's Plan to Try Themselves With Law
yers as Side Judges Overruled No sup
port for a Resolution to Have Jerome
AssIst ants Assigned 20 he Courts.

Assistants Assigned TO the Courts.
The Board of City Magistrates OF Man
haitian and The Bronx at it's regular meeting
in the West Side court yesterday afternoon
passed a resolution unanimously asking
that the Association of the Bar Of the City
Of New York should make an investigation
into the charges rejecting upon the integrity
of the Magistrates and the methods of con-
Quoting the police courts. Daniel f. Finn
was the only Magistrate out OF the fourteen
absent.
Magistrate Wahle, president Of the board.
was in the chair and as soon ash lie called the
meeting to order Magistrate Breen said:
"Inasnuch as there confront this board
published statements affecting the honor
and integrity Of its members and calculated
TO injure their character and standing in the
community | move that that subject he
taken up forthwith and that all other busi-
ness be laid aside until that * finished.
There was a pause when Magistrate
Nahle asked il the motion was seconded.
Magistrate Whitman entered the room and
disposed of an awkward situation by second
ing the motion. Magistrate Breen then
asked that his letter TO the president OF the
board, dated Octoberl7, beread. with Magis-
trate Wahle's reply. When this was done
he offered a resolution setting forti tnat
nersistent statements had been made in
the public press accusing the Magistrates OF
conduct unworthy and unbecomlng a city
Magistrate" and involving charges OF posi-
lively gross dishonesty in their administra-
ton of their Offices" He therefore proposed
that the Magistrates should begin an invest-
cation of these charges on November Q and
| hat the Bar Association should be asked to
anpoint three men to aid the board in the in
quiry as triers.
Magistrate Breen said. he thought 1t
was wholly unnecessary to make any re-
marks on the subject. The resolution
was seconded and there was another pause.
which was broken by Magistrate Whitman.
who said he wanted TO introduce a sub
stitIte for the resolution. His resolution was
in substance like that Of Magistrate Breen,
but declared in favor Of having the har
Association do the investigating. II also
pledged the Magistrates to do everything
in their power TO further the inves'iga-
ton and it closed.
"We urge that a most thorough and COM
plete investigation be made.
Magistrate Whitman said he thought
that an outside investigation would be
better thai one by the Magistrates OF them
selves. Several Of the members showed
that they favored the Whitman resolution
and Magistrate Brsen said:
1T looks - me now as If we were afraid
TO investigate ourselves. II ia not con-
sistent for lie to avoid this. Other odies the
the Senate and House Of Representatives,
alw avs investigate charges brought against
their members. II is due TO our sense
oG honor that We should follow such an
example. We would have three men,
beers Of the Bar Association to sit as trierf
with us and thus guarantee that every
thing was open and fair. | plead for an
open investigation Of his kind"
Magistrate Wahle i~nterposed to say tina
he thought the Whitman plan the more
open and fair. Magistrate Breen replied
ANY parliamentary body always investi-
gates charges against it's own members
IL IL their usag e. Perhaps this is not q
parliamentary body"
rate Finelite observed: Els Msgis.
trate Breen aware that the Magistrates
are public servants? am for Magistrate
Whjtman's resolution. ,.
Magistrate Walsh had come in by THU
time and he arose TO express indignation
He said he had read with interest" tht
articles that had appeared against tht
Magistrates and hat when the first one
"of any serious importance was puDllshcC
he had consulted with several OF his col
leagues and favored bringing the editoI
and writer's concerned before the Magistrate
in the Tombs court to make them disclos'
the namc or names OF thSse accused. ID
eaid this was not considered wise by hi
coIlea cues. He added that he was in favol
of any resolution that would make publ,
, the names of those anonymously accused
Then he added:
we zee in one newspaper the names o
three good Magistrates. wish TO say tina
I am willing to rest my case will thosc
three good Magistrates. / will abide b.
their verdict. Vile things ave been sale
about the member OF this board. Tht
names have been carefully concealed. w
rave been accused openly OF corruption
/. or at least by inference we have been &C
/, cused Of corruption. l defy any news
! paper to mention any single act OF min
, that is open to such implication. | wan
l that to 20 out to the world as publicly al
these charges nave been made. Let am
newspaper print tomorrow morning any
thing oil the kind about me and we shal
see what will happen"
The vote was called for and Magistrat
Bree 1 withdrew his resolution in view Of tn
approval Of the Whitman substitute an
that was adopted unanimously. Magis
trate Wahle was instructed to bring tn
matter before tho Bar Association at once.
Routine business was then transacted an
Magistrate Finelite introduced a resolution
requesting the District Attorney TO keep Al
assistant on duty in each OF the police court
all the time. Magistrate Cornell oppose
! this because, he said. he could not see
single good thing to be accomplished. II
declared that tho young men who woul
be sent to the courts would be ian obstruC
ton rather than an advantage" He addeC
Most Of these boys would be sent there I
study criminal law. | OBJECT to havin
these deputy-deplty assistant d'stric
attorneys around
Magistrate Wahle said he had recon
mendGd such action in his annual report an
that District Attorney Jerome had ser
men to the Essex Market and Jeferso
Market courts.
"He wasted his time" said MaEistrat
Cornell, -and I old him So"
The resolution was tabled.
Magistrate Cornell then brought up q