The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-04
THIS MAN PICKED FOR JUDGE
STEETSER, WITH HIS RECENT
RECORD STILL FRESH.

FpNNhg NhRAsN Wv - " NashAN
the Dodge Divorce Was Under Inn
parchment Discharged by Magistrate
crane when He was Arrested with
Bob AmmOn IN . Get-Rieh-QuiCk FIX
tOrtiOn Case-Grand JURY and He Direr
About Evidence I'm POOIrOOm Cases.
EThe police court experience Of Magis-
trnte William A.. Sweetser, the newest
sppointee to tho Office OF Magistrate, has
not been confined to sitting behind the
bench. He has been arraigned himself
twice before one Of his present colleag nes,
Magistrate Crane, and once was before
Magistrate Simms when the case in which
he was arrested was up for the purpose Of
securing an adjournment. All the arraign-
msnts were thus on one case.
With Robert A. Ammon, now serving a
sentence in state prison, and William j.
Woods, who figured subsequently in the
Dodge-Morse scandal as a commissioner to
take testimony when Sweetser was coun-
sci for Mrs. Dodge, Sweetser was arrested
late on the evening Of September ~, 1900,
in the house of Samuel f. Keller. manager
OF the notorious bucket shop concern Of
E.. s. Dean 4 Co.
Keller charged that there a a scheme
h shake him down" because Of certain
civil proceedings and the possibility OF
criminal charges being brought against
him. He complained to the District At
torney's office and detectives were in hiding
In the house. Keller charged that SO ,OOO
was demanded Of him by the syndicate grow
ing out Of Keller's former relation with
Ammon as a business partner. Two marked
500 notes we're passed over TO Woods and
then the detectives made the arrest.
The three men were arraigned the next
day and the case was put of until September
30. On that day Magistrate Crane held
tmmon and Woods and discharged Sweet
ser, saying:
Il think that Sweetser 10 an easygoing
fellow who has no intent TO do wrong. /
believe this will be a lesson to him and hat
he will he more careful in the future"
Ammon had alleged that he put 81 900
nj his wife's money into the partnership
between himself and Keller. and after
Ammon and Woods had formed a law part
nership Woods tried TO get the 1000 back
for Mrs. Ammon. Keller charged that
Sweetser then came into the case and that
under Sweetser's persuasions he paid up
the s., 900 because assurances we're giten
to him that certain actions would be
dropped. He charged also that this peace
Offering simply made the lawyers in the
case more hungry and that the demand
for $4,000 was that it should he paid in
partial payments, 81 900 cash, 81, 900 cash a
month later and the rest in seven notes of
$1,000 each. amply secured.
Mr.. Sweetser doomed up early in the
Dodge-Morse marriage and divorce tangle,
in which Abe Hummel was eventually con-
victed Of a conspiracy to defeat the ends
If Justice. As a result of Sweetser's con-
nection with the case he made many trips
10 the District Attorneys office. Both ne
and Charles W. Morse were questioned by
Assistant District Attorney Rand, Mr..
Jeorme's chief Of staff. who had charge OF
the investigation concerning the payment
Of money by Mr.. Morse to Sweetser.
Sweetser was counsel for Mrs. Dodge
when she brought suit for divorce against
her husband, Charles F. Dodge. Sweetser
was introduced to her by a boarder in her
boarding house in West Forty-fourth street.
In the proceedings that followed. Sweetser
has related. Mrs. Dodge told him that
Dodge was at the Everett House in this
city. Sweetser says he bought a blank
made II out and served 1t on
Dodge. Before Hummel's trial was over
hs had to do a lot of explaining about where
he bought the lmmons and the serving
Of il.
Mrs. Dodge got her divorce. She married
Mr.. Morse, and n day there came a letter
from Abe Hummel saying that the Dodge
divorce war invalid as Dodge had not been
served with a ummons and that the Morses
were not really man and wife. Then began
tho many legal proceedings and the investi-
CATION by District Attorney Jerome.
ON one occasion, after Morse got this
letter and before Sweetser was able to
establish by discovering an old letter
from Dodge that the summon had been
served on Dodge. Mr.. Morse and Sweetser
were riding in n cab after a talk with Hum
mel over the Dodge divorce when Sweetser
said ANYTHING l can do for you l will
gladly do"
Then" according to Mr.. Morse's state
mont, he sent me a bill for 500, which l
paid"
After that, Mr.. Morse said, Sweetser
asked him for money several times. One
dav, after Mr.. Morse had been TO the District
Attorney Office, he found Sweetser at his
home.
He said he was behind in his rent" said
Mr.. Morse; that Morris X. Jesup owned
his house and that this thing had knocked
HIM out Of a whole lot OF business. He
wanted to know if | would give him $3.50"
Once before. according to Mr.. Morse,
SweNtser had asked him for $500. Morse
didn't give it to him. When the request
was maze for the $3.50 Mr.. Morse told him
TO call at the New Amsterdam Bank in the
morning. Mr.. Morse said he would have
Friend there and II ms tTlend SAID IL was all
right he would pay the money.
Ex-Mayor Robert A. Van Wyck was
thefriend and he was on hand when Sweet
ser appeared the next morning. Mr..
Morse turned to MIR. Van Wyck and said:
Mr.. Mayor, Mr.. Sweetser wants me
10 give him some money. Mr.. Sweetser,
If you will explain to the Mayor what /
am indebted to you for and he says il ia
correct, | will give you some. Other Use
j won't"
He put it up to Van Wyck what he
wanted the money for?" Mr.. Morse was
asked.
He did" said Mr.. Morse.
-AndMayor Var Wyck turned him DOWN."
The Mayor said, " answered Mr.. Morse,
'Mr. Morse would be very foolish 10 have
any business transactions with you MIR.
Sweetser said. You need not have IL with
me; but cannot you discount a note of
some other man's for me in the bank here
! said that would be a criticism of my Judg-
ment."
After that Mr.. Morse apparently did not
hear from Mr.. Sweetser. Mr.. Sweetser
was called upon in one Of his visits TO the
District Attorneys office to make some
explanation of his requests for money
from Mr.. Morse, who does not appear to
have retained him a. counsel. Mr.. Sweet
Eer's explanation differed somewhat from
what Mr.. Morse had 10 say.
Il met Mr.. Morse down in Wall street,
a. "a Wall street, l think il was" he said
and he stated to me on the sidewalk that