The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-06
MAYOR KILLS COURT CRAFT.
MAGISTRATES FORCED TO DROP
COURT ATTENDANT Plan.

.IoDs for Tammany 20 Hand Out
GIplIan Threatens Removal and CrImI.
nat Proceedings 10 Action Is Taken
without Hoard OF Eliminates Consent.
MAJOR Mcclellan put a stop yesterday to
the scheme to appoint 100 court attendants
toy the police courts r political jobs-by
Cli4'Iy serving notice on certain members
oi the Board OF City Magistrates that II
these attendants were appointed without
the approval of the Board Of Estimate he
would personally prefer charges against the
Magistrates before the Appellate Division
asking for their removal.
The Mayor earlier in the day at the
meeting # the Board of Estimate called
MAGISTRATE Wahle to account as president
OF the Board of Magistrates and told him
that if the Magistrates should make such
appointments it would he a misdemean0r.
Thu Mayor plainly intimated that the board
might take the consequences. Magistrate
Wahle diSclaimei any intention OF making
the appointments outright and said the
resolution before the board was to appoint
o committee to confer with the Board Of
Estimate about the matter. The Mayor
turned to Magistrate Barlow, who was
present, and asked:
Is that your understanding. Magistrate
Blrlow2' 4
1T is-now," said Magistrate Barlow.
VIII emphasis On the now.
The members Of the Board Of Magistrates
who are outspoken in favor OF introducing
politics into the organization Of the courts
took their defeat hard. At their meeting
later in the day to consider the matter they
let themselves down easily by putting OF
further conside ration Of the move until the
regular meeting on the last Monday in
November. The scheme is practically dead.
for it will have to be approved by the Board
Of Estimate. 1t is known that the Mayor
r. opposed to it. and it will be impossible to
get the money for the salaries OF such at
PENDANTS, no matter IL the Magistrates decide
that they favor the plan.
The meeting OF the Magistrates was
ttormy. 1t was called for no other purpose
than to Jam the scheme through. There
n HO III III nav tuNy COubu CDh-
slider. Before the majority carried through
the plan to adjourn the scheme received
a severe scoring from Magistrates Barlow,
Crane, Mayo and Whitman. Magistrate
Whitman went so far as to demand that
the majority take their medicine" right
there and then.
1t was the original plan to have as nearly
q snap meeting as is possible under the
L. Dbl g-.-.k - - -.
given. 1t was hoped that some Magis-
trates could not attend. Magistrate Cornell
sent a letter complaining Of the short notice
because it kept him away.
There was also another plan to hold
an executive session and keep reporters
out. This was defeated. because atteu-
ton was called to the fact that the law
requires that the meetings shall be public.
1t was asserted openly that IL 100 more
slices Of patronage could be placed inn
mediately within reach of Charles +.
Murphy the latter might be willing TO place
two of the Magistrates on his Judiciary
ticket to be named next week.
The first step in defeating the measure
occurred when Magistrate Wahle was be-
fore the Board Of Estimate in reference
10 the annual budget for the police courts.
he Magistrate was about to leave when
the Mayor suddenly asked him about the
I"r ort that the Magistrates were to hold
IS ocial meeting later in the day to appoint
court attendants.
Il want to call your attention 10 the fact
that II this is done" said the Mayor. 1T
will lie a misdemeanor. You cannot APP
Ioint men to Office unless provision has been
made by this board for their salaries. =
Magistrate Wahle at once disclaimsd any
sgch purpose. He said he knew that such
m action would he a misdemeanOF. The
board, no declared, wanted simply to APP
Ioint a committee TO confer with the Board
Ct Estimate on the matter. Then Mayor
Mcclellan spoke to Magistrate Barlow.
The Mayor, however, did not let the
matter rest. AZ soon as the Board Of
Estimate meeting was over he got into
touch with n Of the Magistrates and
rotlfed him, with the request to pass the
word along, that if any action was taken
appointing the court attendants he would
depart from his usua custom Of reserve
and would at once personally prefer charges
against the Magistrates voting for the
deal before the Appellate Division looking
10 their removal. He also minated that
criminal proceedings would be begun.
The word was passed along INC the
possible prospect Of going to jail did not
seem to cheer the supporters Of the scheme.
There was a long private conference in the
Board Of Magistrates meeting room at
the West Side Oonrt before the formal
meeting began and the plan was arranged
to sidetrack the matter. Even this plan
oaine near miscarrying. II required eight
votes to pass the plan. There were only
eight Magistrates OF the fourteen present
when the proceedings started, Wahle. Bar
low, Crane, Finn, Mayo, Moss, Steinert
and Whitman. Walsh, FInelite and Sweetser
came in later. Baker, Cornell and Breen
did not attend.
President Wahle had the call read for the
meeting. Then the resolution to appoint
the attendants was read, It was:
Resotred. That the president Of the board
he and hereby IL directed TO appoint q commit
lee Of three members besides himself, who
shall report at the next meeting OF the board
the names OF 100 court attendants from the
court attendants certified by the municipal
'lyl Service Commission TO be appointed
court attendants In and for the courts Of the
Flrst Division. eight at a salary Of 81 400 a year
mnn in - - -