The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-23
AFTER ANOTHER MAGISTRATE
JEROME INVESTIGATOR STRIKES
A NEW TRAIL.

Yesterday its investigation Of charges OF
corruption in the police courts so as TO
u7psent further evidence to the Grand
Jury tomorrow morning. One m
about the Criminal Courts Building was
that another Magistrate than the one whose
acts are being investigated specifically
had been implicated. There was also a
rumor that one Of the Magistrates had
been called to the oslce.
Deputy Assistant District Attorney
Murphy. who has~@Aarge Of the investiga-
ton, had a consultation with District AT
torney Jerome early in the afternoon and
soon left the building. Rumor had It mat
he had gone to sea several OF the good
Magistrates, but no confirmation OF this
could be obtained from Mr.. Jerome's Office.
The new case. duplicating a Magistrate,
was said TO arise from a report that a rela-
tive Of one Of the Magistrates, who has a
police court practice, received $500 for
the settlement Of a case involving an illegal
operation,
Progress was made yesterday in the
case Of the Magistrate already under sus-
picion. The District Attorney did not take
action in that case upon mere rumor. A
man came to the office with a efinite story
about the Magistrate receiving 81 900 for
discharging prisoners in a grand larceny
case and so backed up his assertions with
facts that no recourse was left but to make
an immediate investigation.
Another serious charge against the same
Magistrate, involving the payment Of 81 900
for the perversion Of justice. came up at
once. Then came disclosures Of peculiar
money transactions, chiefly so-called loans,
involving the integrity OF the Magistrate.
Checks that he gave as payment were said
to have been returned marked No funds"
All these cases are now under the con-
Alteration Of the Grand Jury in a sort OF
John Doe inquiry. 1t is understood that
the Magistrates name has been before the
Grand Jury incidentally in such a manner
that the grand jurors understand who It is
that is being investigated.
The inquiry has gone 80 far as to call for
an examination OF his Magistrates bank
account. The District Attorney has asked
for a statement Of deposits and checks
cashed for several days after the time
when IT, is alleged that the 81 900 was paid.
The bank il an uptownsone and it's name
has not been revealed by the District At
torney. The officials OF the bank have
reported that the account has been quite
active and that the desired
will not he ready until tomorrow.
Assistant District Attorney Murphy had
several men before him yesterday to make
statements. One of them was Benjamin
Greenthal, who practises largely in the
West Side police court. Neither he nor
Mr.. Murphy would give any hint as what
disclosures had been made, If there were
any. ILL
probably include the work and methods
Of the clerks Of the police courts, as we'll
"a that Of the Magistrates. One OF the
clerks has already appeared before the
Grand Jury and two others have been ex-
amincd by Mr.. Murphy. 1t is likely that
all of the chief clerks and certain of the as
sistnnt clerks will be summoned. The
ecandals Of the police courts associate
some of the clerks with the operations of
suspected magistrates.
Az with the Magistrates, some OF the
clerks ara known TO be men OF integrity and
moved CAPACITY. Others are under sus-
picion. 1t has been an open secret that
a corrupt police clerk can make from $50
to $50 a week, even after making the proper
divyy with those who work with him:
The most common way for a clerk TO
make money il to change a complaint from
a felony to a misdemeanOr. Lhe Magis-
trate rarely knows what conversation mas
taken place when the complaint Is being
drawn. IL il il impossible to do this It Is
comparatively easy to introduce a flaw
in tine paDers that will escape the atten-
ton of the Magistrate, but will cause the
case to be thrown out when 1t reaches a
higher court.
corrupt clerks usually work with GER
tain lawyers. II il soon learned when a
prisoner has money. The steerer IN the
court puts a certain lawyer on the man:
When ~thelawyer has the prisoner frightened
thoroughly he tells how he can get him on:
1t is then that he goes to the clerk and
Something doing in the case Of John
Doe"
sHow much?" is the answer.
Elm getting twenty" or whatever sum
The LAWYER may think it wise to mention.
The lawyer is lucky if he gets One.hsH OF
what he EFFORTS from the prisoner, but the
clerk usually will delay drawing up the
complaint until satisfactory arrangement
have been made all around.
Sometimes a case reaches the clerk be-
fore the steering knows II ~
In court. Then the clerk gets busy. II ne
can arrange il in no other way he will call
out the name of his lawyer acoomplioe. and
In a loIId voice tell him that there is a tele-
nhone call for him. When the lawyer gets
through answering that telephone call he
is in touch with the prisoner concerned,
and again n il a case Of something doing.
AT the last regular meeting OF the Board
of M agistrates there was q general shifting
Of the chief clerks in the various courts
the significance of which has Just come
70 be understood, now that the election Ia
near. George Richter, the newest Of the
clerks. was brought down from the West
chester court To Yorkville, which IL IN
Charles p. Murphy's district. Richter used
70 he an Assemblyman from Murphy
district. He was made clerk despite the
protest Of several Of the magistrates, who
were il. fayor Of promoting Charles Anthus,
who had been an assistant clerk for twenty
years, to a full clerk.
The Murphy machine was not satisfied
until Richter was brought down 70 tne
court in Murphy's own district, where ne
will be on election day. Clerk Kennedy.
who is a Republican. and who had been
In the Yorkville court for something like
seven years. was sent over to the West
Side court. Chief Clerk McCabe. who If
now clerk Of the Board Of Magistrates
and gets 1000 extra a year for Il, Is Demo
crat. and he was sent TO the Harlem court
whexe the cases from Magistrate Wash,s
por%e@f @eggTcI are heard Chief Clerk
Block, a Republican. had to be sent some
where. and he went to the Tombs. q,
There was one clerk who was not changed
He Is thief Clerk Conover Of the Jefferson
Market force. He begged Magistrate Wahle
that he be allowed TO stay where he IL unit
JULY + I next. He said he would resign then
His personal plea was effective. Kennedy
who was ousted from the Yorkvnle court
has been considered the most efficient
courteous and Woodworking Of all the police