The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-21
BUEEN CALIEDFOR AN INQUIRY
BEFORE TIE GRAND JURY TOOK
UP MAGISTRATE SCANDAL.
List or tho Fourteen Magistrates shO"S
rhat TIE sewn Men MO"t Criticised
Snc, Their Appointment We're Ah
put MIC 0Gicc by Mayor Mcclellan.

&EcN kh"sr tppunt"N NJ " Wv
put MO OEec by Mayor McaleiiSn'
Cny Macitrato Breen mgdc public yes
terdry c letter he had rent to Magistrate
Cna-lcr q. J. WGhlG, president OF the Board
of civ bIigistrateS, ON October II, suggest
i,y tbat tho board demdn IN immediate
Iovc4,icalign Of the reports which had
s,a r,ao.e public OF thCt day regarding
tho sale Of Justice by a certain Magistrate
Tho Grand jury a. tho initiative OF us
triot Attorney Jcron ., took mp the maoVer
cn Friday and viii resume It's inquiry on
"Wednesday. Boausc the sup9ect mas
psssod into tho cosnlzlnce N the lsran1
IT,, Magistrate Breeu made public his
letter. with the reply OF Magls'FaAe "aue'
40 that there might ~ no mlsunherstand-
To- as IN Maristratc BrCen's position or
visUs on the matter. This is what Magls-
trate Brcen wrote: !. -- ...,. o.
Nv Dp,n JrpCu: Referring to. our CON
tinp Ts to-day. rrsr Getting the %article
IN THF NEW DIRK SIN ~ TINS datt IentS',hs
on City MAGISTRATES, nave ssa"t care The
more 7 considered it. the stronger nccanhe
my conviction that some act.ob nVaStiee-
tion into the truth or falslty Oh these sur
prising accusations. .h. ,ho,gb,
that any nf our associates would bs guilty
OF such disreputable conduct and vulgar
IA i Girmly believe, il will result In a
thorough vindication. is1 I am anAous'lor a
thIrShFfbb a. y bad day when the humber classes
who have to do with these courts lose con
fdenoe in those who admlnisteT 5ss,,S he a. a
pnbIic calamity. Therefore this Is a iar
reaching and Fundamental question. r.,,ro
os our duties. frequently intricate and some
times delicate. the highest value OF the oLnoe
70 its hoider is not its very moderEtS salary
me tba honor of the position. when We
lose that We forfeit the principal charm OF
Therefore from every point Of view IT Is
ncimben upon us to promptly meet ana
take immediate steps TO secure an hNes"sa-
'i% 4 editor Of TIVE NEW YORK Sun, l beg to
suggest. should be requested oy our OmIVaL
Communication 10 have before US the writer
Of the article in question with any proofs
and testimony that may. he available. WIN
UNITY will be Afforded him to present the
facts. Very truly your i;rrHEw P. BREEN.
NEW YoRK, October ~.
Magistrate Wahle replied:
Ny DEAR JUICE BREEE.. have the n0nor
cation Of the 18th inst. referring 10 the puoli-
cation in THE New YORK Sun OF yesterday;
subscribe entirely to your views; There has
recently been some di sapproyal on the part
0 y, specia1 mertings, and as the regular meet
y inRs will he held a week from Monday on VIZ
tt ~ Nben doubtless a full attendance Of tha
Msgistrates will be had. May ] inquire
w raaS st re BOARD meeting in the event that
ANYTHING should occur to preyeht you IRON
attending the regular m ashFsG. f. tHEt.
President Board OF City Magistrates First
Division. ~, MoOA.-
trate Breen was at an informal meeting IN
the Tomhs court chambers at when MaBls-
trates Wahle. Baker, Walsh ana ne were
present. The meeting came aDouC Sn LILY
thought action should be taken Out Magis,
trate Wahle said he thought a dlgnlhed
silence the best plan. He cited the failure
Of any action by the supreme Souri hH n;se
trict Attorney Jerome several months ago.
Magistrate Breen said the cases were not
at All alike Magistrate Baker agreed to
this view, but nothing was done; BUT wnen
Magistrate Breen on his way home again
read the published charges he DECIDED 20
20 ahead and wrote his letter. he SAD
Yesterday he would surely attend the ooards
meeting on October 20 and would insist on
a complete investigation: .
1T la well known that the entire Board OF
CITY Magistrates is perturbed over the IAct
that the scandals affecting at least one men,
Der have reached a stage where a urano
Jury Investigation has been deemed neces-
sary. Several consultations have been helo
as to the need of an Investigation and u mas
been practically agreed that such a resolution
IA MAGISTRATE Breen suggested should De
introdIced. There is reason 10 believe that
the resolution has already been drawn ana
a man selected to introduce II. MaglstTaLe
Breen, however, is the only one VINO mas
seen ft practically TO demand an inquiry.
In speaking of the matter last night Magis-
trate Breen said:
how keenly 1 feel that our judiciary shoulo
be above Suspicion. / want to say IN ad-
dition that il the things are true mat nave
been alleged, or il half OF them are true, the
police courts Of this town are IN a worse
condition than they have been IN my mem-
\ ory. not excepting the days OF Tweed
When the police courts were reorganized IN
the zoos and the city Charter provided that
no one could be appointed a Police Magls-
trate who had not been a lawyer OF az IeasI
Ave years standing and practice at the bal
the Legislature meant good tandng by
its very act it admonished the Mayor 70 aP-
noint such men. l must assume that the
admonition has been needed ana 1 must also
assume that each and every one OF my, col
lqagIes il a man Of high character and no
until it is proved beyond DOUBT ChaC any o.
them is or has been recreant TO his duty
will 1 depart from my conviction that thes'
charges cannot be true"
Ma9iatrate Wahle, when asked yesterday
what he thought Of the investigation bJ
the Grand Jury, said that he had no state
n,ent 10 make further than to say that /
the Grand Jury desired to investigate tn
doinGs of police court Magistrate, he a.
president Of the board would do all In hi
power to cooperate with the jury. Per
ROnallY. ne Sdlu, nG WOulO OONib NHO lNAe5
inveati9ation OF the allegations. 1T il
much better for ALL he said, that th'
truth should be known than that formles
Allegations should continue to be current.
There are fourteen members Of the boar
of Magistrates, nine OF whom have beer
Accounted since 1905. OF the fourteen
three are serving second terms. These ar
Crane, Cornell and Barlow. Leroy B
Crane was first appointed a Msgistrat
nv Mayor Strong, who had the entire boar
10 appoint because OF it's reorganization
Mr.. Crane had been a member OF the Legs
Iature and was indorsed by many we
known members Of the bar. When his teri
expired in 1908 he was reaPpointed b
Mayor Low. There have been man
criticisms Of Magistrate Cranes tempera
ment on the bench. He is exceedingl
intolerant Of cigarette smokers and man
Of his scoldings OF automobile owner
generally have been published. As a Magis
trate he is strong on what is known a
the mother lecture, which means tha
he often grows about tamil
matters when occasion offers.
Magistrate Robert .. Cornell was mrs