The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-05-27
JEROME GOES
ON WARPATH
pHFkNps HIMSELF AGAINST
CHARGES OF DERE.
LECTION.
SAYS NE DID HIS FULL DUTY
New York's District Attorney Ayers
HE Course ss Public Prosecutor
Has Been Guided by Law
and Conscience.

Eliaabethtown, N. Y, May 27.--Dis-
trict Attorney Jerome was the central
figure Tuesday In the final proceed
ings here before Commissioner Hand
appointed by Gov. Hughes to hear ties.
timony In connection with the charges
Of dereliction in the performance Of
the district attorneys official duties
Mr.. Jerome began his summing up
after the filing of brief by Franklin
Pierce, attorney for the complainants
He presented no brief on his own be-
half, but will file one for Commission
or Hands perusal at the conclusion OF
the hearing. The district attorneys
argument occupied the entire days
session.
He launched into lengthy analysis
of the motives which animated those
most active in bringing the charges
against him. He said the proceedings
were "fiimsy and mendacious."
81 have lived all my life in the city
Of New York" said the district attor.
ney, "and the 16 best years Of my life
there we're given to the public service.
Twice have run for Office In that city
and have been elected. the last time
against every political party and all
alone; and l consider that was elect
ed to exercise my judgment in the dis.
charge OF the duties of that office and
not the judgment OF irresponsible edi-
tors OF yellow journals and what they
might say / ought to do. The duties
laid upon me in that Office and which
I have striven to discharge were
these: To be fair and Just, TO apply
one law to all persons, not one law to
the poor man and another to the rich.
/ have stood under great pressure be-
fore that grand Jury room as a south.
ern sheriK has often stood before q
southern Jail when he knows that the
prisoner within is guilty and worthy
OF punishment, but will allow him to
be punished only as the law requires"
Regarding the charge that he had
refused to advise the grand jury to In
dict George w. Parkins. in the So
called $4,000 political contribution
case, Mr.. Jerome said:
ut was perfectly plain that Bryan's
election would have been followed by
a shrinkage in the value of the securi-
ties OF the New York Life Insurance
Co. OF 10 to ~ per cent, so that with
$450,000,O00 worth of securities this
contribution by Mr.. Perkins was a
shrewd movement even II Illegal. But
was II illegal? There was abundant
evidence that the officials of almost
every financial institution in New
York City had contributed to the Re.
publican party committee to help de-
feat Bryan, so that II Perkins was
guilty, then had my work cut out for
me good and plenty for year or more
ahead / tried to get a judicial de.
cision in the matter. Judge O'Sulli
van refused to take II up and decide il
"The judiciary OF New York City
was as scared as anybody In New
York, because Il was on one hand j
Pierpont Morgan's partner and on the
other hand the yellow journals"
Mr.. Jerome said there was no rule
OF law by which he could have brought
John A. McCalPs evidence before the
Armstrong committee to the attention
OF q grand jury.
~ have been called liar ant
charged with not being a bloodhound
and many other awful things" he de
clarad, but there has never beer
even an insinuation that / have dol
lar In the world except what have
received as salary"
Regarding the charge which related
to the $4,000 which Thomas F. Ryar
received from the Metropolitan Securi
ties Co., he said. About this time sew
eral men began bear campaign II
Wall street against Metropolitan Sc
curities. 1t was important to find ou
the. source OF these bear rumors
Thomas A. Ryan spent some $4,000
OF his own money for detectives an,
IN other ways to clear up the matter
Subsequently the Metropolitan Securi
ties Co. repaid to Mr.. Ryan this $24,
600.
He then took up the investigation o
the American Ice Co. He said thu
January grand Jury looked into th'
matter carefully and found no indict
ments and the present grand Jury hat
been at II for two weeks and as ye
had done nothing