Weekly Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1908-1909, 1908-08-28
JER0ME'S RECORD
IS NOT TAINTED
INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE FINDS
NEW YORK DISTRICT ATTOR-
NEY BLAMELESS.
HIS ENEMIES ARE SCORED.
Report Is Given to Gov. Hughes, Who
Will Probably Dismiss All the
Charges.
PROBE WAS AN EXHAUSTING ONE.

ALBANY, y. Y, Aug. 25.-Commis- !
sioner Richard L. Hand under date of
August 20, reported 10 Gov. Hughes that
the evidence does not sustain the charges
( filed with the governor against District
Attorney William Traverse Jerome of
| New York city.
My conviction upon the whole case
says Commissioner Hand. lis that Mr..
jerome has been shown to have dis
charged the onerous duties of his office
with zeal and ability, having the public
good as his motive, and that no incapaci-
~, Indifference, or neglect of duty has
been shown i'll any case
Mr.. Hand was appointed by Gov
Hughes on April IS last to take testi-
| mony in the Jerome charges and he has
been at work since then sitting the
charges in ali their details. He took
about 5000 typewriter pages of testi-
mony and in addition examined the vo-
luminous exhibits and briefs filed by
both sides. As the governor always con-
firms the report and recommendations OF
the commissioners appointed, it is eN-
pected that Gov. Hughes within the next
few weeks Will make an order dismissinG
the charges against jerome in accord
ance with Commissioner Hands report.
Twelve Charges Filed.
There were twelve charges against
Jerome. The first four related for the
most part to his failure in the face of
evidence of crOokednesS i'll the Metro
politan Street Railway company, to
prosecute the officials or employees there
for The fifth, sixth, and seventh
charges had to do with insurance compa-
MES. George W. Perkins polite arrest,
and Jerome's virtual defense instead of
prosecution Of him, contributions to the
Republican campaign fund. etc. HE
eighth ninth, tenth and twelfth charges
were based on Jerome'S inactivitieS
against Whitney. Ryan, DOlan, and
Widener in the manipulation of the Met
ropolitan Securities company and also re-
garding transactions of the InterWban
Street Railway company. Commissioner
! Hand finds charges disproyed III all
cases. He says:
The general conclusion which follows
upon the foregoing findings is, manifest
ly no occasion or reason for the removal
Of the district attorney, and 1t appears
that the charges should be dismissed
Crookedness Known at Albany.
ct is easy, as it seems to me, to I'M
derstand the entire situation which re-
suited in the presentation of these
charges. Enough irregularity and i'm
propriety in the conduct Of many great
enterprises in the city of New York was
known. or at least suspected, to call for
a legislative investigation with . view
to determining the nature of the evil and
/ Il might
desirable. ard the Armstrong commit |
tee was appointed to that end. Such an
investigation was entered upon, conduct |
ed by counsel for the committee with |
conspicuous ability. and by the commit
tee with great patience and thorough
ness.
The information derived thereby was
given wide publicity. The nature of it in
evitably produced feeling that the
great evils had originated and grown
to mOnstrous proportions by reason of
the Indifference of the public, even
that part of the public having per-
sonal interest i'll the matter. The ten
dency of corporate management toward
permitting one or 4 few officials to
handle all the interests involved without
proper supervision by the trustees, who
should have given their personal atten-
ton to the discharge of their duties con
stantly increased. The investigation dis
closed the evils, suggested remedies, and
appropriate legislation has followed,
which all good citizens hope will not be
Intellectual toward securing better state
of things.
Popular interest has expressed itself
III a great many forms, one Of which is
| the conception of certain worthy pe0-
| pie that they as committee of stock
! holders in a street railway company, had
a public duty to perform in seeing to it
J q tnl will hn i1L
or irregularities 50 disclosed should be
! brought to punishment.
Cause of Jerome's Election
''The respondent. Mr.. Jerome gener-
! ally is known throughout the city and
was believed to be Il man of great abil-
| lty, absolute honesty. perfect courage.
! and with large measure of familiarity
with the needs of the situation and
measures which might be effective to-
! ward satisfying those needs. particularly
] III relation 10 the irregularities which
! were disclosed by the investigation of
! the Armstrong committee.
This favorable estimate of Mr.
Jerome was so general and the desire
| for his continued services We're so great
! as to produce his election for 4 second
! term to the office of district attorney
under the peculiar circumstances of a
/ candidacy supported by no political or
| ganization and confronted by the reg
! ular and powerful political organizations
! existing. This result was accompanied
! by great enthusiasm for the successful
/ candidate personally and an eXtraordi
nary hero worship on the part of large
/ portion of the Inhabitants Of the city
! produced the most eXtravagant eXpecta
! lions of striking and immediate results"
| The report then states that those who
! shouted loudest for Mr. jerome have
/ turned against him. overlooking what he
| has done and only believing that he
| should have done more. This demand.
! Commissioner Hand says, is unreason- !