Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-10
JEROME SA VS.
ALL CHARGES
ARE FALSE
DISTRICT ATTORNEY REPLIES
10 ACCUSERS
Submits Report to Governor, in Which
He Asserts His official Actions
Have Been Above
Reproach
nv Associated press.

by Associated Press.
ALBANY, N. Y. March 9.-District
Attorney Jerome of New York made
an answer today to the governor to
charges recently filed.
With reference to the charge which
relates to Mr.. Jerome's campaign fund
which was in charge of Howard S.
Cans. who was one of his assistants.
Mr.. Jerome stated that save and ex-
cept in few instances" he was not
informed and did not know from whom
the contributions to the expenses of
his campaign were made. The answer
sets forth also that the largest con-
tributor to the fund, so far as Mr..
Jerome knows, was Samuel Inter
never. who has been for a long time
a personal friend of the district at
torney. Mr. Untermeyer's contribu-
ton was $4,000.
The charges against Mr.. Jerome al
legged that this contribution was inn
proper on the ground that Mr.. Inter
never was an attorney for James H.
Hyde. formerly vice president of the
Equitable Life Assurance society. To
this the reply is made that Mr.. Untet-
meyer at that time did not represent
Mr. Hyde in criminal matters and that
neither before or since that time has
any evidence been produced to indi-
cate that MIR. Hyde had been guilty Of
any criminal act.
Denial is made that Mr.. Cans since
he has been an active practitioner of
the law has at any time received any
favors or shown any other or greater
courtesies or consideration than is
shown to every practicing lawyer.
Denial is made also that any tavors
have ever been asked or received of
the district attorney from any corpor-
alton.
Denies Charge
With reference to the charge against
the district attorney to the effect that
he had failed to bring prosecution for
any alleged criminal conspiracy for the
flotation of illegal. worthless and ficti-
tious securities of the United States
Shipbuilding company in 1902, Mr..
jerome replies:
"That while it was possible crime
had been committed and that certain
persons connected with the enterprise
had been guilty of procuring money
by false representations the legal evil
dence to prove the falsity of the rep
resentation could be secured only by
taking the testimonies of the witnesses
in five different states"
Under the elementary criminal law,
Mr.. Jerome says, dispositions when
taken without jurisdiction" are not
available either for preliminary steps
in a prosecution or upon the trial of
a criminal case and that he had no
means of securing the attendance of
witnesses whose testimonies would
have been essential to make a case
and that he was, therefore, powerless
to prosecute.
In reply to the allegation that the
district attorney had almost completely
lost the confidence of the people in the
county of New York the answer dis
claims any ability to judge of this as
sertion, but sets forth bearing upon
the question some of the numerous
letters which he has been receiving
since these charges have been filed,
containing assurances of confidence
and expressions of approval of his
course. The list of letters referred to
are communications from Joseph H.
Choate. formerly ambassador to Great
Britain. Gen. Benjamin F, Tracy. for
merly secretary of the navy, and Ed
ward M. Shepard.