The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-08-25
DISPROVES CHARGES
WILLIAM TRAvERs JEROME IS E4-
 ONERATED.
Richard Hand Who Was Appointed by Gsovernor Hughes to Take Tes- timony. Has Filed kxas
 Report.

AIbanv N. Y. Aug. 24.--Richard L. Hand of EIizabethtown. who was ap- pointed by Governor Hughes to take testimony and report his findings upon charges filed against District Attorney vvtllism Trayers Jerome of New York County. by minority stockholders committee of the Metropolitan Street Railway Company, in a report submit led to the Governor today finds that moi one Of the series Of charges Is proved. but that all are disproyed up on the evidence ds Feconinehos inc disnissal of the charges. A re- ouest was made for Mir. Jerome'a re- movaI.
 sMv conviction of the whole case 7 s&vs Mir, Hand, in hfs report. IS thae inc respondent has been shown to nave iischarged the onerous duties of his office with zeal and ability, having the public good as his motive, and tnaL no incapacity, indifference or neglect of dutv has been shown In any case. '
 Governor Hughes has not acted upon Commissioner Hands report.
 Twenty-three charges were nle0 against District Attorney Jerome on April IS last and three additional charges were withdrawn. The com missioner sustains the contentious of District Attorney Jerome in every charge, stating at the conclusion oh many of them that he could ind no neglect on the part of the district at torey or any good reason for other or further action than that which was taken by him.
 The charges in the main accused the District Attorney alleged neglect of duty in not sufficiently prosecuting alleged fraudulent acts of the Metro polltan Street and other railway com panies of New York and also or the insurance companies as developed by the so-calied Armstrong aesislatNe in- surance investigation.
 Many of the charges alleged mis- conduct on the part of the district at- torney in shaking dice In restaurant in New York City. On thIs charge the commissioner says that although the act itself is not criminal per hitting it on the part of the person licensed, that Is, the proprietor of the restaurant. is a crime. The comrnis- sioner holds that there was no evil dence that the proprietor knew that the act wasscommitted and that to hold him crimlnaliy liable would be an absurd perversion of the object of the law and a straining of its Ian uage.
 In his general conclusions cornmis- sioner Hand says in part:
 What information tnls committee may claim to have as to the conduct of the District Attorney upon which they have assumed to make these se- rious charges of improper motive, ne- glect of duty, official misconduct, con- spiring with criminals, throttling prosecutions and defeating justice, we can only infer from the fact that its chairman and secretary concede their utter ignorance and seem to have signed such charges as the counsel saw it to prepare without real knowl- edge. even of the contents of such charges and In absolute ignorance as to their truth or falsehood, the coun- sel himself is forced to admit that he had no greater knowledge or infor- nation than they"
 Governor Hughes will examine the testimony and Commissioner Hands report before taking any action.