New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-04-01
NET. Law YER Up
ASK COURT TO DISR1lK
Ii. i. ROBINSON.
Vouchers .Shosc AVcgcd Pay
merits to Police. Opposing
Lcrcycrs and Court Clerks.

Through the signing of an order Of
reference yesterday by the Appellate
Division IL became known that the Bar
Association had been since October.
1908, investigating secretly the profes-
sonal conduct Of Henry A. Robinson. as
general counsel for the Metropolitan
Street Railway COMPANY and as d re-
suit Of its inquiry has recommended his
disbarment by the. Appellate division.
The court Will appoint a referee
The Bar Association reported that
Robinson. who was connected With the
Metropolitan fo~ fifteen rear5 prior TO
1908. was guilty OF grossly unprofes-
sionaI conduct and malpractice in ap-
proving vouchers turned IN by his as
sistsnts. detectives and investigators
which it was charged. represented inn
proper and even corrupt expenditures
for the purpose o9 delaying or defeating
the claims Of persons against the rail
road company. The period covered by
the complaint was between 1899 and
1902.
The grievance committee OF the Bar
Association obtained possession of 11i
vouchers, representing in many cases
the alleged corrupt expenditures. In
cluded in this lot Of vouchers was one
for SO submitted by Ambrose F. Nc
Cabe an assistant of Robinson, for
dinner for Justices Conlan, Fitzsimons
and Haskell, of the City Court, at that
time.
Former Justice Joseph F. DAILY, who,
with former Justice Edward ". Hatch.
are counsel for Robinson. asked indis-
nantly regarding this voucher whether
il could be believed that trial justices of
the City Court could he corrupted with
dinner.
Payments to Many Persons
There are dozens of other equally in
teresting items in the vouchers, inelud
ing payrents to policemen. to court en-
ployes and money for the entertainment
of jurors i'm cases. There were also
heavy expenses incurred in interview
ing" the physicians and witnesses for
plaintiffs in accident cases. Several
times there appears the term. ''rcping
Concerning the payment of money to
policemen, Robinson aid:
We had q curious experience in the
upper part Of Columbus and Lexington
avenues where there were many acCi-
dents. The policemen would put down
bogus names of witnesses on the sta
tion house books, and would then send
this notice 80 our inspectors:
" Tell your law department ! have the
names of the Witnesses
Il have never heard but what they
produced good witnesses. but II was their
method of getting money out of the cor
poration."
Some Of the Items.
Some of the items that appear in the
vouchers are these:
Shea case, death. expenses ropine plain
tiff clerks fee and disbursement. $40. ex-
penses Plaintiff and brother and roping
them. 81
Penas case, bin Of 800 a5. including dis
bursements shadoVing and rOping plaintiff
his attorney. and attorneys female type
writer. S31 "a. expense interviewing plain
tifs physician. Ss 81
MCQuade case. August 2s. 1897. two sup
pers plaintiff s doctor. S14.
kaust case: case OF accident, December
D. lS9o. expenses at night. 1c5th street and
Park avenue. with plaintiff two witnesses,
Fav- and Bowers. and disbursements with
friends for purpose of keeping them away
from home. s1l so; hotel bills. suppers and
brea kfa SITS. g -.