New-York tribune., 1910-03-11
MAYOR EATS ALONE
THEN GOES TO DINNER
Tells Lasuyers He'll DO NO
Man q Wrong IN Office.

I
! OF a humorist last night, Judging iFoii
the frequent laughter which greeted ms au-
| dress to the alumni of New YORK Chi-
versity Law School at their annuai u'ni'si
III the Hotel Astor. He accomplished eui9
hy reading extracts from little DOOM ooi'
| tanning the blue laws OF Connecticut anu
commenting thereon. The presence ol '"o
Governor and justices of the Supreme court
Oh connecticut as the guests OF honor sa'e
appropriateness to his remarks
| Governor Fort and several members or
the New Jersey bench were also guests
as were lawyers and jurists from Mary-
land' Pennsylvania and Missouri.
Mayor Gaynor was called upon by Judge
James B. Dill. the POSTMASTER 70 welcome
these representatives from sister states
! IT gives me great pleasure" began the
Mayor, TO perform this simple duty OF
welcome. | most heartily welcome TO this
city and to this banquet the Governor and
! judiciary OF the State Of Connecticut
suppose I must secondarlIy include in this
welcome the Governor and judiciary of the
State OF New Jersey. What is happening TO
poor Connecticut and New Jersey with all
| these officers of the law here tonight?
/ Suggestions TO the Police.
1T has been considered necessary TO send
Police officials to every little meeting. Per-
| haps there are some here tonight. But
1 have been trying 10 persuade the police
to keep away from such gatherings Of the
people; that the people win keep order il
left to themselves. There Is no more order
ly people than that OF the United States.
We don't need the police tagging after us.
| This meeting is proof OF my contention.
! Connecticut and Now Jersey are getting
on very well tonight i'll tho absence of all
! these officers of the Law. OF course, IL
somebody in either OF those states should
/ apply for an injunction this evening II
might cause some embarrassment; that is.
! IT they ever issue injunctions there.
| L used TO be in the judiciary myself once
/ upon time continued the Mayor. Il
/ got into it without seeking the Office as
I suppose most of you did. I got out of It
/ without doing any one a wrong, because
/ knew my weaknesses. I am now in an
! Office which also l did not seek, and 1 am
| absolutely certain OF one thing-that, be-
! cause l recognize my weakness, I shall
! serve through my term without doing a
! wrong"
Produces the Blue Laws.
! The Mayor then pulled from his pocket
/ the little book containing the Blue Laws
! of Connecticut. which he said he had had
sent over from his library TO take up to
the dinner. For the same reason that I
came here" said he. TO get absolute
mental rest and to polish up ny literary
/ style, 1 going TO read this book to you.
| Some OF the laws in it are very excellent,
/ some are straight-laced. IL not terrible
The Mayor then chose a few of tho cap
! ital laws whose quaint phraseoloey he
| quoted to the great delight of the diners.
! III any man or woman shall be a witch
he read. that is. if he or she hath con-
| suited with q familiar spirit. he shall be
! put TO death"
II was going to ask the Chief Justice OF
/ Connecticut whether this law had been
repealed Mayor Gsynor commented. but
/ Judging from some of the decisions up
there 1 should say 1t had not
: Another law read provided the death
penalty for any man who. after legal con-
viction," should be found to worship
/ "other than the Lord God" The Mayor
/ was anxious to know who determined in
connecticut who was the Lord God"
Another law prescribed death for stub
/ born sons"
! The speake. thought II would oe ar ex-
cellent thing IL New York had the blue
! law which provided that a man who
I brought suit against another for greater
] damages than he was entitled 20 shouII be
! fined
! Where are judge Scott and Judge Dow
Iucg?' he asked. II rarely attend a din
ncr at which they are not present. If We
I had such law today. what would become
/ OF three-fourths Of our damage suits?
! And there is one for the newspapers
in the Blue Book which provides that an
editor who defames court judges or pro-
ceedings shall be fined imprisoned or ban
/ ished. I wonder If some of cur New York
/ editors don't need banshment."
/ Shortly after the Mayor arrived at the
reception which preceded the dinner he
/ left the room and went down stairs into
the "orangery'' of the hotel. where ne Iar-
tool, alone of a little meal consisting cf
soup and beefsteak. This action caused
/ some excitement. as it was construed TO
mean that he was offended.
! Thought Mayor Was Arnoyed.
| The lawyers thought the Mayor might
not have liked the delay in providing sus-
| tenance or that he considered that he had
| been sighted IN some way by the commit
tee having the dinner and reception In
charge. William NJ. Patterson. secreta.y
OF the Alumni. explained it ali later by say
/ ing that in his invitation to the Mayor he
/ naQ OIleLSQ EliE a ECOill SL tDe motel, where
| he might change his clothes and rest after
/ his days labors. and had also suggested
that he might eat alone if he so desired. TO
! gain further relaxation.
| The Mayor went Immediately 10 his room
upon reaching the hotel, changed his clothes
and then attended the reception to show
respect to the distinguished guests. Then
/ he ate aiore, as suggested, and appeared
at the dinner in plenty Of season 20 make
his address, remaining thereafter 10 hear
the other speakers.
| Governor Weeks OF Connecticut told the
diners that the lawyers OF the country were
especially beholden 10 Connecticut iuris-
| prudence. fact that made his presence
| appropriate, though he was not a LAWYER
himself nor tkA son OF a lawyer. Gov
ernor Fort of New Jersey praised Mavor
/ Gaynor for his splendid beginning" Other
! speakers were Judge Samuel d. Schmucker
! '65. of the Maryland Court OF Appeals:
Judge Edwin b. eager, OF the Connecticut
Superior Court; ex-Presdent j. J. Vineyard
of the Kansas City Bar Association Judge
! Howard \. Davis. of the Philadelphia Court
of Common Pleas. and Joseph l.. Barbour.
representing the bar of Connecticut
n