New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-02-26
RIPPER BILL ATTACKED
Question Discussed at Luncheon
of the City Club.
ITS CHAMPIONS ABSENT
Had Been Invited To Be Present
Chief Magistrate McAdoo
and Julius M. Mayer Speak.

At the luncheon Of the City Club yester-
day Chief Magistrate William McAdoo and
julius VI. MAYER. counsel TO the Page
Criminal Courts Commission. attacked the
Sullivan Ripper" bill now before the
Legislature, which seeks 10 have police
court magistrates elected instead Of APP
pointed as at present. The speakers re-
ferred 10 the bill as IAN attack on the in
ferior criminal courts"
George Haven Putnam. former president
of the City Club. presided. He said that
there was only bare possibility Of the
bill becoming "A law, but that IT was an
attempt TO undermine the courts through
politics. Speaking Of the experiences or the
opponents Of tho bill al Albany last week.
Mr.. Putnam said
"A part Of that gathering at Albany. SO
called a Legislature. acted disgracetuiiy
when the men and women against the Dill
went there 10 express their opinions. The
women were iusulted and the men were
denied fair hearing" Casting his eyes
about the room. Mr.. Putnam said;
Il do not see the author OF the bill here
Both Senator sullivan and Asssemblyman
Aaron J. Levy, the man who Is BEHIND the
bill and the man who abused MS so AZ 'he
hearing. were invited 10 come here ana
give their side OF the subject. We always
want 10 be fair in matter of such I'M
portance, but these gentlemen apparently
do not consider their cause 80 worthy a.
10 show a willingness 10 come here ana
support the bill
MIR. MAYER said that, regardless Of THIS
bill. it would be unwise to elect judges oi
the inferior courts under any system. Tic
reviewed the work Of the Page ComnlS-
sion which began its existence in 1908 ana
has investigated everything relating 10 me
inferior courts IN this city, Buffalo ana
Rochester.
After referring 70 tho removal OF the
rolico court bridges and the better
treatment given to prisoners and coihp'aul-
ants. besides other needed reforms, MI
Mayer said:
"Tbese reforms are so great that some OF
the magistrates have complained that the
courts now are as disnifed Us the United
States Supreme Court. The establishment
Of the Night Court and the Domestic hc-
lations Court was the result of tho reiorns
effected By the Page Commission. one
thousand men arc arraigned I'm the NiShc
Court each month, on the average. ana SIX
hundred arc discharged. Think ot inc
great Injustice and misfortune that would
result in abolishing this court and the Do
nestle Relations Court, which THIS OH
would do.
There have been TOO many arrests IN
this city by the police, and ! an slad 10
note that the Mayor referred to the re-
duced number Of arrests lately in his mes
SAGE 10 the Aldermen. This IS due 10 the
use Of summonses by the police.
Chief Magistrate McAdoo, speaking o. the
changes and reforms in the courts. said:
Il do not suppose in the whole world
there was anything Ike the New York po@
lice conrts as they existed under the old
regime ana before the Page Commission
legisiated in the reforms. Each ponce court
VAS a little police station in itself, where
some policemen had been assigned 70 easy
duty for fifteen years. When stranger
aupcsred he was looked at askance' asked
abruptly what he wanted, suspected by the
patrolman at the gate Of being spy from
the City Club, common enemy OF the pup-
lie. and told to get out.
Magistrate NcAdoo said that sixty-fiye
civilian attendants appointed 10 the courts
we're doing the work Of 19o policemen, ana
their work was 600 per cent better IN
order 70 see II there was still any SEM
nlance Of graft in the magistrates courts
the magistrate said, he had TWO dummy
prisoners. one a man and the other wom-
an. put through the Night Court and the
worner's court, respectively. Neither OF
the false prisoners was approached or mo
Tested By any one, not even lawyer
where under the old conditions, they would
have been asked for graft money