The Washington herald., 1912-08-11
Charles S. Whitman
Fighting Underworld
Career of Nev FORKS District Attorney, Who
After Years of Struggle, Seems to Finally
Have Gotten Strong Hold on the System.

ll0VS OOILSU OH OftS
New York, Aug. 1o.-Two questions arr
being asked about District Attorne,
Charles s. Whitman these days, In ths
haunts Of the gun men. behind the shut
tered windows of the gambling houses
in the places where the frightened mem
bers of the demoralized police system
are waiting for what Is TO come next
they are asking how he can be reached
and induced to be reasonable In the
clubs and other places. where poiiticians
and political exploiters meet tney are
asking why he has not promising po,
litical future and why he is not good
man with whom to tie up.
The men who really know Mr.. whit
mamie is called Judge" by his friends
Laugh at the suggestion from the un-
derworld that in some way ne can oe
reached. Those who have been watcnins
his career since he has been IN punnc
life, not much more than ten years. know
that his one speciality has been nsnuns
police graft and the system fhere Is
probably no man in the city government
the dishonest policeman fears as he does
the present District Attorney.
Amherst Graduate.
There are few men In New York who
have a wider acquaintance with those
worth knowing than Judge Whitman.
He came to the city after he had gradu-
eted from Amherst in 1880 and his best
asset was his confidence in himself. He
has had a few hard knoc.:s since then.
but he has never lost that confidence
On the contrary, he has been adding
every year to the list OF men who shar-
ed 1t with him, and there are many in
New York who believe he Is going to be
the exception to the rule that the ONCE
OF District Attorney Of New York County
IS rarely a stepping stone to higher
place.
Judge Whitman is forty-four years old.
Sometimes he looks his age. and other
times he does not. When he has Sc
rious case on and is working at II night
md day, harassed on all sides by thou
sand and one obstacles that are being
thrown in his way, he looks every day
Of his age. Find him some time when
he has laid aside the worries Of his Of
fice and he is genial, companionable
man, one OF the kind other men like to
so fishing with. and a stranger would
guess he was not more than thirty.
He was born in Norwich. Conn, in 1855,
and his father was a Presbytrian clergy
man. After one year at Adelbert Col
lese, in Ohio, he went to Amherst, and
the men who were at college with him
are his friends to this day. In college
he was a good student, but not a won
der; a fair athlete, but above all like
Bile fellow. After he graduated he came
to New York, confident in his ability
to make the town sit up and notice him.
1nasmuch as he is getting his picture
in the paper these days with regularity
Il locks as If he had not overestimated
himself.
Becomes n Lawyer.
He made up his mind to be lawyer.
school he paid his expenses by teaching
a time after his admission to the
bar there was not a great deal heard
Of him. But 1t is assumed that he
was doing the leg work. that every
young lawyer has to do to qualify him
for practice. He became interested in
politics, and when the Republican party
wanted some one to get out and make
a few speeches he was always ready. In
college he had obtained some reputa-
ton as an orator, and he kept in prac-
tice by talking to Republican audiences.
There was a vacancy in the Magis-
trates' Court, and Mayor Low appoint
ed him to the place.
There was one feature of the police
system" that he disliked more than
alliance between the policemen and the
professional bondsmen. He gave a good
deal of thought to the question OF how
TO break up the alliance. Hundreds of
women were being arrested in the
streets and would pay for bondsman
TO escape being locked up all night.
He knew the policemen were making
a rake-off. but he did not know how to
stop them from doing their duty.
Starts Night Court.
It was out Of that thought on the
question that the idea of a night court
in New York had its inception. 1t met
with an opposition that was almost fatal
at first, but he kept at 1t and finally
obtained the legislation necessary. AL
though he had been appointed to the
General Sessions bench at the time the
new court was opened. his associates
among the magistrates honored him by
asking him to preside.
There was another petty larceny |
connection Of the police that he did not |
like. That was the Police Court steerer
the man, many times a uniformed po-
lawyer to some unfortunate prisoner |
During the time he was a magistrate he |
tried in every way possible to put an end |
to that form of graft.
In 1907 Gov. Hughes appointed MT. |
Whitman judge of the Court of General |
Sessions. He attracted some attention In |
that position by favoring life sentences
for habitual criminals. He was a candi- |
date for election that year. but went
down with the rest Of the ticket. al
though he ran 1900 votes ahead of his
associates on the judicial ticket. That
made some Of the policemen sit up and
take notice OF the young man.
Mentioned for Mayor.
His activity has not escaped the atten- |
ton Of the men who have always been
leaders of the anti-Tammany fight in
this city, SO when it came time to discuss
candidates for the campaign of 1903 1t |
was conceded from the first that he |
would have a place on the ticket There |
was a good deal Of talk about nominat- |
ing him for Mayor. and he was willing |
to run. He was the first choice OF the |
Committee OF One Hundred for the |
place, but in the conferences that were |
held It was decided to give that position |
TO another. and he went on the ticket as |
the candidate for District Attorney.
New York knows what a busy District