New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-15
PROBING OTHER JUDGES
Waldo Gathering Evidence in
General Sessions Cases.
IMPEACHMENT MAY FOLLOW
grievance Committee of Bar As.
ISOLATION Carrying on Investi-
cation of Entire Judiciary

Two judges of the Court Of General Sos.
sions' besides Judge Mulqueen. were men
toned yesterday by the investigators who
are looking generally into the actions OF
that court In dischargine prisoners and Sis
pending sentences on men convicted be-
fcrc it,
Through its grievance committee the Bar
Association has been carrying on an in
vestgauon. which. it was reported yester-
DAY, is not confined TO any one Judge of the
General Sessions Court. but embraces the
ACTIONS Of all the judges.
commissioner OF Accounts Fosdick col
decorating with Police Commissioner Waldo.
IS carrying forward a somewhat similar
investigation independent Of the more for
nal steps OF the Bar Association. The in
curry by the city officials will probably re-
SUIT IN public statements. possibly in the
form Of reports to the Mayor. laying bare
their findings
II the Bar Association inquiry develops
anything in the nature OF serious charges
against any of the Judges Impeachment
proceedings would be the only legal method
.ot bringing such charges 10 a head The
method provided is that the complainants
against any judge would submit their facts
TO the Governor for transmission 70 the Leg
islature
This general feeling Of dissatisfaction
with the work OF the General Sessions court
has been fomenting for some time around
Police Headquarters. II was learned yester-
day, and now that the question has be-
r,r,bI Ia,
termined to push it to the limit Although
Judge Mulqueen's name is the only one that
has been publicly mentioned by the Com
missioner so far, II was given out yester-
day that Commissioner Waldo is only wait
Ing until he can back up his statements
with verbatim quotations from the minutes
OF various court proceedings. to make public
the names Of other Judges together with
accounts OF just how they have nullihed the
work OF the police by throwing cases out Of
court either because Of some sinister po-
litical influence. from pure highhandedness
or because OF such a fine and technical
spinning Of the web OF the laws on evidence
that an ordinary jury would be entirely un-
able 10 follow the judicial rulings.
Wants Report on Levine Case.
dressed a formal demand to Edward H.
Carroll, the clerk Of the Court of General
Sessions, late yesterday afternoon. apply
ing for a stenosraphic copy Of the minutes
In the case OF the People VS.. lsidor Levine,
which was tried before Judge Mulqueen
and which resulted in an acquttal on
March IS. 1911 This record, in substance.
Commissioner Waldo and Commissioner
=
noon, but were unable to obtain a copy Of
the minutes Of the trial from Stewart Lid
dell. the court stenographer
Liddell said. according to the announce
mert made at Police Headquarters, that it
would take some time 10 look up the steno-
graphic notes and transcribe them. and on
the advice OF Acting District Attorney
Mott. COMMISSIONER Waldo then made
formal demand for them on the clerk OF
the court According 10 the record Of the
case now In the hands OF the Police Com
missioner, Levine was charged with steal
ing some yarns and sweaters. and was
held in bail OF 5000 by Magistrate Crane.
after he had made written confession.
This is the case referred 10 by Commits
siouer Waldo in Lis speech al the Union
Methodist Episcopal Church on Monday
night, In which he said that the presiding
judgc said 70 be the Assistant District At
torney rs this all the evidence you have
In your rotten case?" and then directed
the jury TO acquit the defendant in spite u
the confession.
Waldo had intended 20 give out the min
utes in that case yesterday. bat was unable
10 get them from the stenographer. His
formal demand on the clerk OF the court
was delivered TO that official by Inspector
Hughes and Commissioner FosdIck added
the information later, that If the minutes
were not forthcoming he would subpoena
the stenographer before him. and make
him explain whether any one connected
with the court had persuaded him 70 delay
the work Of transcrib!ng the minutes.
So far as Fosdick's investigation had
progressed yesterday, he had discovered
three specific cases on d many different
judges of the General Sessions Court, ana
ne proposes 10 90 over each case with
Waldo and then Join with the Police Com
missioner In some kind of a public state
ment regarding each case.
The Commissioner Of Accounts. in a
speech delivered at the CITY Club a month
| or two ago. reviewed the steps in a case
in the Court Of General Sessions In which
! his Office had appeared as the complaining
| witness against city dockmaster. The
! indictment against this man alleged the
misappropriation Of public funds.
How Dockmaster Worked.
! In that part of his speech referring to
/ this case Commissioner Fosdick said.
The city's dockmasters are charged
with the duty Of collecting and turning
| over TO their superior officer certain
! wharfage fees paid by vessel owners Tor
! the privilege Of docking at the pubic
piers Many of the receipts given ny
| payments Of wharfage indicated that he
| had received amounts far in excess OF
| those turned in by him to his superior
| officer one case was selected upon which
| the indictment was returned In this case
| S2T 3s had been collected from Nicely
| Erothers for wharfage on the schooner
| %eIlie Craig. mOored in - district
| for seven days from February ~ 10 20
| 1909 The amount turned In TO the cdsh
| ier by ----, as shown by his duplicate
| was 30 cents No mention was made ~
| bis daily reports Of the collection oil
| s$7 SO on the Nellie Craig
Commissioner Fosdick explained in the
curse Of his speech that IL became nee
e.. airy for the people to establish STAND
| ard OF the defendants handwriting. and
for n day and a half the judge blocked the
| Assistant District Attorney when he Of
| eered I'm turn the defendants daily re-
| norts his original examination papers
| from the civil Service Commission, ac'
knowledged before a notary; his signature
| -, hts Identification card in his bankbook
"a 10 sionatire and endorsement upon