New-York tribune., 1912-02-16
JUDGE Dixie MAKES SLIP
Thinks Brandt Made Attack on
Mortimer /. SChiff'S Father.
HENCE DEFENDS SENTENCE
other Jurists Avoid Subject in
n discussion of Suspensions at
< Twilight Club.


Sz5ra Norman s. Dixie, Of the County
o1rrt brooklyn, was the only ono Of a
-. number of iurists who addressed the
T1TliTht Club last night on the question OF
,.e,,.,.rded Sentence" 10 allude TO the
prandt-schiff case. He defended the Sc
,.or,tv Of the sentence imposed upon Brandt
a. entirely justified, because the man had
s,.orsd a house al night where he did not
Ao,onr and armed with terrible weapons
h.d attempted 70 murder an old man."
yS,nar Judge Dixie was asked later whom
~ had meant by the expression IAN old
a,o," ne said It applied to Jacob II.
enoiS in whose house, he believed, the
rondt burglary had been committed.
.Tew York very easily gets worked up
,rto bvsteria." said Judge Dixie, "and In
,se bvsteria Of this discussion we forget
,ho circumstances and all the elements
u.bich together justified the heavy SEN
,orca There was a man who entered
.o,ss AT night into which he did not be-
,o,r He stayed there for several hours
without any right and then, armed with
,srrible weapons, he tried to kill an old
man.
r,grbere are some who would like to make
thS public believe that this young man was
ROSY fngered-what shall I say?-a rosy
fingered innocent when he was danger
ous criminal. If any wrong has been done
70 him It should be righted. II perjury
sbould have been committed II should be
sought out and punished, but l do not see
anv reason for this hysteia,"
The Twilight Club had arranged dinner
for about one hundred persons and had In
yited a number Of judges, lawyers. proba-
ton officers and social workers 10 tell
what they thought Of the effect and desira-
hnity Of suspended sentences. Chief JUS
tice Russell. of the Court Of Special Ses-
s,ons: Judges Foster and Mulqueen, of Gen
eraI Sessions; Mrs. Alice {. Smith, James
". Osborne. Miss Maude Miner, Miss So
phie c. Axman and Judge Dixie were
among the speakers. Joseph Hartigan pre-
/ sided. Among those present were Miss
Anne Morgan. Mrs. O. II. p. Belmont and
Mrs. J. Borden Hartman.
Chief Justice Russell said he was en-
phatically in favor OF the practice of sus-
pending sentence IN cases where such
proceeding held out the promise OF saving
an offender from a criminal career. The
greatest trouble that the judges encoun-
tered in this direction came from the police.
he said. as they try TO justify themselves,
make a showing and get their salaries in
creased.
Judge Dixie. who was introduced as the
cruel Judge Of Kings County in the est-
irnatlon Of criminals there, said he envied
sustice Russell for not having TO deal with
Suries twelve distinguished citizens with
a face like a fried egg" upon whose un-
changing facial lineaments he had 10 look
five days week. Judge Dixie said there
was no grander possession of a judge than
his privilege to suspend sentence. but It was
useless TO do it unless the offender was
placed on probation and kept under con-
slant supervision
The impression that & suspended sentence
was not a punishment was altogether
wrong. said Judge Foster. a man under
suspended sentence vas not more free than
9, chained dog. he added. though the prison
.btsnd and stigma were not thrown upon
him. tz -..--
The Eimira Reformatory was severely
'eriticised by Judge Muluueen as entirely
unable to improve Juveniles inclined Grim
inslly. Sending q hoy to Elmira does not
end the case" he said. He comes out
desperate criminal 10 cut your throat and
mine. and so I, rather suspend sentence
whenever there is any reason to believe that
tie boy will take advantage of another
chance and reform
Substitution of farms for the great state
prisons. great big house in this city for
unfortunate women. where morals would
NOT ne taught. but they would find oppor-
.,,,i,z, - o.cara from, their former environ
rsent. and the aholishment Of capital pun
,ishment were the three greatest reforms
advocated by James ". Osborne.