New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-07-13
Hasty Judgment at Albany Cannot
Put a Ouletus on the Cohalan Case.

Stilweu is in the Tombs but his ghost still stalks
the corridors of the Capitol at Albany. The State
Senate accepted his asSeverationS of innocence AT
face value because he dissolved at the psychological
moment in food of tears Jures in this city were
subsequently ufeeling enough to disregard those
tears as mere stage effects But at Albany i'm
pressonism still rules and the joint legislative com
mittee investigating the charges against Justice
Cohalan has decided offhand to accept also at face
value an explanation of the Justices relations with
Connolly which should have called for most eA'
tended and minute study of the doctrine of moral
probabilities and the interplay Of human interests
and motives.
II looks as if the committee tried to make It's
task easy by holding that Connolly was not credi-
bic witness and that the charges made 10y MN
could easily he dSregarded on that ground But
the case against Justice Cohaan rests not on what
Connolly said but upon what the justice himself
said on the witness stand. He admitted the facts
on which the procedure against him rests and put
up TO the committee situation from which CON
nolly's performances as witness could be prac
ideally eliminated.
Mr. Cohalan's evidence reduced the case to its
simplest and bareSt terms. He conceded tha' ne
had received a certain amount Of money from Con
If the ,atters threats Connolly testified that the
money in question represented percentage OF the
nrodts on contracts with the city which Justice
Cobalan had been instrumental in securing. Inc
Justice said that it represented fees for strictly pro-
icssonal services.
Here is the whole thing in a nutshell 1t Is
most uncommon thing for a lawyer. conscious oil Ms
own integrity. to return fees which he has received
liz y.hp bp
as MFR. Cohalan testified that he did. TO support Il
family. He makes the explanation that he yleIdeu
weakly 70 the threats Of Il blackmacr, fearing the
effects Of a suit for the recovery of the fees on the
,oitcal organization of which he was then
moderately conspicuous member. He asks the pun
lie 10 believe that for the sake of Saving Tam
many" he deliberately sacrificed fees which he had
earned and put his professional reputation ana
political fortunes at the mercy OF an eN'oruohiS''
Who. having once tasted blood. "ouid pe P"'''"'''
certain To want to taste il again
An experienced lawyer who naturally knows 10"
20 nrotect himself AS we'll as others against black
uailers is about the last person in the world to
AM his head. If innocent into the hlackmailcrS
moose II may he that Justice Cohalan was panic
stricken when Connoly's demand for reimburse
mont was presented 10 him and acted hastily fool
SHY and without the saving advice " counsel He
,,o, have bccn the victim Of one Of those rare
1elusicns which make an innocent man think that
Tho hest way TO protect his good name Is to com
promise with those who are trying to d"Spoh MN
If that priceless possession. He may have forgot
ron that he who supS with the devil in the shape Of
q matchmaker must use n very long spoon.
yet NJ IFS hest the case which Mr. Cohalan made
ont for himself was one which required pains
taking examination. His Interpretation of his rcIa'
tons with Connolly put serious strain on 'n'
Judgment Of those who Wow things from the angle
of ordinary experience II was hard TO reconcile
# with the customary play Of human motives ana
actions From the point Of view OF common sense
psychology II excited suspicion and doubt
The legislative committees haSy Judgment VIII
not satisfy the public Puzzles Of this KIND are not
70 he solved after the impressionistic St'weH
,,,otbod In spitc Of the committee the people of
tho state will still keep guessing and the effect
~ their guessing will he seen when the impression
lists at Albany again ask support at the polls