New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-21
LAWYERS VOTE
PERKINS SUPPORT
Swami a Respectable
Nonentity," Says Wicker
sham at Meeting.

SHALL d. ViNNtiiiS'
A large gathering Of lawyers at
tended tho meeting at p Cedar street
yesterday At which the candidacy OF
Dis,riet Attorney Perkins for re-elec-
80, was Endorsed. George W. Wicker
sham. former United States District
Attorney. was chairman, and the other
sneakers were William D. Guthrie and
william Rand. jr., former Assistant
District Attorney. The speakers de
aounced the candidacy Of Judge Ed
ward Swami. Of General Sessions, the
Tammany candidate, and made a plea
70 the lawyers 10 work hard TO prevent
Tammany from getting control Of the
of3ee.
at Is long time since Tammany
Hall has ventured 70 reach out us
hand for this prize" said Mr.. WICKER.
ham. "Jn fact. not since the days OF
Gardner has Tammany been able TO
boast possession Of it-and Gardner
Won NAV remember, was removed from
Office BY Governor Roosevelt. AS ior
Judge Swami, Mr.. Perkins's opponent,
IL can only be said that he is respect
able nonentity, exactly the KIND OF man
behind whom Tsmmsny always seeks
10 cover its reputation.
Mr.. Guthrie and Mr.. Rand gave fscts
and figures 70 show that Mr.. PERKINS
rad been an able District Attorney and
sbould be reelected. Mr.. Guthrie
launched into an attack on Judge
Swami.
Bids for Criminal Vote.
az the people want q lax admins
,rstion OF the criminal laws under the
feeble direction Of a candidate who
openly bids for the vote of the criminal
and law-breaking classes" SAID Mr.
Guthrie" by protesting so-caIied hu-
nanitarienism. and suggesting that ne
will mitigate tho rigor Of the law o.
nut himself up as wiser than the law
bv irtimating that he viii literally eX-
ercise the power OF dismissing lndlct-
ments found by the grand jury II the
reople want a District Attorney VINO
has been affiliated with Tammany Hall
the whole Of his political life. not only
under Murphy but under GROCER, ana
who is reasonably certain 70 MI the
great Office of District Attorney and his
numerous staff Of assistants with wha-
are known 10 the disgrace Of the bar as
Tammanv lawyers and Murphy bench
men. let them vote for the nominee Of
Tammany Hall.
Before reviewing Judge Swann'5
career il seems 20 me particularly Mt
and proper that should ask the peo-
ule Of this county what there is in the
District Attorneys Office that could
induce a Judge Of an important court,
receiving an annual salary OF Sl75OO,
20 abandon high and honorable judicial
Office TO seek a lower Office at a lower
salary for d shorter term, and in so
doing 70 drag the bench down once
more into politics Judge Swami now
seeks 20 be denoted rather than pro-
noted
Town Would BE Wide Open.
Mr. Guthrie reviewed the extensive
patronage Of the Office and said he
would be called upon. Il elected, 20 dis
tribute that patronage among the pO-
litical followers of Chief Murphy.
But the power which Tammany Dis
trict Attorney could WELD directly or
indirectly by giving his Tammany as
sistants and deputies a free hand was
Of infinitely greater value 10 Tammany
Hall than the patronage, Mr.. Guthrie
said.
"Let politics again re-enter that
Office" said Mr. Guthrie. "as was the
case under the last Tammany admins
tration under District Attorney Gardi-
rer. who had 20 be removed. and az
once we shall have the wide open town
and comparative immunity 20 those
criminals who have political connec-
tions and political influence. ! venture
20 say that there IS not d professional
criminal in the City Of New York to-
day Of any class who does not want
political District Attorney, and who
will not work from now until Election
Day for such candidate"
There were Democrats and Progress
sives, as well as Republicans, az the
lawyers meeting The announcement
was made that Perkins Democratic
Lawyers League had been formed, with
more than 200 members.
District Attorney Perkins spoke last
night ~ an enthusiastic meeting In
Leslie Hall, Broadway and Eighty-sec-
ond Street He dwelt upon the neces-
sity Of keeping Tammany from get
ting control OF the District Attorneys
Office. lie said that conducting the
District Attorneys Office was purely a
business matter
There Is no necessity for a change
in the administration Of the District
Attorneys Office" be said "On the con
trary, there are many reasons why
there should be no change. The com
pleI nature OF some OF the cases now
under investigation would battle any
new man and his assistants unless they
devoted months In going over the
ground already covered by my staff.
The time and money Of the taxpayers
will he sacrificed II change Is made.
in the interest OF the citizens OF this
county, | urge You 10 let me continue
the work in which I am now engaged. "