New-York tribune., 1918-12-24
Handing Out of Cards !.
Called "Brazen A;temut',
10 Get Change of yenn.
Opinions Are Requested
Brooklyn Residents Asked
to Express Views Fulv
About Brighton Wre,l

agents handed cards to all travell...
on the Brooklyn lines yesterday !
which the company invited "the f,s...
expression Of your views" as to hOlai,.
for trial employees and officials Of -.
company on account of the Malbo,.
Street tunnel wreck.
Almost Immediately, the Mayor u.
District Attorney Of Kings Count.
counsel for the organization formed !,
relatives and friends Of victims sn,
the passengers in the cars were var.
ing the public that "the freest exurs,.
sion of your views" might result i,
obtaining a change of yenu, for Il.
indicted men.
"The most brazen attempt to lay 4
foundation for an application for
change OF venue that any corporate,
has ever made in the history Of ysx
York to interfere with the due nm.
cess Of law" was Mayor Hylar',
characterization Of the scheme 4.
warned the public against falling !,
with q scheme which might send Tim.
othy S. Williams and the other mon
under indictment to an upstate COUNT
for trial.
"T cannot emphasize too strongly
he said, that the people in whose
hands these cards fall should NOT
under any circumstances give an ex.
preston Of their opinion"
Say Small Proportion Signed
Meantime conductors were thrustin,
their way forcefully through crowded
cars in Brooklyn handing out I'll,
cards with their inviting white space
for remarks" In several OF the car
passengers after scanning the card
rose and denounced the plan to other
IN the cars. warning them not to pa,
any attention to the invitation. En-
ployes of the company said that tn
proportion Of cards returned was small
Mr.. Williams, president of the B.
T., declined to discuss the affair at Al
Counsel in the case, Stephen C. Bsla.
win, Isaac R. Oeland, Patrick Z. ca.
lahan and Meier Steinbrink, gave IN
explanation III the shape Of a form,
| statement, however. This is it:
"lt was the unanimous opinion Of Ii,
counsel representing the various de
PENDANTS that this should be done AZ
cordingly, the counsel had it done"
To this curt statement Mr.. Stein
brink individually added the following
~ got one Of these cards this morn
ing on car. So far as can see
only asks for the approval of Mayor H,
lan's action in holding the officials.
does mott am speaking generally-Y
any way attempt 10 place the signers 0
record concerning the status of the dt
fendants."
Mr.. Steinbrink did not say what h
did with his card
Warning From Association
Joseph T. Griffin, representing the
Brighton Elevated Wreck Victims and
Passengers Protective Association, IS
sued warning in the name of the as
scciation against any ''unfavorable ey
preston of opinion" on the card
handed cut by conductors, declarin
that it was OBVIOUSLY the purpose o
counsel for the officials to use SUE
comments to obtain change of vera'
Conductors received instruction.
we are informed" said Mr. Griffin
statement, "to give these cards onl
to men over twenty-one years of az
thus including all possible jurors fc
the coming trial The fact that the'
cards were issued during the mornlr
rush hour when the patience of pa
sengers was tried TO the utmost
likely to cause some hot-tempered an
very incendiary expressions of opinic
which will give the company lawyel
fine opportunity to base a demand ft
a change of venue. This is the raj
occasion when the more you abu:
them the better they will. like 1t.
1--WE resent such an imputatle
against the sense of justice and Il
fairmindedness of the people Of CT
city, who seek not revenge. but II
form, Remember - sign nothing, ss
nothingi"
After consultation with District A
torney Lewis, his assistant, Mr.. VA
basse, issued statement in which
said:
Those who have communicated VII
the District Attorneys office call a
tentlon to the manner IN which the j
quiry is worded, pointing out that 1t
SO framed as to force an expression
hostility. ii is to be observed that
does not inquire of the pssseng'
whether he believes the persons afec''
by the grand jurys action can oo'a
2 fair and impartial trial or wheita'
the passenger himself could give the
fair and impartial trial
"Many persons characterized this
legal trick. Obviously the only u
this could have would be by wordii
the questions in such way as to ora ora
some expression OF hostility. ard 10
use might be made Of it IN an apple
tion to have the trials sent to some
mote part of the state.
Beyond al doubt a fair trial can ,
had in Brooklyn. and the District a
torney's Office VIII insist 70 the "a
that the indicted men shall be tT.'
by Jury OF their neighbors and peg
~ I}~nc -l,-,1 ~