Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-01-03
JUSTICE GOFF, 70,
LEAVES THE BENCH
Tried Many Famous Cases
During Service of
y 8 % Years

New York.-At the opening of the
first term of the new year in the
Supreme Court there was missed the
FAMILIAR personality of Justice John
w. Golf, who after twenty-three
years of judicial service retired on
account of having passed the age
limit of 20 years.
Justice Goff, who now takes his
place in the company of the official
referees, came to New York as an
emigrant at the age of 16, without
money and practically without
friends. He was born in county
Wexford. Ireland, in 1S47 and when
a boy played with Charles Stewart
Parnell. His father died before he
was very old. Through an uncle he
was able to continue his schooling
for a few years, at the end of which
time he decided to try his luck in
this country. The first job he got
was from A. T. Stewart, another
Irishman who had come here much
under the same circumstances.
While he was working in A. T.
Stewards store he drifted into the
courts and used to listen to the
lawyers. That gave him a desire to
try that profession, and he studied
nights at Cooper Union in order to
fit himself for the bar. In those days
he was something of an athlete too.
Boxing was his speciality and he was
known as one of the best amateur
sparrers in New York.
Aided John Boyle O'Rcilly
Justice Goff got a chance to study
law in the office of Samuel c. Court
in, 1871 ol IN hn
bar. With f. w. Pollock he formed
the law firm of Goff & Pollock and
speedily made record for himself
as a successful criminal lawyer. AL
ways an enthusiastic Irishman, he
took a deep interest in the fate of
those suffering for political offences
in Ireland, and he was one of COM
mittee which sought to effect the es-
cape of John Boyle O'Reilly, who
had been transported to Australia
by the English Government. The
whaling bark Catalpa was chartered
and sent to Australia. O'Reilly's es-
cape was accomplished and he was
brought to New York.
Justice Goff was a Democrat, and
when Mr.. MARITIME was elected Dis
trict Attorney he appointed him an
assistant. He had condemned Tam
IHdhS lOl It's IllSlllOuS, IlONeNGG, anu
in 1890 the County Democracy took
him up and ran him for District At
torney against De Lancey Nicoll to
succeed Col. Fellows. He was de-
feated after hot campaign and had
gone back to private practice when
the Lexow investigation came on.
Justice Goff's selection as counsel for
the LeXow committee was credited to
DR.. ParkhurSt, who had conceived an
admiration for him during his cam
paign for District Attorney. He was
made counsel against the wishes of
many, however. AS counsel he
turned out to be one of the most
merciless cross-eXaminers that New
York had ever seen. The witness
tand speedily became known as "the
rack and the soft voiced inquisitor
became to many a menacing figure.
Police Commissioners and many
others broke down under the ordeal.
Declined Mayoralty Nomination
Justice Golf practically managed
the entire work of the committee
and at the conclusion of it's labors
the committee of seventy, formed to
rescue New York from Tammany in
consequence of the revelations, Of
fered him the nomination of Mayor.
He declined the nomination in
brief letter in which he said that he
could not think of accepting it un-
less every element in the city opposed