New-York tribune., 1920-10-15
Bar Committee
Calls Swann's
Charges False
John A. Garner, Vice-Presi-
dent Of the Association,
Denies That He Asked
Withdrawal of Gas Suit
Untermyer Aids Candidate
Declares Organization Long
Ago Should Have Acted
if Allegations Are True


day to the controversy reused by the
report of the Judiciary Committee OF
the Bar Association of the City of New
York in declaring District Attorney
Swami unfit for the office of Justice OF
the Supreme Court, for which he is g
candidate.
John A. Carver, vice president of the
| Bar Association and counsel for the
! Consolidated Gas Company, issued q
! statement, in which he branded as false
Mr.. Swann's declaration that he had
called at the District Attorneys Office
and asked Mr.. Swami to withdraw his
action in the gas case
Samuel Untermyer, in a statement
in defense of the District Attorneys
candidacy, deplored the action of the
Bar Associations committee and warm
ly defended Mr.. Swann's record, char.
acter and fitness for the post.
Swami Attacks Again
Mr.. Swami himself, in supplement
tary statement to the reply he had
already made to the Bar Association
committee, again assailed the mem
bers of the committee, impugning both
their records and characters.
From the office of the New York
County Lawyers Association came q
copy Of the original Endorsement of
Mr.. Swami by that association
In his reply to Mr.. Swami, Mr.
Carver said:
district Attorney Swami attempts
to meet the serious charges of mis-.
conduct made against him by the judi.
clary Committee of the Bar Associa
ton, by bringing forward entirely ir-
relevant matter, some Of which con-
Germs me. In doing this he exhibits
the characteristics which the Bar AS.
sociation has condemned.
ut is absolutely false that | asked
nm to withdraw his answsr in the gas
case, to which he refers, or that
requested him to consent to a iudg.
ment in favor of the company settine
aside the 80-cent law. That law he
characterzes, in language that illus
trates the judicial qualities of hi!
mind and temper, as one which wa:
passed for the protection Of the help
less public against the oppression of s
rapacious combination"
Late in Taking Action
'If these charges are true" adde,
Mr.. Untermyer, "the Bar Association
! having made complaint or preferred
charges on this ground during all tn,
years Judge Swami has been Distric
Attorney, as it was its duty to hav,
done. 1t has & standing committee OF
grievances for just such purposes. VIII,
have they taken no action? Again ant
again, dating back as far as the elec
tion Of Judge Leventrtt, they hav,
denounced as unworthy and unfit can
didates of the Tammany organization
for the Supreme Court who proved t,
be the ablest and best judges that eve
sat on the bench. AS recently as Ma,
OF this year the association refused t.
recommend for reelection one of tn,
Judges who is now a candidate for tn
nomination by both political parties"
With regard to the charge, made b.
the judiciary Committee of the Da
Association, that Mr.. Swami, in hi
administration of the Office of Distric
Attorney, has conducted himself con
trary to ethical standards. has use
oppressive methods and resorted t
unbecoming newspaper publicity il
important cases, Mr.. Untermyer said
Il know nothing of the merits 0
these very serious charges as apple
to Mr.. Swami, but find no evidence il
the committees report to supper
them"
In his supplementary statement, is
sued last night, Mr.. Swami singled on
every member Of the Judiciary Com
mittee Of the Bar Association for at
tack and reiterated that "the repor
of the committee is the natural seque
to the sinister propaganda carried o.
by the predatory interests against m
as District Attorney because of m
vigorous opposition to their scheme
for preying upon the public"
Citing the Endorsement of the Ju
dietary Committee of the New Yor
County Lawyers Association of hi
candidacy, Mr.. Swami concluded:
! Il am informed that this committe
was told that the Judiciary Committe
of the City Bar Association intended t
make a report adverse to my candidacy
The committee of the County Lawyer
Association thoroughly investigated tn
Ingraham report and the other matter
referred to in the City Bar Associ:
TONS adverse report, and after car,
fully considering all of the matters b.
fore them came unanimously to the col
) clusion that | was qualified to sit upo
the Supreme Court bench.
Opposed By Trusts, He Says
=, "The fact that this committee, cor
posed of we'll known ana disintereste
J lawyers, approved of my candidac
shows that the action of the Judicia1
Committee of the City Bar Associate