New-York tribune., 1922-10-07
jerome, Henry A. Wise
and Martin Conboy De-
nounce the Murphy.
koenig Political Deal
Surrogate Stands
On Bench Record
Gives Warming Against
Political Domination of
Judiciary by ''Leaders''
BY Denis Tilden I,vnch

Koenig were bitterly attacked last
night at the Hotel Astor for turning
down Surrogate John P. Cohalan for
denomination. The speakers, noted
lawyers representing partisan Repub-
llcanlsm and dyed-in-the- Democ-
racy, were preceded by Surrogate Co.
halan, who made his first public utter
ance since his rejection by the bosses
Inc surrogate was roundly cheered
wheh ne was introduced by George R.
ohearer, chairman of the meeting, held
under the auspices of the Non Partisan
Lawyers Committee. Cohalan, in ad-
dressing the first rally Of the campaign
Tor MS reelection, said the issue was
to determine whether the bosses or the
people through their judges should
rule the courts.
Martin Conboy. personal counsel for
Charles F. Murphy, after declaring that
Cohaian was the best Surrogate in the
state, invited the wrath of the Tam
many leader by saying:
"A g1udge on the part of the Tam
many leader, Mr.. Murphy, and q desire
on the part o? the Republican county
leader, Samuel Koenig, gave birth to
the, deal which resulted in the two
leaders turning down Cohalan''
Conboy Charges Spite
Mr.. Conboy said that he. along with
many other Democrats. did not like the
Idea of not being regular, but he said
that the decent Democrats, as we'll as
decent Republicans, had no choice but
to support Cohalan.
Occasionally" continued Mr.. Con-
boy, ut is necessary to condemn party
leaders. and this is one of them. If
the judiciary is to be made the object
of the personal spite and enmity and
hostility to any good man, or If the
proper aspiration to judicial office is
to be sidetracked in order that another
mans Brother may be placed on the
bench, the judiciary Of this state, in
stead of being elevated to it's proper
place, will be dragged into the niire
in which it can command nothing ex-
cept the contempt of the people. If
the people of this community desire
and deserve proper judiciary they
will re-elect Surrogate Cohalan."
William Travers Jerome, forher Dis
trict Attorney, fiayed as towards" the
handful Of lawyers. who had retired
from the non-partisan committee and
said that veiled threats had been made
that certain wealthy retainers would
not go to the lawyers who supported
Cohalan.
"1 said to the man who told me
this" continued Mr.. Jerome, "T have
little of this worlds goods, but when
have got to sell my integrity as a
citizen for the sake of fear, for the
sake of getting retainers, when a
client will not come to me because he
is afraid l am persona non grata to
some surrogate or some Supreme
Court justice, if cannot make my
living without that client, had better
starved"
Henry A. Wise, lifelong Republican.
friend of the late Colonel Roosevelt,
and United States Attorney under
Presidents Roosevelt and Taft, said
that the lawyers were assembled to
record their protest against one of
the most disgusting pieces Of political
skulduggery that has been attempted
in this community in many years.
After an attack on Murphy and
Koenig, in which he reviewed the
turning down Of Cohalan, Mr.. Wise
said:
81 for one will not stand for any
such disgusting and indecent political
jugglery. I here and now protest and
declare that the thing smells to high
heaven. I appeal to every decent man
and woman, no matter what his or her
political faith may be, to register their
votes for John P. Cohalan for Surro-
gate at the coming election in repudi-
alton of this rascally combination be-
tween Murphy and Sam Koenig and in
recognition of the wholesome and SEN
sible principle that an honest and ef-
ficient judge should be retained in
Office regardless Of his political
affiliations"
Buckner Denounces Bosses
Emory r. Buckner, law partner of
Elihu Root jr, one of the foremost
Murphy and Koenig for Swapping their
fingers" at the unanimous indorse-
ments of the bar associations and
turning down judge who served the
people faithfully for fourteen years
and who all that time had been COM
petent, honest and upright.
"Nine years ago." said Mr.. Buckner,
Surrogate Cohalan told Charlie Muir
ply in his Office at Tammany Hall to
go to hell.' This was one decision Of
Surrogate Cohalan's which was not put
in customary legal language. Charlie
Murphy knew exactly what Surrogate
Cohalan meant. We know exactly
what he meant. The voters need only
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