POLITICAL GRAFT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19834, 25 June 1934, Page 13

POLITICAL GRAFT

PRICE FOR FAVOURS A JUDGE’S REVELATIONS Startling ligh on the intimate connection between the corrupt politicians of the United States—the pothouse statesmen of every big city, town, and village—and public life in America, and, incidentally, the association of the aforesaid politicians with gangsters and racketeers, has been thrown by Judge William Harley in Trenton, New Jersey. Judge Harley, who is to the County Common Pleas Court, was giving evidence before the State Legislative Committee’s inquiry into the question of political corruption in New Jersey. He said that he had made a contribution of £SOOO to meeet the deficit of the Country Republican Committee before he was appointed judge on March 29, 192 G The judge alleged that arrangements for the payment of the “contribution” were made with a former State Councillor John McCutchecn, and he understood the money was really payment for his appointment on the Bench, in default of which the post would go to another candidate. Judge Harley told an astounding story of the favours demanded for him by local politicians after his appointment. He stated that he had received threats against his life after refusing a request from McCutcheon to quash an indictment against Harry Weinberger, a lawyer, in connection with the collapse of the New Jersey Bankers’ Securities Company. “I was called on the telephone several times by people who threatened to throw a bomb through mv window,” the judge said, “and. as a result, I never went out late at night unless accompanied by a police official. I had a flood-light on the back of my house at night, and an extra lock on the garage doors. When I got the car out I used to stand back 25 or 30 feet for fear there might be a bomb in the car. I did that for weeks and carried a revolver on the bench.” Because he refused to be influenced by McCutcheon and the former Senator Yates in decisions in cases of persons accused of fraud and racketeering. Judge Harley said that McCutcheon told him he was “absolutely impossible,” and that his career was ended. After he had refused to quash indictments against Weinberger, the judge stated, McCutcheon and Yates called to discuss the case with him. Yates was alleged to have remarked: “You know how thej handle Tammany judges in New York. That’s what we’ll do to you. We will set the ‘goofers’ on to you.” “Goofers” are notorious gangsters, who put a man “on the spot” when ordered by their chieftains. Relating details of events leading to the payment of £SOOO, Judge Harley stated that when he protested at the size of the contribution, McCutcheon intimated very plainly that large payments for judicial appointments were customary, adding, “It is a universal custom in American politics.” A day or two after Judge Harley gave his evidence four bullets in the back finished Jacob Eisman, a private detective, who had brought about the conviction of the highest police officials in Passai., New Jersey, in connection with a gambling machine racket worth hundreds of thousands of pounds to its promoters. Governor Harry Moore, of New Jersey, declared publicly: “Eisman’s murder bears out what Judge Harley said about the threat on his life because of his refusal to defend the law violators.” Another scandal is revealed in a petition for the removal of a New York judge. It is alleged that he is in corrupt relationship with Charles Leef. a notorious character, who frequented the court and “fixed” cases for litigants whom he anproached.