Will They Ever Be Tried?

New York, 1895

The story is abroad that the men who were indicted for taking bribes at the Democratic convention in October may not be tried. The reason given is that their trial would uncover bigger game and lead to other indictments. Perhaps these stories do an injustice to District Attorney Noble. However, it is a fact for consideration that although these bribe-takers were indicted in December, and there have been three courts in session since then, they have not been tried yet. There can be no valid excuse for this delay.

High crimes of this character demand prompt trial for many excellent reasons. Not to try them promptly is to encourage such vile offences. Mr. Noble's failure to bring to trial the gamblers who were indicted some fourteen months ago is a gross offense on his part, and makes it possible to believe that the bribe takers may be similarly fortunate. Certain it is that the District Attorney is not winning the people's confidence by allowing persons charged with vicious crimes to go untried and applying the screws very hard to petty offenders. There will be another term of court in April, and if these cases are not disposed of then, it will be high time for the law abiding citizens of the county to consider the question of putting Mr. Noble himself on trial with a view to removing him from office.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, March 15, 1895, p. 4.