VOL. IX.
No. ii.
BOSTON.
NOVEMBER, 1897.
RECORDER JOHN W. GOFF. VF.TERANS of the New York bar have Third, Buckingham, in telling the usurper not failed to note a great physical how the populace received mention of his likeness between the recorder of New York name said : — City whose portrait is the frontispiece of " I asked the Mayor what meant this wilful silence; this number and the late Nestor of their pro His answer was, the people were not used To be spoke to but by the Recorder." fession, Charles O'Conor. There is for each Act III, Scene 7. the same shaped head, in a phrenological In every criminal trial for an high felony view, surmounted by similar silvery hair; also the similar logical forehead; the sim at the Old Bailey the recorder must be one ilar nose and firm mouth; similar side whis of the judges. When, therefore, the English kers and thin beard at the throat; and al succeeded the Dutch in rule over New York most identical, small, piercing blue Hiber City it was but natural when the Crown nian eyes which are now soft and feminine, gave it charter that the office of recorder and again blazing with manly earnestness of was ordained, modeled after the London expression. There comes a difference, how functions. During two centuries New York's ever, in the voices, for that of Recorder Goff recorder has been its principal magistrate is always soft and euphonious and at times and judge in criminal jurisprudence. The exceedingly tender and cooing in tone, New York recordership is now the oldest while that of Charles O'Conor often took on judicial office in the entire United States. a raspy harshness, for he knew how to be Down to 1894 it was second in age to the pungently aggressive and sarcastic; while New York common pleas, but in the last the Recorder's voice seems incapable of named year that court was abolished by a rugged severity, yet always firm in conscien new Constitution. tious enunciation. Both stood impressively With only two exceptions the long line erect and strongly knitted in bone and mus of New York recorders has always com cle with thin, spare and wiry frame. Both prised able lawyers; but in 1839 a com were natives of the Emerald Isle, and left mercial citizen through a partisan freak was it as juvenile emigrants in paternal care chosen recorder; and in 1852 a lawyer — towards the same city; and both fought Francis R. Tillon — versed only in convey their way into professional note without any ancing at the civil side of the bar. With adventitious aids during their earlier battles the exception of the present recorder all of life. the line have been Knickerbockers born The judicial office of recorder is one of and bred. Yet Recorder Goff, in feeling the oldest in London history. While the and familiarity with, and knowledge of, the Lord Mayor was rather a municipal figure great Knickerbocker city, may be regarded head, the recorder was the city spokesman as a worthy adopted son of that mythical and the arbitrator between the people and Father Knickerbocker whom the vivid fancy the Crown. Thus in the tragedy of Richard of Washington Irving constituted as the 465
