Landmarks of Oswego County, New York, Part 24

Author: Churchill, John Charles, 1821-1905; Smith, H. P. (Henry Perry), 1839-1925; Child, W. Stanley
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1410


USA > New York > Oswego County > Landmarks of Oswego County, New York > Part 24


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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Agricultural Societies .- The first attempt to hold a cattle show in Oswego county was made in the fall of 1832 ; it was chiefly due to Nelson Pitkin, who owned a large farm between Union village (now Fruit Valley), and the lake. Mr. Pitkin, then recently from Connecticut, made a great effort to awaken a deeper interest in agricultural pursuits by introducing blooded stock. In the fall of 1832 he invited his towns- people and others to join in an exhibition of their fine stock, and the result was a considerable display, not alone of stock, but of farming implements, etc., in the West Park at Oswego. The show was an informal affair, with little or no attempt at organization.


The Oswego County Agricultural Society was organized in Oswego village February I, 1840, at the inn of George Gates (the Frontier House). Forty-seven men were present at the meeting. Organiza- tion was effected by the election of the following officers : Col. U. G. White, president; Arvin Rice, first vice-president ; Joseph Sanford, second vice-president ; Jacob I. Fort, treasurer ; Dwight Herrick, secre- tary ; Edwin W. Clarke, corresponding secretary ; Joel Turrill, Orlo


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Steele, and William Ingalls, executive committee. Those who took part in this meeting were the following: William Ingalls, Jacob I. Fort Joseph Sanford, Benjamin Isaacs, Ulysses G. White, Stephen Knapp, Orlo Steele, Henry D. Vrooman, Dwight Herrick, David D. Gray, B. B. Burt, H. K. Thurber, E. R. Burckle, Alvin Bronson, Henry Mott, S. B. Ludlow, Levi Beardsley, George Henry, Henry Eagle, Charles Smyth, jr., Curtis Severance, John Carpenter, William Carter, Arvin Rice, Edwin W. Clarke, Abram M. Clark, Eli Stevens, Joel Turrill, John Titus, Leander Babcock, Charles S. Phelps, Francis Rood, William Dolloway, Timothy Deming, N. Johnson, M. B. Edson, Davenport Rood, Z. S. Titus, George H. McWhorter, D. H. Marsh, W. J. Bonesteel, R. F. Childs, William Lewis, jr., Joseph Kellogg, Richard Oliphant, Martin Wiltsie, H. H. Miller. The only survivor of these original members is B. B. Burt, of Oswego.


The first regular exhibition of the society was held in Oswego Octo- ber 7, 1840, in a chestnut grove on the high ground where the resi- dence of the late N. M. Andrews is situated-a plot now occupied by residences. After two fairs were held here the society was removed to Fulton, and for several years fairs were held there, and at Mexico, Pulaski, Central Square, and other villages, until 1855, when, under a reorganization and legal incorporation, they were located at Mexico. Fourteen acres of land near Mexico village were purchased and fitted up for the purpose. These grounds were subsequently increased in area to twenty-seven and one-quarter acres and equipped with good and commodious buildings, sheds, race track, etc., the entire cost of the improvements being about $8,000. On May 22, 1882, the society was authorized to sell this site and purchase elsewhere. It was five years later, however, before a change was effected. The last exhibition at Mexico was held in the fall of 1887. About that time the fair was permanently located at Oswego, the first exhibit being held there in the autumn of 1888.


The Oswego County Agricultural Society always maintained a high degree of excellence at its annual exhibitions, and by liberal premiums and purses-amounting to about $3,000 annually-and by equitable management it fostered and advanced all branches of farming. The zeal of exhibitors was stimulated and thousands of dollars distributed


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in furthering the laudable objects for which the society was founded. The presidents of this society have been as follows :


U. P. White, Alvin Bronson, Orville Robinson, William Ingalls, Seth Severance, K. E. Sanford, Benjamin E. Bowen, Bradley Higgins, Andrew Z. McCarty, Jervis W. Dewey, Hamilton Murray, John W. Judson, John N. Holmes; Harvey Palmer, 1855-6; Leonard Ames, 1857; Avery W. Severance, 1858; Oren R. Earl, 1859; Thomas H. Austin, 1860; Alvin W. Lawrence, 1861; Hiram Walker, 1862; Luther H. Conklin, 1863; Hiram W. Loomis, 1864-5; Charles S. Cheever, 1866 ; Benjamin G. Robbins, 1867 ; Morgan L. Marshall, 1868-72; John Davis, 1873; Albert F. Smith, 1874-5; Henry J. Daggett, 1876; J. J. Hart, 1877; Dr. James N. Betts, 1878 ; Schuyler Rhodes, 1879; Rufus P. Calkins, 1880; Solomon L. Alexander, 1881-87; Henry D. McCaffrey, 1888-93 ; E. A. Van Horne, 1894 (died July 31, 1894, and William Kehoe elected in his place).


There are about 180 life members living. The officers for 1894 are as follows :


President, William Kehoe, Lansing. Vice-presidents, George M. Whitney, New Haven ; Arthur Potter, Orwell; Cassius H. Barnes, Scriba; Edwin F. Palmer, George Taylor, W. J. Carrier, Fulton ; David Enos, North Scriba ; Mrs. Jennie B. Stone, Lan- sing; Frank A. Place, South West Oswego ; George W. Robinson, Lacona ; D. H. Halsey, Mexico; Jessie W. Calkins, Daysville ; Byron Hartson, Union Square; William James, W. M. Hinman, Pulaski; William A. Bartlett, Vermilion; James W. Wadsworth, Hastings; M. C. Graves, Mount Pleasant; O. H. Livingston, South Hannibal ; Mrs. Ida Edick, Parish; Silas Church, Central Square; Fayette Eldridge, Hannibal ; James Wilson, North Hannibal; E. G. Hills, Palermo ; Frank Butts, Pennellville ; Hector Butler, West Monroe ; Alfred Dingham, Sand Bank; John S. Clelland, Amboy Centre ; Norman Jerrett, North Sterling. Honorary vice-presidents, Benj. Doolittle, Oswego; Henry Stevens, Lacona. Treasurer, Amos Allport, Oswego. Secretary, Sam G. Merriam, Oswego. General superintendent, Charles S. Newell, Oswego. Directors, T. P. Kingsford, Oswego; Max B. Richardson, Oswego; Thomas Henderson, Oswego; C. I. Kingsbury, Lansing ; L. J. Farmer, Pulaski.


April 17, 1888, the Oswego Agricultural Fair Association was incorporated with the following officers: H. D. McCaffrey, president ; O. S. Osterhout, vice-president ; Dudley Miller, secretary ; James Dowdle, treasurer ; Max B. Richardson, D. H. Judson, Thomas Hen- derson, Charles Wendell, Niel Gray, Jeremiah Heagerty, directors. The certificate of incorporation was filed on April 23, of that year. The incorporators were James Dowdle, Henry D. McCaffrey, Thomas E. O'Keefe, Richard J. Oliphant, Thomas Henderson, David H. Judson, Max B. Richardson, Dudley Miller, Orlando S. Osterhout, and George A. Glynn. The authorized capital was $30,000 in real estate and


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$10,000 in personal property, divided into 1,600 shares of $25 each. E. A. Van Horne was appointed general superintendent.


June 9, 1888, this association, in consideration of the sum of $2,500, obtained possession of the franchise of the Oswego County Agricultural Society, and has since controlled the property and real estate of that organization. Prominent among those who secured the grounds in Oswego and effected the transfer of the franchise were O. S. Osterhout, James Dowdle, H. D. McCaffrey,1 Joseph Ringland, E. D. Stacey, Leroy Sewell, and others. H. D. McCaffrey has served continuously as president. The only change among the executive officers is that of secretary, the present incumbent being Henry R. Carrier, jr.


The present gronnds of the society in Oswego city are admirably situated for exhibition purposes, and are provided with an excellent half-mile track, good buildings and grand stand. They were bought in 1888 at a cost of $4,500, and were fitted up at an expense of $25,500.


Oswego Falls Agricultural Society .- This society grew out of dis- satisfaction created among a large number of prominent citizens in the western part of the county over the manner of the permanent location of the fairs of the Oswego County Agricultural Society in Mexico in 1855. In 1856 those citizens effected an organization of their own and gave it the name of the regular county society, claiming that the pre- viously formed Mexico association was fraudulent and void. Their first exhibition took place at New Haven in September of that year. In 1858 the fair was held at Oswego Falls; Joel Turrill was president, and John A. Place, secretary. The first full list of officers obtainable is the following, who were chosen for the year 1859: President, Joel Turrill ; vice- presidents, John W. Pratt and Orson Titus; treasurer, Samuel G. Merriam ; recording secretary, J. U. Smith ; corresponding secretary, R. K. Sanford ; executive committee, Charles E. Case, M. S. Kimball, John Reeves; finance committee, John E. Dutton, A. G. Fish, E. Harroun. Oswego Falls thenceforward became the permanent home of


1 Henry D. McCaffrey was born on Isle aux Noix, in Lake Champlain, in 1841. In June, 1853, he came to Oswego, and in 1869 joined the old volunteer fire department. He held the office of alderman in 1884 and 1885, and was mayor of the city in 1888. He was president of the Volunteer Firemen's Association, and acted as grand marshal during the firemen's conveniion of 1894. He is now a member of the Board of Public Works,


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the society, and citizens of the towns of Lysander (Onondaga county) and Sterling and Ira (Cayuga county) were invited to become mem- bers. Legal proceedings were instituted to assert their right to the name of " Oswego County Agricultural Society," and the attending emoluments, but the courts decided that the Mexico organization had the prior claim. The Oswego Falls organization then adopted the name, Oswego County Independent Agricultural Society, and con- tinued under this title until about 1862, when the name was changed to the Oswego Falls Agricultural Society, as at present. The society was incorporated April 29, 1868, the act stating that it "shall consist of such citizens of the towns of Constantia, West Monroe, Hastings, Palermo, New Haven, Scriba, Oswego, Oswego city, Hannibal, Granby, Schroeppel, and Volney in the county of Oswego ; the towns of Clay and Lysander in the county of Onondaga ; and the towns of Ira, Cato, Sterling, Conquest, and Victory, in the county of Cayuga, as have heretofore paid at one time, or shall hereafter pay to the said corpora- tion, the sum of ten dollars;" thus constituting them life members, stockholders, voters, and eligible to office. The fairs were to be held at or near Oswego Falls, and the society was authorized to hold real estate to the value of $15,000, and personal property to the value of $10,000. About twenty-five acres of land on the shore of Lake Neahtawanta, near the Oswego Falls railroad station, were purchased and fitted out with a half-mile track, buildings, etc. The main building was erected in 1873 at a cost of about $7,000, and on April 12, of that year, the society was authorized to mortgage its real estate for a sum not exceeding $8,000. Regular and successful fairs have been held, and the society has continued in a very prosperous condition. It has had more than 230 life members, of whom about 200 are living. Premiums and purses aggregating from $1, 500 to $2,000 are distributed annually. The following persons have served as presidents of the society :


Joel Turrill, 1858-60; Orson Titus, C. G. Case, and F. D. Wagenen served for brief periods in 1860, after the death of Mr. Turrill; A G. Fish, 1861-62; Gardner Wood, 1863-64 ; Robert Oliver, 1865; John H. Mann, 1866; Robert Oliver, 1867-68; John H. Mann, 1869-71; O. Henderson, 1871-76 ; Hollister H. Merriam, 1877 to 1894 in- clusive.


The officers for 1895 are as follows :


H. H. Merriam, president; Willard Johnson, first vice-president; David H. Trimble,


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second vice-president ; Oren Henderson, Ambrose Gregg, J. H. Langdon, Fred Vant, Wayland W. Loomis, Joshua W. Rigley, trustees; Almon Bristol, treasurer; Daniel H. Gilbert, secretary.


The Sandy Creek, Richland, Orwell and Boylston Agricultural So- ciety .- Organized in the Town Hall at Sandy Creek July 17, 1858, with the following officers: Oren R. Earl, president; Horace Scripture, vice-president ; E. H. Sargent, secretary ; W. W. Alton, assistant sec- retary ; P. M. Newton, treasurer ; M. A. Pruyn, general superintendent. First board of directors : B. G. Robbins, A. S. Warner, P. H. Powers, Freeman Davis, N. P. Gurley, Abraham Pruyn, W. Marks, J. A. Clark, Samuel Scripture, John Davis, William T. Tifft, W. C. Weaver, Lorenzo Salisbury, Morgan L. Wood, and M. A. Pruyn. The first exhibition of the society was held at "Washingtonville " (Sandy Creek), on grounds leased of Oren R. Earl, on September 13 and 14, of that year, and in each year since then fairs have been successfully conducted on the same site. The organization, although continued under the original name, now comprises thirteen towns in the counties of Oswego and Jef- ferson, viz .: Sandy Creek, Richland, Orwell, Boylston, Ellisburg, Hen - derson, Lorraine, Adams, Redfield, Albion, Williamstown, Parish, and Mexico, with a director from each town and two from Sandy Creek. The founder and principal supporter of the society is Oren R. Earl, one of the leading citizens of the northern part of the county. To him is due very much of the success of the exhibitions and the sound financial basis upon which the society has been placed. The presidents have been as follows: Oren R. Earl, 1858-61 ; John Davis, 1862-3 ; Oren R. Earl, 1864; William D. Ferguson, 1865; Oren R. Earl, 1866-7; Joseph A. Clark, 1868 ; Oren R. Earl, 1869; Horace Scripture, 1870; Oren R. Earl, 1871-2 ; William T. Tifft, 1873 ; Oren R. Earl, 1874-5; Elhanan C. Seeley, 1876-7; Edmund H. Sargent, 1878; Oren R. Earl, 1879-85; Henry Stevens, 1886; Oren R. Earl, 1887; John R. Allen, 1888-94.


The officers for 1895 are as follows :


John R. Allen, Sandy Creek, president; J. Grant Potter, Orwell, vice-president ; Udelle Bartlett, Sandy Creek, secretary ; L. J. Jones, Sandy Creek, treasurer ; Charles W. Colony, Sandy Creek, general superintendent ; board of directors : Martin Meacham, Albion; Herbert W. Blount, Williamstown; J. B. Tilton, Boylston ; Henry Stevens, Sandy Creek ; A. B. Huson, Adams ; Rufus P. Calkins, Mexico; H. H. Tuttle, Sandy


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Creek; Tunis Petrie, Parish; Charles Cooper, Redfield ; John F. Bonner, Orwell; Will- iam Balch, Ellisburg ; Ed. D. Foreman, Richland ; Payson Thompson, Henderson ; E. S. Lyman, Lorraine.


Following is a list of the life members from Oswego county :


Hon. O. R. Earl, J. R. Allen, C. W. Colony, R. N. Gurley, W. F. Corse, G. N. Salis- bury, Smith Allen,* Admatha Hadley, Harrison Peck,* William Wallace, A. D. Reming- ton, A. E. Sherman, George L. Stevens, E. G. Potter, J. G. Potter, Edward N. Near, A. E. Olmstead, W. H. Gilbert, E. P. Potter, Gilbert N. Harding, Henry Stevens, George W. Davis, H. H. Cole, W. H. Pruyn, A. R. Stevens, H. H. Tuttle, G. T. Smith, William B. Tifft, Theodore Wart, G. W. Wimple, Uri Porter, C. H. Oyer, J. J. Tuttle, James A. Clark,* Lewis J. Macy, William F. Austin. *Deceased.


The Phoenix Agricultural Society .- This society was organized in the winter of 1872, with David Sutfin, president, and H. A. Brainard, secretary. In 1873 the officers were as follows: Egbert N. Carrier, president; Joseph Somers and David Sutfin, vice presidents ; H. A. Brainard, secretary ; William H. Allen, corresponding secretary ; E. Merry, treasurer ; E. E. Burgess, David Sutfin, C. H. Butts, Andrew Soule, Jonathan Butts, E. S. Cook, and James L. Decker, directors. The society consisted of residents of Clay and Lysander in Onondaga county, and Schroeppel in Oswego county. Subsequently citizens of the whole of Oswego county, Onondaga county, and a part of Cayuga county were made eligible to membership. The Pendergast driving park in West Phoenix (now owned by Stephen Pendergast) was leased, a good half-mile track constructed, and convenient buildings erected, and there the fairs have since been held. January 22, 1889, the society was reorganized, and February 16 the following officers were elected : J. W. Pendergast, president ; H. D. Barney and W. S. Names, vice-presidents ; B. T. Mason, secretary ; N. A. Hughes, treasurer, with a board of six directors. Since that date the presidents have been :


J. A. Northrup, 1890 ; J. C. Hutchinson, 1891; J. W. Pendergast, 1892-4 (deceased). The Oswego county life members have been : B. T. Mason, E. G. Hutchinson (de- ceased), Fred W. Alvord, H. C. Breed, O. E. Ward, Frank L. Smith, Frank Burgess, S. P. Mason, Peter Parker, W. E. Sparrow, J. C. Hutchinson, N. A. Hughes, H. S. Van Wormer, J. I. Van Doren, H. L. Russ, C. F. Corey, M. Melvin, C. F. Loomis, L. J. Carrier, E. McCarthy, A. Merriam, H. D. Merriam, C. W. Avery, N. J. Pendergast, W. M. Abbott, Benjamin Dingman, A. M. Burgess, G. A. Haight (deceased), G. G. Breed (deceased), J. W. Loomis (deceased), E. R. Sweet, C. W. Candee, C. E, Candee,


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C. E. Hutchinson, C. W. Huntley, George C. Withers (deceased), B. R. Williams (de- ceased), A. J. Vickey, C. D. Sweet, A. C. Parker, Samuel Flynn, A. J. Spencer, E. A. Taber, F. W. Potter, W. H. Carrier, M. A. Blodgett, Nelson Gardner, J. Seymour, A. Hart, A. McKinley, C. E. Hart, C. D. Dutcher, Hiram Fox, W. Walter, B. Martin, J. A. Northrop, Edwin M. Smith, Julia A. Buell, George Hayden, A. P. Hart, R. A. Brown (deceased), James L. Decker, C. F. Barnaskey, James Crane, Ogden Fralick, E. Maxfield (deceased), I. N. Vischer, H. Wandell, R. G. Barnes, A. W. Hawes, Leroy E. Nelson, Wm. Patrick, John O'Brien, C. P. Kimball, Charles Wood, A. E. Russ, A. P. Hart, jr., G. H. Parsons, C. E. Denton, Hiram McGann, Hiram D. Fox, E. W. Coe, M. Chesebro, Thomas Kerwin (deceased), John Ray, James Spaulding, C. F. Bellows, J. B. Kinslow, George Huntley, Fred W. Gleason, A. D. Dygert, E. J. Drury, R. D. M. Decker, M. H. Porter, D. W. Nelson, James A. Pendergast, George W. Gibbs, E. B. Nelson, D. F. Young, A. W. Merriman.


The officers of the society for 1894 are as follows :


President, J. W. Pendergast (deceased) ; vice-presidents, John O'Brien, W. M. Abbott; secretary, James L. Decker; treasurer, N. A. Hughes ; general superintendent, Edward McCarthy ; chief police, A. J. Vickery. Directors, Barney Martin, '93; E. S. Vickery, '94; S. P. Mason, '93; F. W. Alvord, '92; A. Hart, '92; Edwin Smith, '94.


In addition to these various organizations a number of towns in Os- wego county have in past years held local exhibitions of considerable importance.


The Constantia Town Agricultural Society was organized October 19, 1857, and for a few years held successful fairs on grounds just out- side of the village of Constantia. The society disbanded sometime in 1860. As early as 1859, at which time Jonathan Robbins was its presi- dent, the New Haven Agricultural Society began a series of fairs in that town. Like others of its character it soon passed out of existence.


The Oswego County Bible Society .- This society was formed in Janu- ary, 1826, but the records of the organization prior to September, 1840, are lost, and consequently little can be learned of the early pro- ceedings. Rev. Oliver Ayer was president in 1827 and was, perhaps, the first one ; he was succeeded in the next year by Rev. Jason Lathrop. From 1826 to 1832 inclusive, Rev. Ralph Robinson held the office. Since 1833 the office of president of the society has been held by many of the leading divines and citizens of the county, among whom should be mentioned Rev. Robert W. Condit, Gardner Baker, and Luther Pardee, George F. Falley, Elias Brewster, Dr. Newell Wright, Hamilton Murray, William F. Allen, Ransom H. Tyler, James Platt,


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L. B. Crocker, Dr. M. Lindley Lee, W. I. Preston, J. P. Griffin, Gilbert Mollison, Cyrus Whitney, T. W. Skinner, W. D. Smith, John B. Edwards, J. G. Benedict, and other prominent persons. The society has in the past accomplished much good throughout the county, in circulating the Bible and stimulating its study.


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CHAPTER XV.


THE BENCH AND BAR OF OSWEGO COUNTY.


Comparison of the State Law with the Common Law -- Evolution of the Courts- The Court of Appeals-The Supreme Court-The Court of Chancery -- The County Court -- The Surrogate's Court-Justices' Courts -- District Attorneys-Sheriffs-Court Buildings -- Judicial Officers -- Personal Sketches-Miscellaneous.


While the judicial system of the State of New York is to a large extent founded upon the common law of England, there are important differences which are revealed by a study of the laws of our country, showing that our system is in many respects an original growth. In the simple yet initiative matter of entitling a criminal process, for example, there is a radical difference between our method and that which must be followed in England. Here it is "the People versus the criminal ;" there, " Rex versus the criminal." In the one it is a judiciary responsible directly to the people ; in the other to the king. This principal of the sovereignty of the people over our laws, as well as their dominance in other governmental respects, has had a slow, conservative, yet steadily progressive and systematic growth. In the colonial history of this State the governor was in effect the maker, interpreter and enforcer of the laws. He was the chief judge of the court of final resort, while his councillors were generally his obedient followers. The execution of the English and colonial statutes rested with him, as did also the exercise of royal authority in the province ; and it was not until the Revolution that he ceased to contend for these prerogatives and to act as though the only functions of the court and


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councillors were to do his bidding as servants and helpers, while the Legislature should adopt only such laws as the executive should sug- gest or approve. By the first Constitution the governor was stripped of the judicial power which he possessed under colonial rule, and such power was vested in the lieutenant-governor and the Senate, the chan- cellor and the justices of the Supreme Court; the former to be elected by the people, and the latter to be appointed by the Council. Under this Constitution there was the first radical separation of the judicial and the legislative powers, and the advancement of the judiciary to the position of a co-ordinate department of the government, subject to the limitation consequent upon the appointment of its members by the Council. This court, called the " Court for the trial of Impeachments and Correction of Errors," was continued by the second Constitution, adopted in 1821.


It was not until the adoption of the Constitution of 1846 that the last connection between the purely political and the judicial parts of the State government was abolished. From this time the judiciary became more directly representative of the people by reason of the election by them of its members. The development of the idea of the responsibil- ity of the courts to the people, from the time when all of the members were at the beck and nod of one well nigh irresponsible master, to the time when all judges, even of the court of last resort, are voted for by the people, has been very great. Through all this change there has prevailed the idea of having one ultimate tribunal from whose decisions there can be no appeal.


Noting briefly the present arrangement and powers of the courts of this State and the elements from which they have grown, we see that the plan is, first : a trial before a judge and jury-arbiters respectively of law and fact ; then a review by a higher tribunal of the facts and the law ; and, ultimately, of the law alone by a court of final resort.


To accomplish this purpose there has been devised and established, first and highest, our present Court of Appeals, perfected in its pres- ent form by the conventions of 1867, 1868, and 1894, and ratified by the vote of the people in 1869 and 1894, and taking the place of the old "Court for the Trial of Impeachments and Correction of Errors " to the extent of correcting errors of law.


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As first organized under the Constitution of 1846, the Court of Appeals was composed of eight judges, four of whom were elected by the people and the remainder taken from the justices of the Supreme Court having the shortest time to serve. As organized in 1869, and now existing, the court consists of the chief judge and six associate judges, who hold office for a term of fourteen years from and including the first day of January after their election. This court is continually in session at the Capitol in Albany, except as it takes recess from time to time on its own motion. It has full power to correct or reverse the decisions of all inferior courts when properly before it for review. Five judges constitute a quorum, and four must concur to render judg . ment. If four do not agree the case must be reargued ; but no more than two rehearings can be had, and if then four judges do not concur, the judgment of the court below stands affirmed. The Legis- lature has provided by statute what, how, and when proceedings and decisions of inferior tribunals may be reviewed in the Court of Appeals, and may in its discretion alter and amend the same. Upon the re- organization of this court in 1869 its work was far in arrears, and a Commission of Appeals to aid the Court of Appeals, was provided for by the constitutional amendment of that year. Still more recently, in 1888, the Legislature adopted a concurrent resolution that section 6 of article 6 of the Constitution be amended so that upon the certificate of the Court of Appeals to the governor of such an accumulation of causes on the calendar of the Court of Appeals that the public interests required a more speedy disposition thereof, the governor may designate seven justices of the Supreme Court to act as associate judges, for the time being, of the Court of Appeals, constituting a second division of that court, to be dissolved by the governor when the necessity for their services ceased to exist. This amendment was submitted to the people of the State and was ratified. In accordance therewith the governor selected the seven Supreme Court justices, and the new division was organized and began its sessions March 5, 1889. It completed its work and was dissolved in October, 1892.




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