Commonwealth v. Connolly

33 N.E.2d 303, 308 Mass. 481, 1941 Mass. LEXIS 723
CourtMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
DecidedMarch 31, 1941
StatusPublished
Cited by34 cases

This text of 33 N.E.2d 303 (Commonwealth v. Connolly) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Commonwealth v. Connolly, 33 N.E.2d 303, 308 Mass. 481, 1941 Mass. LEXIS 723 (Mass. 1941).

Opinion

Lummus, J.

These are two indictments against a former elected clerk for the Superior Court for civil business in the county of Suffolk, for corruptly requesting and accepting bribes. G. L. (Ter. Ed.) c. 268, § 8. The first indictment, numbered 626, was in four counts, each of which alleged that the defendant “being a county officer, to wit” such clerk, “did corruptly request and accept from” a.named person a specified sum of money “under an agreement and with the understanding that his, the said John P. Connolly’s vote, opinion, judgment and decision should be given in a particular manner, and upon a particular side of a question, cause and proceeding which was then pending, and which might by law come and be brought before him, the said John P. Connolly, in his official capacity” as such clerk and that in that capacity “he, the said John P. Connolly, should make a particular nomination and appointment.” Specifications filed as to each count set forth that the defendant as clerk had final authority to hire, discharge and continue in employment certain employees attached to his office, and that in consideration of the payment of a specified amount of money to a third person named, he promised to employ or continue in employment the person paying the money. The second indictment, numbered 646, origi[484]*484nolly contained eleven similar counts which were accompanied by similar specifications, but only eight of these latter counts were submitted to the jury. A summary of the counts submitted to the jury appears in a footnote.1

The change in the mode of selection of clerks of courts, from appointive to elective, was made by art. 19 of the Amendments to the Constitution, approved by the people on May 23, 1855, which reads: “The legislature shall prescribe, by general law, for the election of . . . clerks of the courts, by the people of the several counties, ... for such term of office as the legislature shall prescribe.” Opinion of the Justices, 117 Mass. 603. Commonwealth v. Mather, 121 Mass. 65. G. L. (Ter. Ed.) c. 221, § 3, provides for a clerk for the Superior Court of the county of Suffolk for civil business, who shall hold office for six years beginning with the first Wednesday of January following his election. In 1934 and again in 1940 such a clerk was to be chosen in. Suffolk, c. 54, §§ 62, 155. The person elected in 1934 having died, the defendant was elected at the biennial election in November, 1936, to serve during the unexpired term, or until January, 1941, as provided by c. 54, § 142. He qualified and took office on December 1, 1936. He continued in office until he resigned on July 19, 1939, on the eve of a hearing under c. 211, § 4, for his removal from office upon a petition which was based in part upon the transactions upon which these indictments are based.

As clerk, the defendant had no power to appoint or remove any of the fourteen assistant clerks provided for [485]*485by G. L. (Ter. Ed.) c. 221, § 6, which gives the power to appoint them to the justices of the Superior Court. But by § 102 the defendant as clerk was authorized to expend for clerical assistance such amounts as might be approved by the officers having the powers of county commissioners in Suffolk. Under that section he maintained, as had his predecessors, a clerical force of approximately twenty-one men and sixty-nine women, paid in the aggregate more than $160,000 a year. The members of this clerical force had the protection of no civil service law, but were wholly subject to the will of the defendant as to employment and discharge. Soon after taking office the defendant discharged about thirty employees and replaced them, in large part at least, with his political friends and campaign - workers.

There was no direct evidence of any payment of money to the defendant. But it appeared, without dispute, that William T. Conway was the defendant’s intimate friend and political supporter, who had charge under the defendant of the campaign in 1936 which resulted in the defendant’s election, who was the constant companion of the defendant in his living rooms at a hotel from which he conducted his campaign, who accompanied the defendant on a vacation after the election, and who during the defendant’s occupancy of the position of clerk was almost a daily visitor to him and to his office. There was undisputed evidence that payments of money were made to Conway in the amounts specified in the counts and specifications already stated in a footnote, by the persons named therein. Conway’s explanation of these payments is in substance that the employees voluntarily helped Conway discharge debts that he had incurred in the campaign, in order to ingratiate themselves with Conway and Connolly. Both Conway and Connolly testified that the latter knew nothing of these payments until after the petition for his removal had been filed in 1939.

There was ample evidence that Conway received each sum of money stated in the various counts under an agree[486]*486ment and with an understanding that the employee who paid would not be discharged. We take the evidence upon the counts of the first indictment in order. (1) John E. Noonan, an employee for many years, testified that in January, 1937, he was summoned by telephone to the clerk’s private office. There he found Connolly and Conway. Inquiring of Connolly, "Did you want to see me, Mr. Clerk?” Connolly answered, "No, [but] Bill [Conway] does.” Conway said, "I will see you outside at five o’clock.” At that time, Noonan saw Conway, and the latter asked whether Noonan wished to keep his job. Noonan answered that he did. Conway said, "You will have to come across with $300.” It was arranged that Noonan should borrow the money and pay it in a few days, and Noonan paid it accordingly. (2) Margaret W. Kennedy, named in the indictment as Marguerite W. Kennedy, an employee for many years, testified that on January 14, 1937, Conway told her that Connolly had incurred much expense in the campaign and needed money. Conway told her she was to pay $200 as a guarantee for her position. She paid it to him the next day. Later, she testified, Conway named a number of other women employees, with the amount that each was to pay, and asked her to tell them that Connolly needed money, and that those women who paid the designated amount of money would be "privileged girls,” their jobs were secure by so paying. The names so given her were Mary C. Brogie, Martha E. Friel, Gertrudé Cotter, Mary V. Brophy, Catherine R. Gibbons, and Anna E. Pugh. She had a conversation with each with reference to what Conway had told her.

(3) Mary M. Cunningham, an employee for many years, testified that after she was discharged by Connolly on February 4, 1937, she asked the help of her brother-in-law, a police officer named Keegan. She with Keegan saw Conway, who said he would see what he could do. The next day Conway telephoned that there had been a mistake, since she had supported Connolly in the campaign, and that she was to have her position back. Keegan testified that after-wards he met Conway on the street. Conway told him [487]*487everything was all right, but it would cost him $250. Miss Cunningham paid Keegan $250, and he paid it to Conway. Later she resumed her work. (4) Louise V. Crowley, an employee for many years, testified that she was discharged by Connolly late in April, 1937. She gave $250 to her brother John J. Crowley on May 18, 1937. Her brother testified that about ten days after his sister was discharged, he talked with Conway, and then with Connolly.

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Bluebook (online)
33 N.E.2d 303, 308 Mass. 481, 1941 Mass. LEXIS 723, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/commonwealth-v-connolly-mass-1941.