Background
John William Goff was born on January 1, 1848, in County Wexford, Ireland, and emigrated to the United States when a child. His youth was spent in New York City amid poverty.
John William Goff was born on January 1, 1848, in County Wexford, Ireland, and emigrated to the United States when a child. His youth was spent in New York City amid poverty.
So straitened were Goff's circumstances that he had to forego attending school owing to the necessity of working for a living. He joined the night classes at Cooper Union, however, and studied to such purpose as to acquire a competent education, though he could never be described as a scholar.
In 1865, he entered the office of Samuel G. Courtney, at one time United States district attorney, and after serving as a junior clerk for some years, studied law and was admitted to the New York bar.
Goff had associated himself with the Fenian organizations, and many of his compatriots became his clients. A short time after his admission to the bar he acquired considerable notice owing to his connection with what became known as “Goff’s Irish Rescue Party. ”
One O’Reilly, convicted of treason in Ireland, having escaped to the United States, planned an attempt to rescue some comrades who had been transported to Australi.
In 1888, he became assistant district attorney for New York City, and, subsequently, was nominated on the Independent Citizens’ ticket for the office of district attorney, but failed of election. The contest had been signalized by gross frauds on the part of election officials.
In 1893, the state Senate, in consequence of allegations of grave scandals involving the police force in New York City, appointed a committee, known as the Lexow Committee, to investigate the administration of the police department of the city, including the charges of corruption which had been freely made, and at the request of the New York citizens’ association and chamber of commerce, Goff was retained as its counsel.
During the lengthy inquiry which followed, he displayed great ability. The chief charges of blackmail and bribery were clearly substantiated, and as a result, many of the higher officials and a large number of the rank and file were disgraced.
As a reward for his services, Goff, in November 1894, was elected recorder of the city and county of New York on the Political Reform ticket for a period of twelve years and was the last to hold the office.
In November 1906, he was elected a justice of the supreme court of New York, 1st District, for a fourteen-year term, and continued to sit on the bench till January 1, 1919. He retired prior to the completion of his term owing to his having reached the prescribed age limit.
At the first trial of Police-Lieut. Becker for the murder of Herman Rosenthal in 1912, which also took place before him, a unique point of law was raised by counsel for the accused, who held that it was a mistrial by reason of the judge’s being over the statutory age.
An investigation of the county records of Wexford, however, showed that the objection had no foundation in fact.
Goff took a leading part in chartering a New Bedford whaler for the purpose. In the course of his judicial services, which extended over a period of twenty-five years, he presided over some of the more celebrated criminal trials of the time. Among them were those of Walter Langerman, Dago Frank, Marie Barberi, Gyp the Blood, and Lefty Louie.
At the outset of his career, Goff was not profoundly learned in the law, and after his admission to the bar his professional and other interests precluded any extended study, but he possessed a remarkable understanding of human nature, which contributed not only to his many successes in jury trials but was of material advantage to him on the bench.
He was one of the best cross-examiners of his day, and though he was not eloquent, his speeches were always forcible, clear, and persuasive.
Goff was married, on May 26, 1881, to Catherine O’Keefe of New York City.
