The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-01-01
Statistics OF Crime In New York.

Our Court of Sessions is of the Oldest courts In
the couDtry the records In perfect preservation
back far 1904 and at that early day the forms OBJ
sevred In conducting the business Of the court
nearly the same as at present vast difference, how
displays isel, comparison of the punshments
melted out to criminals In the olden time and ct pre-
sent Those old parchment covered tones contain the
recorded sentence OF victims to the laws vengeance
miserable creatures who condemned to suffer long
hours Of slow torture and final death by FIRE; others
for more trivial Offences only sentenced to be
dragged through the streets at the tail of aud to
receive given number OF lashes at each corner per-
chance might be let OIL with whipping at the
public whipping post and twelve hours exposure In the
pory. From these indignities and sunerings even
females were not exempt Coming down, we pass
through the ages Of branding fasting labor
In the ball and chain gang etc. until at length 1t
imagined that better effect might be produced by
enieHt treatment OF oonvicts that reformation
might be effected in the character Of criminals yet
hardened and that the abandoned and irrecaimsbls
kept out Of the way OF temptation might be prevented
from perpetratipg mischief and ut the time the
yndicston Of the law might be accomplished Justice,
tempered by mercy has at length found yor and ven
gesnce Is repudiated unseemy relic OF by gone
and barbarous ages Under present prison system
It Is deemed wise to educate denquepts and BY
kind treatment attempt the reformation of all who
made inmates Of elons cells This policy, tits rue
s not always adhered to cruel keepers and hard task
masters to be found in most Of convict rsons
but IL speaks well for the age that such policy has
been adopted We indebted, fer the tables which
we present to day, to the labors Of Mr. Vandsrvoot
the polite and efficient Clerk Of the Courts OF Sessions
and Of MIR. Valentine Clerk Of the Court of Gensrsl
Sessions, and MIR. Valentine the veteran Clerk Of the
Common Council
The Court OF General Sessions at present exists
established In 1884, when, by act Of tho Legs
lsture passed Feb 27th provided that the Mayor
and Recorder and the Aldermen OF the city, three
of them Of whom the Mayor Recorder shali always
be one, shhl have power 20 hold Courts OF General
OF New York. Section IL, OF the same act makes Il
the fpecA DUTY 81 the Recorder 60 hold the said court
preside "; but the Mayor and Judges OF tue
Court Of Common Pleas may preside N occasion shoald
require In TINS c.urt may be tried all criminal causes
pLd,r the state government, which do not Involve
capital puuishmsnt. -
The court q So, cis ssstions established In 1879
The btnch Oi Judges this court A. formed the
IN The Court OF General Sessions The business OF
the Special Sessions ~ dispose 81 81 petit lar
ceuy sstaut aud battery, aud disordery conduct &C.
Lsfhlly.
TLe following comparative tables sill show the in
eTtsfo II crime In cur ely from time to tins
Corstcrtoas. AcqufTrAi., Krc, MAO THE Covtrs oT
OrtE sNp HtuntstE. GENERAL AND SFEcIAL SESSIONS
% lHr fpAcE Cirt AVID CoUSrr 90
NV Yeas, DURING TAG 1KAK 1892 COMPARED WIN
lSsS.