The New York herald., 1865-12-23
NEW Bull DiNGS.

Dimensions. &c.
On Ffy-seventh street. near Third avenue stands one
Of the beautifully designed and commodious court
houses and primary als In the United States II Is the
Police Court building OF the Fourth district presided
by Justices Connolly and Kelly. Situated In tho
upper portion Of New York. II has up the present
time escaped the attention and admiration which its
superior merits well deserve Costing but a nero
fraction Of the money that the City Hall edihce will
cost and Of not snowy extensive is
theless that has many features comfort
which ex-Mayor Gunthers favorte sanctuary will not
possess.
In constructing the Court House this district
deemed II advantageous 10 pay special attention,
not TO mere display, but system and con
veuience in the interior. To obtain precise know
ledge Of the thorough modern plans appliances
James H. Welsh, then Justice presiding, visited
Europe examining the model establishments in France
England and Ireland. His experience In the Old World
dctaed many features Of the plan upon which
building constructed. The work was put into the
hands Of John W. Rich, the chief architect in ths
s'ruc.on Of the Emgrant Hospital Wards Island
the laving Of the stone OF which fall tho
occasion for interesting proceedings, public banquet
and speeches irom Thurlow Weed and other public
characters
AN ARCHfTEcTrRAL VIEW.
Tho style Of architecture II Roman The building is
constructed Of brick trimmed with olive stone imported
Nova Scotia II Ffy-seventh street and
stands a lot hundred feet square The building
is eighty feet Fftyseventh by ninety three back thus
leang space Of ten feet Of unoccuped land every
side, TO prevcn. too close contiguy with neighborng
property Around this space Is high wall tho
portion opposite the prison being built cut OF all
danger from inside and intrusive curiosity from without
There is handsome iron fence the street side and
iron ratings TO the basement windows The foar pillars
and cap of the front portco Of olive stone The
chief entrance is reached by large fight Of stairs with
spacious landing half way, with iron railing and gates
THE INTERIOR
The front part OF the first story consists o hall and two
large court originally designed for private police
cases. but, by permission Of the Fourth district Judge
il Is at present court and clerks office of the
seventh Civil district embracing the Twelfth, Nine
teenth and Twenty second warda-Justice John A.
stemmler; Clerk Michael xcC6nn.
| COURT RooMs-- PRovrsloNs AGAINST INTRUSIVE
NESS.
The second Or ry ss Is reached ,Sr By large
spiral stairway from another street for the OF
judges This is 70 avoid before trial, and AZ all times
all contact with lawyers politicians and parties inter
under trial. THO private entrance leads to
the jud private roofnss OF which there two FUR
nshed with desks library, &c, Immediately IN the rear
Of the bench. There rooms, reached by
the two branches Of the main stairway The body Of
each court room is partitioncd OIL very skfGlly An
elevated witness box close the bench the parties
arraigned third members Of the press fourth, parties
interested in cases. nth, spectators each divided by
| lighted by three sets Of chandeliers.
Tho bench Is ngcniousy constructed, with beautiful
Of arms fabricated from ccra metals and pretty gilt
Tho court rooms airy and spacious capable OF nc
commcdatng three 10 i've hundred people each. They
stand each end Of the building and each has attached
TO three sets Of private ante rooms, for male and
female prisoners apart with closets attached TO each
apartment Az the prisoners called they
conducted by the officer in attendance To the witness
box by private entrance and in the meantime ed
the modification suffered in other police courts from the
L q
arc also nursery convenences for those whom they may
/ concern.
In the centre OF this story there is large well fur
nishcd ''oficers' room,n used reception by
the officers q the court Of whom therc>are six-Buck
inTham, Fleming, Bustecd Robinson Pathof and Cros.
byundcr Sergeant Lecrts In tins room, too, counsel
consult with their soncre, and lawyers In waiting
indulge in sny amount OF loqracity without disturbing
/ the dispensers OF justice on either hand
In The Of tho reception there is 'priva'e
examination room where In delicate peculiar tcst
mony is received by AN officer Of the court This, TO-
gebcr with the private ante rooms mentioned above al
fords sautary protecton To- the 70 ngs OF parties Who
possibly innocent f accused or horrhed at publicity "
accusors shrink ether from judicial inycsiga-
tion The examination room, or star Chamber" II Is
supposed by attaches Of tho buildnv, could disclose
tctsh tales endowed with tho faculty Of speech
| Blu, this is forbidden ground; 20 we leave II.
] Looking around the building, s struck by tho
| cockwork regularity and cleanliness Of every room
| closet, article Of furniture, &c. The judges, ex-
animation, ad oicen, ana portions & The CONT sns
vile Of the antor for her efficiency and in
Each Is regularly visited BY his Crotonic Dignity,
and in the attic story there Is force pump should that
worthy at any time whistle for n rest There water
| closets distributed through the building.
THE PRISON AND THE PRISONERS.
The prison in the Of the building occupies space
corresponding with the basement and st story II
siss OF airy yard With three tiers Of opcn iron
doored cos at side aud at the other W. washing and
culinary departments all 10 charge Of KEEPER Doxy and
n returned oneegged cDadiutor named Atkinson, from
the Army OF the Potomac -Four kept FOR
Washing and cooking purposes the washing machinery
and cooking range having capacity 10 provide for
hundred persons III forty cells, well ventilated
do BILE and all 10 fun view OF tho keeper PLATFORM
/ No prisoner stir In his cell without being A
bathroom Is attached to the establishment where they
set dcmonzcd individuals To riebts Tho keeper resides
in the basement There "a reception room FOR counsel
and prsonen iron gates, steam pipes and rcnectors In
| the prison court.
| rEcuLIARiTIEs OF TIE cELIs-oUEER AND JOLLY
INMATES
This being primary ia tho prisoners sent on
after trail There are rarely many asty and only
twenty at present, confined there. Among them are
few registering females with meodious voices, who
IN defiance OF the stern keeper and his mild laws make
the welkn ring 10 the tune of "Whiskey in the Jar
when sober hey have TO be particular There
some queer genuses In ha. prison. there In all Prs
One gentleman from Balyrig 10 situated not
in Africa he asserts rays lady says he abandoned her
and he knows she wroic the thing tccrtincatc) herself
for no clergyman would have the brass TO do such
| thing on an innocont boy. youth about twelve y
immurcd on complaint o. venerable female haber.
dasbcr Another boy told him tho woman was crazy.
lie humancy entered tho store md sot eb.u caring for
the goods preparatory 10 The stricken nadsm
tO puulic inhttuton. But, hof'
chsncss turned upon the youthful philanihrops main
tanning that his charge Of insanity was as calumnous
and 'sevsren M the Weed Greeley war epsilcs and
finally after slapping bis juvenile cheeks and pulling
bis Roman nose The lunatlc handed tho nno
cont child a naughty policeman. He iooks'upon him
self uhrouph the barsl ~ worse treated man than
George Sanders or Ben Wood.
Ali these scenes proved too Affecting for scnti.
mental rporter and he was compelled 70 take his exit
| promptly
INGENIOUS HEATING nACHInERv.
most ingenious series Of pipes, connecting around
halls and cordors and rAmylns through al parts from
basement phere Ia cellar, and that's faulj 10 attic
are supplied with heated steam by immense boiler
stoscd IN tho 'front.' basement within the uv dicon or