The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-09
NEW YORRLSM,S.
A Dav at the Tombs.
From our o,cn Correspondent
NEW YORK, July 8, 1868.

It has been remarked, with more Wit than
truth, that Justice Bowling. Of the Tombs, is
the Judge Jeffreys of the New York Police
Courts. II this merely means that he often ha,
o loud, heotoring, brow beating manner, and
that he knows how to pronounce those dreadful
Wa'ds, up for SIX months" in suoh n tone as
s. Isnd cold chillS down the backs OF candi idates
: ~ ackwells, there is some foundation for
the parallel But II it means that he carries no
heart beneath his rugged manner. that he
never sympathizes with those whom
he sentences, that he is incapable OF
a generous and disinterested act to-
wards sin soaked wretches who have been be.
fore him again and again, nothing can be fur
ther from the truth. In the sententious yer.
nacular OF the day. he understands his "Oiz."
He can tell pretty accurately, at a glance,
whether the defendant is an i'm pudent crimi-
nal who has made his mind to brazen 1t out
or whether he Is a charming rascal so ingenious
and new to the thing. that one longs to forgive
him; or whether he is gentleman who, having
the misfortune to get n little "how. come.you-
so" last night, has fallen into the hands of
scoun rels who are determined to "beap' him.
A. any rate he Is a being on whom the RRvels,
If they knew him, might confer the title of one
OF their pantomimes and style the "Black
Raven OF the Tombs" for he creates panic
amongst all the wicked, and he does it all for
the general good.
The early riser-if there are any early risers
here which l very much doubt; at least they
are restricted to policemen, house-m aids, news
boys, hotel walters, Car conductors and drivers,
and that interesting class of proletarans who
go about with rag pickers hand.carts, TO which
are hRrnessed braces of mastitfs with COW bells
attached-the early riser strolling in the vlci-
nifty Of the Tombs, a few minutes before 9 A. NJ,
will have often noticed a gang OF men aud
women in different quantities and qualities of
costume, vending their way along Centre
and Leonard and Elm and Franklin streets,
headed and hanked by a posse of policemen.
This squad, which may be considered as an
infinitely mild diluent Of that horrible
slRyegang which Victor Hugo describes
in such fine agony of language
in lies Miserables," is invariably to be seen at
this hour. 1t Is the debris of the last nights
debauch. The aroma of the station houses, and
of other houses worse yet, hangs around them
ALL They are all being hurtled along like
flock of black sheep into the high and mighty
presence of the Tombs justice OF the peace.
"Drunk and disorderly," as will be seen by the
police returns later in the day, are supposed to
be written on the face of each OF this shsmblng
crew, That woman, who has done things such
as were never written or printed in any book,
whose eyes have the burning glare of molten
lead, and whose cheeks long ago lost their
lingering capacity for blush, is tramping side
by side with q bonny faced youth of seven
teen, whose eyes are all hueW, ana VINO
don't know whether to cry or brave out This
lady like looking girl of sixteen must have an
extremely resilient tenn perament, for her eye is
as clear as the blue in the sky, and her cheeks
as fresh as flowers. She Is not one of the lost
yet, either, FOR she has found means to wash
her face and re-arrange her battered bonnet
and no one would ever suppose she had already
served her time at Black wells, "Hello! Kate
you UP again" says the representative of the
xuha io H,rnfs m har
let you OFF this once. mind; but the next time
you're brought here. I'll send you no for six
months. Co." And Kate smiles at the In ies-
tic representative of the law (who happens to
be young and not ill-looking) az be witchingy
as she knows how, aud manages To create a
sensation among the newsboy porti on Of the
audience as she goes out. The courtroom is
dark and low; the sun has not yet penetrat ed
the caverns of gloom scooped out by the Egyp.
tiau pillars and porticoes that lead up To II.
The audience is very meagre, principally con.
fined to newsboys, and friends who have come
to bail the better class OF prisoners out Fathers
are there peeripg after Absaloms who drink too
much mothers, ready to fall upon their knees
before Eyer honor" if you'll only let him Off
this on ce, "plaize, yer oL.or." His honor takes
1t all very coolly "W hat! Fan, you here!" ne
exclaims running his eyes over a short, stout,
good-looking woman Of twenty with very
white neck too much exposed. "What have
you been doing noW?" Fan says
nothing, but leans her head on her hands
against his Honor's desk, and shakes from
head 10 foot, with a sort of hystericlI silent
laughter. One or twice she raises her head and
commences, "Yer honor" then quickly
hides it again, and shakes all over from head to
foot as before. "Ohicer, take this woman
away" says his honor, at last Tnen such a
scene ensues as l will not pretend 10 say Is
strictly confined to the Tomos Police Court
/ should say IL is more OfJener seen there than
elsewhere. The officer taps her on the shoul-
der and motions her to move on. Sne looks
first at him. and then at the jqstice in a STUPID
kind of despair, and the next instant has left
the marks OF her nails in the Policemau's face
Another policeman comes to the rescue and
they both put their arms around her waist
and attempt to drag her away. Her yells echo
through the Courtroom as if they would split
the Egyptian pillars outside. my baby! my
baby my baby !" she shreks. ~ want my
baby; will have my baby. My baa.a.by /
say. Oh, you wretch, you scoundrel, you beast,
you scara wag, you" she Intinues saaking her
fist at the unconcerned judge And so the door
closes aud the rest of the cases are proceeded
with. "What Harry you here again." says
his Honor to a dashin g looking young fellow OF
four-and twenty, Eyes, Judge" says the young
fellow. "Just waita minute till l take off my
boot knew I'd be here this morning so put
a ten dollar note there last night" And divest.
ing himself of one of his boots, Alclblades takes
thereirOm the sum named which he passes up
10 the justice; and then his watch and pocket
book and other valuables being handed to him