Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-02-03
Our Boston Letter.
THE COURTS OF BOSTON.


BOSTON, Jan. IS, 1870.
EdGtOr RItLand Herald One of the
interesting places in our city is its orimi-
nal court, known in this city as the Police
court. This court, at any of its sessions,
that is any weekday of the whole year
for there is no cessation of its labors-will
present variety of human life and scenes
that cannot fail to be most interesting and
instructive to the occasional visitor. Pre-
siding, may be seen some one on its list
of Judges, usually men not above middle
age, who alternate with each other, each
one officiating, alone, through the week.
In this court the judge is the sole dis
penser of the cases, there being no jury.
The most of the lawyers that manage
cases here are young men ; the means of
the criminals not being such as to employ
men old with experience. So it is here
in law as in the world of medical prac-
tice, the poor and unknown have to pay
for the much experience, and suffer ac-
cordingly. There are lawyers who have
gained great regulations in this field, and
| perhaps some prefer it to all other kinds
of practice. In this court all the i'm
portant and smaller criminal cases are
first heard, the more important being
appealed to higher Jury court IF the
case be small and there be no appeal, the
offender aequiesces in the decision of this
judge, and in so doing shows his wisdom
For though in the majority of cases, the
accused has no friendly lawyer TO de-
fend him, yet the judge is generally hu-
name, and correct in his judgments.
Each morning record is cleared of those
the police have collected from all quarters
the previous twenty-four hours. Many
of them of stereotyped form and magni-
tude are disposed of similarity without
the semblance of trial, the Judge sitting
mute while the clerk calls upon them for
their plea of guilty upon which he reads a
stereotyped punishment, of three dollars
and costs for drunkenness and the like,
most of the offenses being for drunkenness.
There are many cases of assaults, fights
in which are arrayed most truth-telling
Witnesses pro and c0Ia, in many cases there
being nothing in the appearance of the
complainant and defendant to disqualify
them for either place, except that by some
accident the handouts went on to the one |
and not the other. These cases require |
great tact on the part of the judge to get
at the truth. Most of these small cases
go on without counsel; the accused |
stands along side of an official who is
temporarily his physical keeper and men
tai support; who asks in a grammatical
form, and distinctly, any of the questions
which by the embarrassment of the pris-
oner, may have been lost. The truth be-
ing the thing sought, and in the shorte st
time reasonable, there is not much CT re-
mony in the questioning, Tell all YOU
know about this case" is decisiv,, de-
mand of the judge of the witness c.n the
stand, and from his story of much YER
biage, he selects the little truth.
In these small offenses justice Deepen DIS
much upon the GOODNESS and humanity of
the arresting officers, who are also the
principal, or only witness. All classes are
represented in this court, either as ac-
cused, among the witnesses. or called here
by lother circumstances. Men, women
and children; old and young; black and
white the very poor, those, less so, and
people of wealth. There are the respect
able friends of those in trouble, and some
one or more philanthropists., perhaps, who
afford bail or security to the needy.
In addition to the usual daily number
of cases, there is occa sionally added
greater numbers by some wholesale ar
rest; as within few days the State con-
stable arrested eighty g amblers in one
evening. As these mer and those who
led by curiosity, happen ed to be lockers
on, were marched through the streets to
the police stations, they were at
once set free, but required to APP
pear the next day at this court and an
swer to their cases. Imagine the appear
ance of this court room on that morning,
when to the usual numb er and variety of
people present, these men and their
friends aocked in and appropriated all
the available sitting and standing room,
and little later, when six by six they
passed before the Judge, their names
checked off on list held in the hands of
a well-known criminal lawyer, their coun-
sci, like a bill of mortal goods in the |
hands Of an entry-clerk, their plea of
guilty received by the clerk and the sem
tence of the court from him in exchange.
a fine paid and the matter: finished So
ended the proceedings for one day.
Besides the Police Court, where there is
no jury, there is the Justice e Court where
civil cases not exceeding three hundred
dollars are passed upon by the Judges.
This court is in session daily during
three-quarters Of the ear.
All of the courts of the city, quite a
variety and number, are accommodated