The New York herald., 1871-11-22
TOMBS POLICE COURT.
Filthy Appearance Of the Court Room-Arraignr
mont Of shopliftsrs and Young Nan Inclined
to Borrowing" Other Peoples Goods
PickpockeN at the Procession.

The misery which Is daily apparent at the Tombs
Police Court Is made more disagreeably prominent
on damp day. At the best OF times there Is an
odor BY no means pleasant pervading the place.
and the unwnolesome PRISON smell Is heightened BY
the dampness The barred windows look much
more gloomy, the cracks In the wall Seem to gap
much more than usual, the uglylooking breaks
In tho ceiling show the lathing more
disgustingly plainly than at other times,
ana the eaborates, frescoes OF the entire
room show all their ugllness to perfection. An ei
grant ships hold would be an Improvement on the
room which the Justices Of the First ana Second
districts adjudIcate TO the probable cause
which 70 commit or hold thousands OF prisoners
weekly.
Another crying nuisance, and one which should
have attracted the attention OF the proper authori
ties years ago. Is the way by which prisoners are
obliged to 90 from the court into the prison.
Instead Of there being any direct passageway
from the room to the prison of1ce, or yard,
the oricers are obliged to convey their pris-
oners along q narrow, enclosed passageway,
and down narrow winding stairway, which
leads to an open door facing on the street Going
down this miserable stairway must necessarily he
attended with danger II the prisoner be viciously
inclined should the oicer go ahead OF the prisoner
he might suddenly find himself going down stairs
nead nrst from the effect Of kick or blow. or
should ne allow the prisoner TO precede nim the
escape. Why this mas not been attended 10 before
Is ystery aud IT ls to be noped tnat the progress
Of re Orm wlll cause reform In the style Of this
Police Court, If 1t does result in having an en-.
tre.y new place fitted mp.
Ii the presiding magistrate this week. He preserves
quiet, steady dignity and seldom, II ever, raises
his voice SO as 10 be heard beyond the immediate
vicinity or The desk.
Yesterday was, to q great extent remarkably
quiet There was the !, usual number Of cases Of
had slept of effects oil their pOtions they with
the exception Of a few 'reguars''' had become
terest were OF larceny Of a watch ana chain and
another concerning the operations Of o gang Of
' Coonex afsarry RockafelIar, Of the gay Seventy.
nrsi regiment, appeared early In the morning and
Francis Caroian. 1hIs young man, Il appears was
clerk In the employ Of Carr RocEafellar, and
various Kinds IRON MS employers and forgetting to
return them; Yesterday morning he went 70
Colonel Rockaieliar's desk and took thereirom
Compartments Of the safe was watch. a chain
@ 70 Mr. Cart and oan as A. ,S sS1
turn Il Dei0re WAS missed, nor before an oncer OF
the 1nlrd precinct had lad his hands on him
anu fOunU Tie .cnronometer'' safely lodged In mis-
pocket Francis was committed IOr the felony TO
answer at the General Sessions.
lishment OF messrs. Lowtz & Co.. No, 499 Broad.
way, was engaged IN opening the store on the morn
tered ana Insisted on being shown Som some p goods. S
While OConor was engaged In showing the goods
onotneT young man came In anu 0Skeu Tor q Mr..
Hayes one 0i the statesmen. MIR. Hayes was not In,
ana, after waiting some Tune, the young man said
he would not wait, but would call again. Shortly
nfer the other TWO young men went out without
making any purcnases and IN few minutes MT
Hayes. The salesman. came n and immediately
missed quantity OF valuable laces Yesterday
morning the three young men were walk
them. They saw him and separated He
called his employer and they followed the
young men until they reached the City Hall Park
when tue followers saw police officer, whom they
IA 1pr1t0
being arragned. the two who mad gone into the
store nrst gave their names IS Henry Schmidt and
James L. Morton, and the fellow no came to AK
ior salesman Hayes gave the name OF James L. Wal
lace. They were fully identified by O'Conor and
Dy couple Of storekeepers from Howard street,
store and after leaving the nrm missed quantity
OF aces and feathers The prisoners are not by any
means prepOssesslng Rnd are said to be EXPERT
sn0pllfters They had capaclous satchel In their
possession yesterday when arrested, and evidently
nended TO make haul while the police and others
hogan committed them for examination. young
PlCKPOCKRT
was arrested BY ofcer Little OF the Sixth precinct
~ lne corner Of Canal street and Broadway, imme
oiately alter the procession had passed. A young
gentleman named Leavls, from Nashville, telt tug
g ms watch chain and then was suddenly nit IN the
lace. nc saw Q young man attempting to run
away be Immediately felt his pocK ct and found that
MIS- Roid watch was gone. He started In pursuit and
susceeded IN touching the prisoner or twice but
ana grabbing The fugitive, held hlm till the young
m rmasnviian came up. On the person OF the prisoner
were found the watch or the complainant, which
nan Deen taken from the chain by the process
klown a. "nnglnR.o and Q small silver watch,
WHICH Asd oeen taken IN tho same manner Tne pT1s-