The New York herald., 1871-12-27
OUR POLICE COURTS
How Justice Is dispensed by the Police
Solos Of New York.
THE P.GRILs OF APoLICE STATION
The Horrible Dens In Which Unfortunate Pris-
Z oners Are Pscked-Eow the Victims are
Plucked by Favored Shystera

any other city In the world some OF vhe JUSTICES
are men OF mean capacity, vulgar manners, ite'
rate In Speech and very literally gifted in their
grammatical studies, with the exception OF two,
who may manage to articulate the English language
passably. But OF the entire eight police magis-
trates or "Judges' they used TO be termed in the
nash newspapapers. ever had the good fortune 10
open law book before entering on his magsterial
functions. But one has had good English or col
legiae educauon and six out OF eight OF the bench
of police magistrates are poorly informed men. and
are entirely ignorant OF the fundamental principles
OF the law they they profess to administer In per-
sOnal bearing and courtesy OF manner toward the
unforturates who come before them for Justice-for
mercy cannot be oDtaned unless 'there is money IN
It-two are noted for their brutality, and for the
pnchbeck limitations which they endeavor 10 insti-
tute Of the brief curt. but dlgnined manner
OF the English police magistrates who
are, without exception, gentlemen Of culture
and cducatlon as well as beng OF
high social standing Consequently 1t is a frequent
occurrence that Q drunken or rowdy prisoner, who
has been brought TO the bar from Il0tous debauch
or perhaps having been caught In some act Of rob-
pery, Will hail the police justice a. an old acquaint
ance whom he met hand IN glove In the primaries or
in the faro hels OF the metropolis. Altogether such
q police Judiciary cannot be found In the world as
that which dlsgraces the city Of New York, and with
such police magistrates Is 1t wonder that there
Thousand abuses which are never ventilated and
wncn It is now the province OF the HERALD TO make
known from investigation by It's special commits
sonerp
And now to look at the abuses OF these courts as
they stand to-day. In a very short time II is be.
ieved that the doings OF the Police Justices Will be
brought 10 light by the Grand Jury, and they may
find Iacts useful TO them In their work.
To begin with, the prisons connected with the four
courta If n fv are n n nv
The cells are not inhabltable IN the summer from
the human stenches and by reason Of the solid
egions Of vermn, and IN winter the prisoner has to
suner the tortures OF Siberia or In other words as
in the case OF poor Lawyer Newirk at Jefferson Mar
lowed to sufocate with the miasmatic Influences Of
Tne most horrid baspnemy and most obscene
language common q. all hours OF the day anu
night in these prisons, with tine single execution OF
the Tombs. where there is some faint attempt at
guage OF the prisoners IN these dens OF horror Is
enough to make decent mans nesh creep with
reeklng throats Of drunken and Diasphemons
brutes D00ney Harris himself would blush al the
young and tender women, VINO may be arrested and
yet be innocent OF any crime are held all night 10
who are only too delighted to render the innocent or
foolishly indlscreet as bad as themselves.
nHOe sye 20 oS oen Oe as s n
bic for rejection In the New York police prisons
he found In old Newgate, for the worst that couIo
be said about that place was that typhoid fever was
contracted there and that persons died In scores
the wet straw OF their cells. But here there Is no
cold, chill 0rlck walls, whose whitewashed surfaces
render them only more terrible TO the prisoner VINO
sees them for the first time. TO SURROGATE in sum-
mer and freeze in winter is the fate which any
prisoner may anticipate VINO is forced 10 spend
court.
But most terrible Of all H. the fact that in very
70 stale his opinion against the mandate OF an all
powerful policeman. VIII be arrested, an am
the policeman, and II is safe 70 say that three
out OF every four policemen viii swear TO lie, or
else they know nothing OF the value or sacredncss
Of an oath-and the prisoner alarmed as he is, will.
be thrown into cell, perhaps with a raving maniac
or in company with some unfortunate wretch raving
with delirium tremens The mans life s thus placed
IN jeopardy and though he may shout for help IN
cutcning at his throat, tue keeper only laughs at
the DiteOus entrcaues Of the poor prisoner, for
anord 70 ouiid tenement houses on salaries Of 900
year and keep fast n0rses SO they look the
%oaa q Cooking main
good fun, rich sport and that is all. One keeper,
on on o salary OF $1,000 "a yeai % at Essex Market, Market,
with the comfortable little sum OF ,o00
as his share Of the plunder OF the prisoners.
IL is q well known fact that IN many OF tine station
houses OF this city, while the million OF It's IN.
ha0tants are wrapped IN siumber, outrages are
and shrieks are buried within stone walls. And
who will believe the story 0f poor wretch when
durance in a station housef Human nature is not
charitable TO any unfortunate, or rarely 30. Even
prisoners are locked 10 await the dilstory attend.
ance OF some police justice who ID enjoying
Mn Nlmse reDa on a'nss msn,pu,ainS ne MTes
for reelection outrage and robbery often sub
ject OF mirth among the officers OF the Courts who
perpetrate an outrage on woman or robbery on
drunken man. Respectable men and women are
daily thrown into these prison Doxes'' and VIII be
compelled TO wait Tor hours while the "Justice,"
who has been OH q drunken depauch all night or
VINO has spent the previous evening In q house OF
hls 'Indispositon." Tne wriies OF THIS arllce mas
TO his positive knowledge saw welLknown
place with an aoaDaoned woman whose face Wss
an ample guarantee OF her infamous profession.
Of eyeny 70 ner Ssors ana M
vesugaie the character, antecedents and OF the
w eS
he mad the extreme GOOD fortune 70 loan
New York who had just been candidate for eec-
ton TO the high office OF hherin and had been
DsS s. s a 81 s s a
candidate for sheriff, like Louis XIV. wnen he said
, pne o. state es WY am am me & s,ae the representa- W
ne controlled the entire financial and pontIca for
tunes tunes, OF tne people o. t,s METROPOLIS Public
Of twenty millions OF dollars. He dd nor In mis-
prosperity forget the man who loaned him $40, 900
when beggarcd. He made him police justice. and
gave HIM the power 10 open streets by the score
and make contracts by the hundred The fortunate
Asoncy louucI pTObpcttu Will MS pdtrUH auO ~
now worth 100000. Another Judge, noted for his
wTetched grammar, ~ worth $500, 000 A third
10 worth 5000. 000 Tne other has his salary
mortgaged eighteen months ahead TO the money
lenders When the Legislature meets it IL probable
that the latter will meet with desoaton, and woe,
torment and guashing OF teeth may become fneir
portion
The case OF o well known and respectable young
gentleman, Mr.. John A. Hocksher, mentioned in
another part OF the HBhALD TO-DAY, SHOWS how un-
NJ our poilce magistrate Ia for duty. rne case OF
poor kewkirk, VINO wae haf frozen t0death, and
then dragged down starsIhead first Ike bullock,
Is another Illustration.
AND now IL is curious TO see how these men make
large foTtunes--not content with their magnificent
salaries. The power ts given 20 the police magls-
frates 10 hne for intoxcation and disorderly con-
dnct-tl0 for each offence or the penalty OF |
ten days 10 the City Prison o OF thirty days
on Blackweis Island can be imposed. There are |
two Justices at each OF the four Police Courts ana |
six clerks are attached 70 each Court or three to