The New York herald., 1873-10-04

SpeculateS In law as ne does In STOCKS, Will Cdsu
payment Tor his ''call" privilege. If he be plalntln.
or o. his ''put," II he be defendant. Comptroller
Green thinks OF these payments as Dundreary
would, ,as being one OF those things that no lei
While two Judges in each Court are holding jury
terms Ior, in the legal phrase, atsf prfus, later
words OF art occurring in early jury wrltsl,
another Judge Is hearing what may be termed
Chancery cases, or else contests, that by agree
may be argued without jury Three other judges
In the Common Pleas and Superior are also sitting
as Gngs y. lawyers say u oaneo e. % on tue
that heretofore have already been before
jury or referee or single Judge. AZ there are
rom the rural districts This a carpetoasseT aSs
as irreysrent eIn, law law students term MIN
OF calm judicial lore from agricultural regions
Is often productive OF benefit to the agitated and
room. Once In while the importation las In the
case Of Judge Boardman on the Stokes case) is
prodSciiy&e & OF error r. ana delay Is grea. won
Is remembered that judges go precipitately into
case after case Of varying interest and compica-
tions without that special knowledge possessed by
the lawyers who are crammed for the nonce. and
have laid In advance traps to catch the ''sudden
OCCASION OF Judge, who must decide onhand
from partial hearing OF facts and his own reser-
vor OF legal acumen.
Beslaes this mammoth City Court of many
branches there are the federal courts. Iney are,
practically, three in number. One held by United
States commissioners Tor preliminary Investlga-
tions OF criminal complaints or into compilations
OF damage IN collision and patent cases. Another,
called the District Court wherein are heard all
tiers arising out OF marine collisions, contracts
or wrong doings, and out OF internal or external
revenue collections and bankruptcy proceedings.
The third Is the United States Circuit Court whlch
tries criminals and ordinary civil suits Drougnt by
citizens OF State with those OF this on all mat
ters, or between our own citizens who htlgate
copyrights and patents or appeals from the District
Court.
Then there are local city courts-the Marine
Court and six district courts. When the former
was drst established IL was TO have exclusive Jurs-
dictlon OF sailor and ship matters occurring IN the
city, Hence its name. But now 1t might as well
be called, as It's like Court IN Brooklyn is denomi-
mated City Court. 1t possesses under thousand
dollars OF claim equal jurisdiction with the higher
courts except as to special proceedings like ha0eas
corpus, mandamus and injunction. Like them II
has Its judges tive in numper) who hold jury
appeal is from it to the Common Pleas,
but goes no further in iourfiths OF the cases. The
district courts succeeded TO the old-fashiOned
ward courts, and In them are itigated the little
claims and the moneyed differences between master
and servant and landlord ana tenant and en-
ployer and laborer, and the corporation and those
citizens who incur small penalties. Opening day,
however, does % not apply to these they are r, IKE
lish law which were held at street corners and at
fairs, to do summary justice before the feet OF
times called justices Of the pavilion which was,
no doubt, aristocratc Tor curbstone Judges
There are about 5000 lawyers in the directory
issued for their professional guidance. Of TINS
number doubtless 1000 are Ornamentals and pos
sess family competence. Oi the aggregate not
more than 100 possess popular distinction. There
are scores OF attorneys In this city who scarcely
heard OF out OF their immediate clientage. and yet
could match dollars with any one OF the 100. These
'nO names," as Wilkie Collins might call them, are
c0nveyancerS, or patent agents, or real estate
men, guardians OF family interests or those OF cor
rule, o lawyer here may practise all branches at
yet the tendency has been TO force our city law
yers into special branches. Glasses devote them
selves exclusively to pleading, or examining titles,
or in patent cases, testamsntary affairs, federal
court practice. criminal Jurisprudence, building
law, railroad law, insurance law and law relating
to damage OF person or property Unhappily for
many, there are lew who peculiarly attend to
the manufacture OF divorces, like Templeton Gitt,
Esq, whom Day's company lately immortalized IN
period comedy. In consequence OF this drifting
into specialtes not only litgants employ lawyers,
but lawyers retain each other Tor distinctive
familiarity with some one branch. The Oldest
lawyer ia the clty-except perhaps, some nono-
genarian long ago stranded and lorgotten-is the
elder Gerard. The youngest is that alert chap
under the shadow OF Mr.. O'Conor In the Supreme
Court, and look as abashed as If the eyes OF Della
ware were on him.
What must be the aggregate yearly amount paid
to tins army oil lawyersY TINS computation ap-
labor that Few may reap" II the 5000 aver
aged sioo only per year here would be
half million in money The general average Is,
however, nearer thousand, which would foot up
five millions OF money to the fraternity in fees and
costs. Such distribution in individual cases would
vary all the way from $500 per year 10 s15O,o0o.
There several firms who undoubtedly accumu-
late the latter sum annually and. moreover,
spend it easily. Then there are out OF the
whole number certainly 5000 to each OF
whom $1,000 year Is the maximum allow
ance. Besides the lawyers come the judges,
printers OF law points, &c., whose salaries, sti-
pends and fees are paid in addition to those OF the
bar Perhaps S6ooO,ooo or s7,ooO,oOO per year
would be fair estimate for the sum yearly spent
In New York city Tor the luxury oil litigation. Who
can tell the number OF oysters consumed except
by tallying the shells9 Let each tigant count the
10 has
had one and then verify BY the reminiscence these
statistics.
sred to see the Bar at lunch on and after to-mor-
rows opening day, IL can be done at Chambers
street lDelmonicos) between the hours OF one and
two when occurs the usual ha hour Court recess.
Many lawyers have remained IN the court rooms to
MUNICH the traditional sandwich, and, perhaps, do
a bit OF lobbying or note taking at the same time.
Some OF tie judges in their private rooms are
verbal oyster OF legal contention, but dur
OF the Delmonico lunchers will be OF
the Bench and Bar. Then laymen loiterers
chicken gumbO and fllet OF sole. They can see
digniued judges relax and parlor barrlsters toy
with minced veal more effectually than they have
hashed witnesses with the characteristic calf skim
Great lawyers usually live well work hard and die
poor.
Tomorrow, also, the battalions OF court room
loungers VIII again sit on the back benches
There are always TO be found drilled spectators.
Judges and counsellors become accustomed to
soIue VI theH faces. Inc late MI BRADY useu 10
pleasantly term them "the Ghosts OF Nisi Priusn
They seem to haunt court rooms as lame ducks con-
sort In the gallery OF the Broad street Exchange
Perhaps they are like the Miss Fte
in Dickens "Beak House." Not few, however
are strangers Court constabes have encountered
scores who claim that they enjoy the idling for
dramatic interest and more when seated on the
benches OF a court room than in the stalls of a
theatre. Consider, then, the cheapness!'' II Is
certain, therefore, that law practice invites some
economy
The results OF this opening day and the fabrics
which Will be worn or sold for making up there
after In the law reports from time to time will be
daily chronicled in the HERALD, as heretofore,
and In an exhaustive and intelligent manner, that
II always especially hailed by Bench, Bar and
suitors.