The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-05-17
OUR DILAPIDATED COURTS.
Paint and Whitewash BADLY Needed I'm
the Old Cabiid0.

the old Cabiid0.
That New Orleans needs another court build
ing than that at Jackson Square has been patent
for many years, and hardly season passes but
that the subject OF removing the courtrooms to
some more central spot ia broached. Situated as
they now are, almost mile away from the
centre OF the city, the trouble and the time taken
to get there during the busiest hours Of the mer-
chant make attending court on their part
vER1rABLE NUISANCE.
II ia not however on the subject Of removal OF
the courts further uptown that mention is made
of this matter, but to call attention to the delapi-
dated condition Of the present premises, and to
show how necessary it Is for something to be done
to ameliorate.it. Yesterday DEMOCRAT reporter
took careful survey OF the several civil court
rooms and clerks Offices, and the result was any
thing but gratifying. Entering the iron gate
leading from North Cathedral alley into the
court corridor one is met by the sign on the right
hand =
"CLERR's OFFICE SIXTH DISTRICT COURT"
Ascending two steps, that is. If they are not oe-
cupied by loungers one is ushered into the terri
tory Of MIR. V. duillotte, who is clerk here. The
floor Is covered with COCOA mating, that has felt
the pressure of the known Oldest litigsnts foot,
and here and there in the doors neatly pasted
sheets of paper do the service of panes of glass.
The floor is uneven and shaky and sombre
darkness adds to the general gloom.
ENTERING THE COURTROOM
where Judge Rghtor presdes, instead of seeing
neat and agreeable apartment one is greeted
with walls from which centennial whtewash is
peeling of, plastering cracked and over and be-
hind the judges seat is an old lot OF tawdry, tat
tered upholstery that would become back
woods bench possibly.
This court has been dubbed by the habitues of
the building the
s'ooUgT OF DEATH
for IL was here, owing to the dsmpness and lack
OF glass in the Windows, that Judge Saucier and
minute clerk Gaspard James contracted the dis
ease which lost them to us.
Overhead is q ceiling that six years ago
threatened to fall in and crush Judge and jury.
During the trial of the Hawkins case in the
Fourth District Court, overhead, the weight of the
bystanders became too much for the Orders and
the floor settled,
AND A CATASTROPHE
was only prevented by sudden rush from the
room. Leaving the Sixth District Court and
passing along the corridor on the ground floor,
the
SECOND DISTRICT COURT
IL entered, and an inspection is made. For the
pTuDAb9 C0uIt Oi " City Vi luuADltautB tn6
room IL simply burlesque. Almost every other
pane Of glass gone from the windows. patches Of
plastering off the wall, the whitewash of decade
ago slipping off in slices, and over the bench
canopy OF threadbare brocade droops over the
Judge, its skeleton warp
TELLING OF BETTER DAYS
The mating is worn through to the door aud
the place is infested with millions of Aeas. The
clerks Office Of this court, where are deposited
the estate records Of this parish for ninety years.
is damp and uncomfortable, and the clerk. Mr..
Jno. Herbert, informed the reporter that the floor
was so shaky person walking in the room COM
PEELED writer's to desist from their work. Ascend
ing the stairway at the mp town end OF the hall
green baize door, with the modest card upon it,
"cLERK FOURTH DISTRICT COURT"
s opened, and into the regions OF darkness one
enters to meet the clerk, Mr.. John Curry The
ceiling is frescoed in dark yellow stains of by
gone rains, and the dingy walls assert their vir-
yinity from whitewash window-panes are lacking
md general appearance OF some deserted Office
II Coke's or Lttleton's time observable The
courtroom itself, where Judge Houston site, is
probably the best in the building, having been
tilted up last when it was prepared for the
seventh District Court.
The floor is unsafe, as was noticed before, and
I, during the progress Of some important case
crowd should gather in the lobby it would
surely fall in.
Across the hall is the
FIFTH DISTRICT COURT,
md, not interruptng the business OF the court
n Judge Rogers, one tiptoes through it and at
glance notices the need Of withdrawing and
GENERAL repair. On the right Of the bench the
Jerk, Mr.. Thos. Duffy, extends his hand.
Here the same old story is told. The plaster
Dg, in broad patches, has fallen from the ceiling
n one instance luckily not killing a deputy, who
vas below. The roof lets in the water during
leavy rains like seive, and records sometimes
'ecome illegibe from dampness
As in the other courts the windows have not
'een repaired, and the floor is shaky, and some
ay unsafe.
AS THE THIRD DISTRICT COURT,
ver the destinies of which Judge Frank Monroe
resides, Is about to be removed into the room of
he old superior District Court, its present con-
ltion need not be noticed.
The bench and bar have frequently spoken OF
he condition OF our courts, and we summarize |
he above that attention may again be called |
0 it.
THE BREAKING UP OF A GANG OF |
THIEVES.