The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-06
THE CITY HILL RANK.
What mn Ola GeniienaH With n Hemory Saw
from Window In the sen Building.

good as Il was hty years ngo, md whose tongue
IA in equally good repair stood ut window in
THE SUN building. gnzinR earnestly nrross tho
street Il can sce over there" Sail he to re-
porter. a great deal that you can't soc."
You arc looking at tho Hall OF Records"
said the reporter.
80 1t would seem. But I 500 in that building
the old Debtors Prison. On my why MS
school boy across tho park to tho grammar
school In Murray street uscd 10 watch tho
debtors taking tho mir upon the square. nat
roof. II WIS the only liberty allowed to them.
/ also Soc further west. within the Park en-.
closure. and ranging along Chambers street.
where now stnnds the new Court House. tho
old AlmshOuse building. tho second floor Of
which was Mt tho time spenk OF, occupied by
bcndder's Museum. n quaint collection, con-
tanning tho Sleeping Beauty tho mounted mon
key M Major and other primitive Gu
rosites. Scudder was a graduate Of Loril-
lard's tobacco wnrehouae. near by in Chatham
street, He .niterwnrd shifted quarters to tho
American Museum, the sltn OF the present
Herdd building, having for his successor there.
as nll the world knows the famous Btrnum.
Reporter-lIOw about the ull-timc celebration
of The Fourth OF July nj the Park2
Old G"ntlcman-The principal feature TINT
remains in my mind is. that ATTY vrars aro Il
was Tho custom Of good fathers to take their
boys by the hand. on the evening before the
Fourth. down to the Park 10 see the Hrrapgo-
y.
the whole Park. surrounded by line OF booths
arrived against the ratings. each one having.
ns rrc9Hocl, Tor It's special attraction. roast
pig and blue tin fountain or reservoir OF
lemonade.
lieportrr-was the old Chatham Theatre far
or. dcntlomnn-You moan tho old old Chat
hum IL WIS managed by Bnrrcrr, u French-
man, who was neighhor OF my fathers. and
lived ON the corner Of Henry and oliver then
site OF the oliver Street B1rti 3, Church. wbere
"A a
81 Miss Kate NlaNton, the actr"ss-o1 lated as
Clergyman. The opposite corner WINS occupied
from which were graduated quite u number Of
~, ilghh's p Y" s,ngr, invl4linE tTnnS CHAN
and others. Mckinney was. tho American
motor IN whose behalf the notcd farrrn riot at
the Bpwory Theatre originated. when tho
American eagle and his pr.rognilvrs wcre
charged TO have been assaulted by Mr.. Fnrren,
an English actor. Mr. Conc was In his day.
me Soanry; in a E he nT 6uln HIT 5fraa m
n" lawyer who condu ted the defence In tho
natural orators Oi thcir time.
Reporter Oliver street opens on Chatham
sqn.rr; That Is also locality Of INTEREST,"
Old Geutlcman-Dscldrdly So within my roc
objection. Being resident nj my fathers
house in East Broadway formerly Harmnn
street., the square was the playground OF my
self and my young companions. There wns
our n"ld for our hase bll played with fat
sticks for bats. balls made Of an unraveliod
stocking GOV red with buckskin. and three
stones Tor bases. have also soon there the M
tive Indian. who visited tho city, perhaps from
the Long Island tribes shooting with his bow
ana arrow MY yards measure ut "A silver six
pence in cleft stick.
Reporter-To come bncl to the old Chatham
Theatrr. do you recocct that?
Old Genteman-Vrry well. 1t stood on tho
western Slope of Chatham street, down toward
entrance WIS Indicated by iron gates which
lined on the street. rrcOllert the place first in
connection with large circular fountain stand
ing in an open space In front Of the pOrtico II
the theatre. on tue ledge OF which. upon certain
s"t 9c,'i9nSi Irnaie Vo'a,,it male her AZ
prarnncr ana enrolled popular melody while
the fountain threw its jet OF water in the air.
Al this theatre good many of the oll-tim2
actors made their appearance; among others L
remember particularly old Roberts. the low
I'm the irst play over saw Hamlet" by his
disrobing himself OF some four and twenty
waistcouts preparatory To digging the grave.
That was the regular business In those days.
and no other would have been accepted 10y the
audience. When A. T. Stewart was hopping
his frst store on Broadway he lived in n part OF
a small house In leade street. Old Roberts. the
low comedy man at the old Chatham Theatre,
shared the house with him.
Repqrter-iou are very familiar with this
Old Gcntlcman-I ought to he. for have been
frequenter of this neighborhood from my
AROUND thv r",H as - sehooI5oy, 30 1 have al
ready said, law student. ~ young lawyer.
and IN other pursuits.
Reporter-D Did you ever hear OF the Duke Of
Rigmaroie?
Old Genteman-I have and have seen him
an unkcmpt, shaggy looking. midde-accd or
elderly man. wandering 10 and fro in these
parts. aud especially employed rs the bu;t ~
law students and young lawyers. By formal
document. signed and scaled with the royal
arms Of Great Britain. which was presented to
him at n public meeting held at the American
Institute then held in the Old Almshousa build
ing in the Park. he was created Duke Of Rig
mnrOle. This title he held until his dying day.
ReporteT-The City Hall. II II could speak
would. suppose have something to say
20 Oid GentlemanrA good deal, u good deal.
sign OF the Twenty-sixth Police Precinct. forty
or Ilty years ago was held tho Police Court.
presided over by Justice Robert Swanion. n
genial. rubicund. rcd. wigged. eyed Irish
man. Before him appeared in due time two
east side apprentices as Omplainants against n
prominent master employer. In those days II
was customary for master mechanics 10 have
bound 10 them in open court hy sealed iudsn-
ture certain number of apprentices to learn tho
trade. setyH TIL VI axe. aud who were boarded
at the masters house: Thetwo youths in ques-
short ratlons, On the day OF trial the employer
appeared; followed 10y black waiter, bearing
Judge what have you got theret' The nap:
Mn was removed, and the Judge srruiinizrd
the buffers tray. Coffee sugar. buckwheat
cakes syrup cheese picklesl pot cherse2
cold ham eggs Get out of this Immediately
yc spalpeens" cried tho one-eyed Swanton.
yer boord at once Away wild yeW And so
ended the trial Of the half-starved prentice
boys against their cruel master.
Reporter. We're Reporters thick hercabouts in
those days
Old Grntleman-,rhey wero around studied
law with Western Il Edwards whose oClse was
in "a small frame building in William street,
near Beekman. Mr. Henry NJ. Western had the
sensation eases oi Il 9 day. Among the noted
cases in the Office whore was there was the do
fence 10y Mr.. Western Of Matthias, the SO-rnlled
prophet. who had hi headquarters AZ Sing sing
about forty years agc; lie was tried at White
Plains, Wcstchesler County. and among the tro-
phies OF the case MIR. Western brought down
and exhibited at the office IL tiara. tho weather.
spirc or spike Of which bore the name ot
Matthias as thetTclith apostle in leu of ia ms
Iscariot erased. | rccollrrt that Richard Adj
ans Locke. author OF the famous Moon
other trials, and. hcing ON pretty good trrms
with him, told him privately It WAS "a shame to
nN-ul' "hi poor 'lt''Ia Hhi 10, soy thrh III r
corners ~ the strnct-. % sce his kungarous in
the moon. which he had specially described N
MS HOAX, which, " contempuraricS know, WIS.
al that tmr. u'crptcd as "a Nrriidhlr scientific
narrative, forcing The Sun. in which il was
originally published, into notice ana ldmo.