New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-06-20
TALES OF THE COURT HOUSE.
u.xy OFFER PEOPLE AND WHAT THEY DO
TIE OLD LADY AND HER RENr-A MAN WHO CAME
OVER IN THE MAYFLowER.

sav in the new County Court louise tnat i"ccu
bnilt are worthy OF being hronicled Among those
,rho fro ,uent the court rooms wander into the
Office, TO annoy the clerks some strange person.
.css Until WITHIN a couple or weeks, when the
rolceman on duty was instructed to scatter the
.tran,e lot that were in the habit of gathering IN
The lower corridors about the elevator. II was IN
teresting 10 sec what manner of men they were.
There were broken-down politicians, Ola ana used
up officials persons wiling to show strangers the
Court House for a small consideration others readV
70 assist those who wanted TO become naturallzed
and Others too lazy 10 do anything. lhey were a.
rule decently attred and seemed TO have
methodical and organized way OF DONG business
One detachment would wait for the judges and beg
of them : or 10 cents 10 get cup OF cohee or a
bowl of sonp. not having tasted food since the
3ov before1 Another tribe would lie in wait for
tbe LAWYERS and clerks and another for the depart
nent employees and another class was ready to pick
Mp tribe in any way or from any body. lhese
people were as regular in their attendance as the
ronrt officials and we're said TO divide up their
traffic on business principles The impudence ana
familiarity Of some of them were beyond belief An
illustration Of this was given by one OF them VINO
one day saunterei mp TO John Kelly. when ,ne
after was Controller and was on his way 10 h's
,iice IN the Court House.
Good morning, MI Cohtroiiei' '''U ~ ~
A pleasant day."
Eyes sir quite so. said MI Nelly WIN QUICK
glance at him Fastening along.
How are your wife and little ones" continued
the strange.
Mr. ~ VS. surprised at the question, but re-
sponded4 sSEtte well sir" He paused for mo-
ment thA Asns b. mi ght have met the man before.
Mi Conr:oIler.r then said the well-dressed
franz 4<ouvenient for you to give me twenty
cents"
oh get out shouted Mr.. Kelly as he mounted
the stairs to bis office and entering slammed the
door The court rooms and clerks offices are IN
vaded by cranks Of various degrees and the antics
OF some of them arc amusing clerk of one OF the
courts was sitting in the trial term one day re-
Gently listening 70 a case when some one Suddenly
whispered in his ear" GIVE me dollar or II com
NIT suicide" his startling information caused
the man addressed to raise his head quickly ana ne
saw standing bes de him a lawyer who IN former
days had had good practice bat OF late years had
been on the downward path His counfehance
showed that the was in a derium The clerk
nuicklv searched his pocket for dollar ana hanueu
= silver piece 10 the brOken-down barr ster The
latter clutched it eagerly and stalked out Oh tng
court room crying IN a loud tone that startled
Judge jury and spectators as he went " lou We
laved my life You We saved MY lie! you We saved
my life c-.
has heen for tweutv-four wears connected with the
courts He first took pos ton IN the Court OF
Common Pleas 81, and was subsequently TOT
many wears Chief Clerk OF the Board OF Educatio n
known in legal circles. He has come IN contact
with the most famous judges and mem bers OF the
bar and his face Is familiar to many OF the eSs sue
ce,sfu practitioners. lie had interesting inter-
view with one of the latter class recently. lie was
about entering his Office when he was accosted by
very seedv- lo0king person. a gentleman IN ms
manners who had begun life as lawyer but had
become a practitioner at a bar where II does not
pay to practise. lie had evidently been on
u ght's h-bauch. He raised his hat politely. ana
yraveIy said: " Nj. BOese in my office | always
change my coat came up here 10 enter an orAer
In the Supreme Court ana didn't think to put my
purse IN my pocket and am without any change
Will YOU be kind enough 10 let me nave - cents
20 pay the supreme Court clerk his fee on entering
the order ~ His hand trembled as he drew a
tattered handkerchief from the breast poe set of
his coat iDuttOned to the chin to conceal the
absence oil linen and applied il TO his face To con
ce.l his emotion. he chief CLERK had watched hun
closely and what the trouble was II give
you twenty-five cents said Mr.. Boese " on con
dltlon That you Will 20 out and take glass oil
.Sir.7 said the man in serious tone again
raising his hat. your condition shall be complied
with He grasped the com held ont TO Iim aph
parted speedily, but with as much dignity as nc
could muster ,.,,
face often seen about the Court House which has
disappeared within the walls OF an insane aNy lum
or has been carried thrO Oh the narrow portals OF
the tomb 1t was that Of a woman apparently about
seventy years old. with white locks neatly parted
and smoothly brushed back from shapely head
She was WAYS neatly dressed. quiet and ladyHhe
In her demeanOr. Regularly Oh the hrst day OF
every month she would appear with little satchel
IL her hand and stepping hIlsklN up 10 iDe c'erA
IN charge in any room of the Court House that
she entered size would say with pleasant smile;
swell. you see me again. I've cal ed for my
mouths rent The clerk. recognlz NJ her, ana
disposed TO humOr her would pontely say we
regret exceedingly. Madame. that we haven 1t
ready FOR YOU The times hard and have
family t. support and the expense or living Is
rather Il Oh
Then she would answer:
Well YOU must know that have heavy taxes
and a. ,nIents TO paw, and that the cost OF con
ductin- great building Is very great However,
will can Oh the first Of next month Please have
your money ready for me then II possible, Dut don
deprive your family of support
linen she would bow low and wander of to some
other room in the building. For several years she
kept TINS up regularly and then her visits suddenly
ceased.
For some time judges and CLERKS annoyed or
amused, As Their huHOr happened to be- by "A Ger
at hi, disposal, who periodically entered thr rooms
OF the Court House and male strenuous Complaints
III regard TO the reversal by judges slttlhg ia
General Term of some case III which he was IN
terested He spoke Of his property and OF the
tricks of lawyers, aud talked at length 20 any one
who would listen to him about the merits OF his
case. He reflected severely upon the Judges and
threatened to defeat them at the next election AT
which they should be candidates. Some time ago
letters supposed TO be from him were received by
some of the Judges and clerks. They were written
threatening nature. Each letter concluded with
these words. written n larger and coarser writing
than the rest and doubly underscOred:
This letter is written with blond
The entrance 10 the hrst floor of the Court House
under the stone steps on the Chambers ST. side
is "A rather dark aid lonely spot Oh "A cloudy day.
One of the court clerks relates dismal story of an
adventure AT that spot which recently occurred to
HIM aud when be tells it his face grows pale, his
teeth chatter and tremOr passes over his frame.
A. he entering there one tempestuous day lie
was suddenly confronted by tall red haired stall
vart looking tramp He had a wild and haggard
look aud his hollow lean eyed glare was heightened
by the snirches Of dirt upon mis- face. He selzed
tie astounded clerk by the collar and IN sepul-
chral voice said
Don't Won recognize me T.
The frightened official replied in a low tone
" No. SIR"
Well sir replied the man. " | want yOn o.
know that / am kcce Homo" and a. he uttered
tins he struck his hand upon his breast. HIS
trembling victim murInured apology for not
recognizing Tim.