New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-10
COURT SCENES.
WHAT THE COURT LOOKS LIKE AND WHO
THE PEOPLE WERE WHO VISITED 1T.

THE PEOPLE WERE WHO VISITED IT.
xnoM THE REGULAR CONFECTIONERY OF THE TRIBUNE!
London February %.
Not the Court Of ST. James, but Of Sir James
the only one which for the moment really ID"
iterests the British public. The pressure TO gee
into 1t lie very great The pressure, once you have
got In, is not less great Sir james Hannen IS
the presiding judge Mr. Henry Cunynghame d.
for PURPOSES OF admission, the presiding authority
AR Cunynehsme has done his difficult work well
and the FIRST proof Of IL is his recognition of the
sAmerjcan Press and hts award Of reserved seats
for tho trial 70 some leading American journals
He has the largest correspondence in the King
dom. When critical hour approaches. appfca-
sions for seats pour in by the hundred. Perhaps
two ar three In hundred can be granted
,asly. wen known in London society, asked him
last week to dinner His answer ran as follows t:
! Dear Lady K, am sorry to say that all places
have been allotted up to next Tuesday, ouo
enclose two cards for that day" 1t is pity 10
spoil o good story. but Mr.. Cunynghame alleges
that he did not read Lady KS note, which he
assumed TO be request for admission TO the
court. and looked st the signature only. Last
Friday occurred an incident of another kind A
diplonatist of distinction and his wife presented
themselves at the door OF the court just before
haif-past 10 the hour of opening They held
Mr. Justice Hanncn's order for admission, but were
refused admission The court was full. mes
ssre was sent TO Mr. Cunynghame. He declared
he could do nothing Then friend went 70 him :
Surely you cannot exclude the Minister of -
and his wife, with cards from Sir James Hammer"
No.p answered Mr.. Cunynghame, =" 1 do not
exclude them. II you can find Mrs. - seat
they shan como in ct once" She shall have
nine.s was the answer, and they came IN IL
such difficulties occur to diplomstists, what can
&n1~ Tho lnfa Homo RulH
yiceroy OF Ireland occupied seat in the wit.
.ness-box,, behind Mr.. Richard Pigott. all Friday
morning
This COURTROOM is, in truth. but I'll adapted for
the bearing Of o great cause 1t is known as
Probate Court No. 1.-The court in which Sir
James Hammer ordinarily sits for ordinary business
in divorce Like every English court which
ever saw, 10 is miracle Of inconvenience for the
legal profession quite ss much as for the public
Tradition rules supreme. The comfortable tables
and chairs with the ample space of the American
courts are unknown. Counsel are huddled TO-
sether on one narrow BENCH with a narrow desk
shclf in fact The two opposing leaders SIT next
zach other; the solicitors by whom they are In
structed and their clients on lower bench in
front of them, with no shelf. Consultations must
often be overheard let counsel try hard as they
win not to hear what comes from the camp OF
the enemy Access to these seats and exit from
Them are equally 6ifacult All the business OF
the bar Is transacted under physical obstacles
which any good architect not trammelled by legal
preudices would sweep away The judges sit
(, on a raised and canopied platform behind little
pulpits, midway between floor and ceiling. They
perhaps hear; they are themselves heard only by
an effort. The s-box-English for the
American stand-is ingeniously placed where the
witness must turn his back either ON the judges
or on the jury, when jury there Is, and must
sneak sideways eithez TO Judge or counsel
So little daylight finds its way in that the
electric light is turned on during great
part Of what is astronomically called the
day. now know why Justice is blind. Her
eyes were long since burnt out by those ncadescent
electric arcs There are shades, but the shades
are so designed as to protect the roof, and the
roof only. Not single ray is intercepted as it
flashes into the faces OF bench, and bar, and
publis The ventilation Is not less remarkable
shan the lighting. 1t is q clever combination Of
the greatest number Of draughts with the g1eat-
est possible stiffness To breathe this poison
out atmosphere six hours day, and escape with
out o headache, is as good proof as man
could ask Of the soundness of his constitution.
There are not few journalists. who have hear,
cat out the whole trial thus far, and who seem not
much the worse forit The judges and officials are.
perhaps, the only other persons who have done
as much Counsel come and go. There are on
both sides so many OF them that all are seldom
present OF once.
The walls arc Of gray stone, gray, but hung
with no scarlet nor is there anywhere any attempt
At decorative splendor Of any kind. AS the scene
OF a great state trial 1t is psluy and poor. The
imagination has 20 do its work unaided; no help
Is 70 be had from accessories or surroundings
The English pride themselves On being practical
and businssslike. The last place 10 which even
these homely adjeetives can be applied is this
courtroom; or for that matter, the Law Courts
as whole; not uncommonly and altogether
rightly referred to as Streets SoIly. The late
Mr. Street was the architect and the late Dir.
Street, man Of great and misdirected abilities,
had craze for applying the principles OF pointed
architecture 20 uses for which they are not
suited The memory Of this Trial VIII remain
as long as anything remains, but ne who visits
or revisits the hall in which it was transacted
viii find nothing In the structure to lift him
from the level Of commonplace. The usher can
Int tell him that on this chair sat Mr. Justice
Hanneu. or this bench Mr.. Parnell, on this other
Sir Charles Russell and Sir Richard Webster;
here were the spectators here the press Ii he
told the whole truth he would add that the repre-
sentatiyes OF the press with that good nature for
which they are remarkable, allowed the space
reserved for them to be eften encroached upon
by the general public
In theory, the public was 70 be present through
the nress. In fact, 1t wanted very much to come
itself and did come; the ladies most OF all
There is q ladies' gallery proper, and %
general gallery. The ladies filed their own-iess
Than o dozen Of them crowded stand oyerfiowed
Into the general gallery, and into the body OF the
court, and into the press seats. Some came daily,
or almost daily, while Che more exciting episodes
Of the trial lasted. The Duchess OF ST. Adams
was one Of these. She WIS always TO be seen
when things were going well for the painhns;
during the lie Caron period, for instance; her
facc radiant with delight as that extraordinary
witness told his extraordinary story. AS the
daughter OF famous hishman, Mr. Bernai os-