The evening world., 1894-01-25
ARE JUDGES TO BLAME
Delay and Neglect in the Civil
Justice Courts.
Three Thousand Cases Are Now
Awaiting Trial.
Some Courts In Session Only Twice
n Week.

What ere the civil courts OF New
York doing for the poor?
In these times, when work and bread
are scarce among the laboring classes,
there should br no delay or neglect IN
the Civil Justice courts. where poor lit
iElnts seek redress and what Is due
them from individuals and corporations.
The civil justice courts of New York
and there are no less than e.even OF
them - are the legal refugees of the
poorer class Of citizens. In these courts
labOrcrs and servants bring suits and
actions FOR money due them from en-
ploycrs. Here Is where the landlords OF
Gotham and the owners OF big tene-
ments take legal action to eject tenants
who have not paid their rent. In these
courts all the petty business contro-
vcrsics of citizens are legally arbitrated
or adjusted.
1t is important, therefore, in these
hard times, that the civil justice courts
render prompt and efficient service, and
that litigants be not compelled to await
the convenience of judges, clerks, mar
shals and other court employees.
There should be no delays or postpone
ii'ii'S "ii' i' 'NF'N oN'ii W "ill
untried cases. This Winter. of al others,
the poor l%itigants should be promptly
served by the legal servants who draw
fat salaries from the city treasury.
A already stated there are in the city
Of New York eleven civil justice courts,
the judges OF which and the locations Of
which are as follows:
First District Civil Court, corner OF
Chambers and Centre streets-Judge
Wauhope Lynn; salary, 5000.
Second District civil Court, Centre
Markct-Judge Herman Bolte; salary,
$1,000.
Third District Civil Court. 125 Sixth
5000.
Fourth District Civil Court, 30 First
street-Judge George f. Roesch; salary,
$1,000.
Fifth District Civil Court, 14 clinton
street.Iudge Henry NJ. Goldfogle; sal.
airy. 5000.
Sixth District Civil Court, 4O7 Second
5000. ~ a
Seventh District Civil Court, Isl Eas'
Fifty-seventh street-Judge John II. Nc
Keen: salary. 5000.
Eighth District Civil Court, 200 Yves
Twenty-second street-Judge Joseph ii
Stirer: salary. 81, 1000.
Ninth District Civil Court. 10. Eas
onP ttu1uTtu ana Wenty-nTSt street.
Judge Joseph p. Fallon; salary, $1,000.
Tenth District Civil Court. corner o
Third avenue and East One Hundred AM
Flfty-eighth street-Judge william G
Eleventh District Civil Court, 919 Eight
avenue--Judge James A. O'Gorman; sal
airy. $1,000.
As the salary of each of these Judge
Is 5000 per year, the total amount cX
pended annually for the eleven court
Is 500 1000. Civil court justices hold ofic
for six years. the total salary for eac
official being $50. 900 for the six years O
other office employees equal the salarie
Of the judges, thus making the annua
cost to the city of New York for tn
eleven courts about s132, 900. of $792, 900 70
the judicial term of six years.
These figures are given in this particr
lar instance solely to show. what tn
people do for the courts. and the Ques
ton then arises what do the courts d
for the people. How are they conducted
t Are judges aid clerks doing their dut
= and acting promptly in these trouble
2 For the past two weeks a reporter &c
: THE Evening World" has been n dali
r visitor at the eleven courts of this cit!
Every one of the eleven courts has bee
! thoroughly investigated and the cont
ton Of affairs accurately ascertained.
Y In the eleven courts there are pendln
at the present time nearly 5000 action
Z which is mn average of go cases to cac
: " Wv 'a'N III u lIt'
cases have been postponed for the co,
venience of attorneys, or owing to wi
nesses being absent. but the truth shou
be beo Rn GS;a IN nat t, some Of these cases ha,
negligence of tho judges themselves, wi
IL have been absent from court attendir
to their private business instead Of 81
ting In court to do the work for whi'
they receive a salary OF $1,000 per yea
Out of the eleven civil, courts there
" not one which holds a trial session
\ Wednesday. and there is onl! one con
IN session on SATURDAY. On Monday n,
Thursday five out of the eleven our
are in session; on TUESDAY seven are
lc session. and on Friday nine.
Two out OF the eleven civil Judges he
court four days each week.
!, In the REMAINING seven courts /
d Judges hold court but twice u week.
f.. As court usually Sonvenes from
III his bench four hours each n In sew
j. Of these civil courts the Judges. the,
y, fore. hold, court Jus, about eight hou
salary OF sSiio5. This is at the rate OF
an hour for services rendered.
There have been instances known wit
in the past few months where civil cor
#. Judges renal ned away from court
y ten days to devote their time and taller
T. to defending clients in the Superior Cou
It; for 1t must be remembered that the
Judges OF the civil courts are nearly
OF them practising attorneys-at-law, W
he MS offices downtown.
cd Judge Lynn, for instance. has n Il
en- office at $50 broadway: Judge GoldfOl
has an office Mt 26l Broadway; Jud
Moore at ~ Wall street; Judge Roe
at 80 Broawday: Judge Fallon at
Nassau street; Judge McCrea at
Chambers street. and Judge O'Gorm
m ut POS Broadway. Judge McKeon is
~. lawyer al % Chambers street. and n
' a dealer in real estate at 1889 Third a
'' nue..
OF While some of the legal gcntlen
who are favored by fortune and b,
Croker with 5000 judicial positions,
=. attending to their private business q
e. holding court nut twice a week, III
are nearly 5000 untried civil cases
n, their court duCkets. and many poor p
M pie arc inConvericnced by the ragl
va OF these public servants, who are y
'ck salaries sufficiently large 10 enable tn
az 10 devote all OF their time To their O
nm cinl duties,
"'rhe Evening World" proposes to
just how much tine each OF III
eleven justices devo:es to his private |
,,r practice and how much to the work
IRE which the taxpayers pay him "A sala
The facts gathered in this two wee
IA. Investigation will be OF great interest
noe the public.
ed
AID FOR PFANNERER.