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 are 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 be no delay or neglect in
the civil Justice courts, where poor lit
igants seek redress and what IL due
them from individuals and corporations.
The civil justice courts OF New York
and there are no less than eleven of
them -. are the legal refugees OF the
poorer class Of citizens. In these courts
laborers and servants bring suits and
actions for money due them from en-
ployers. Here Is where the landlords Of
Gotham and the owners of big tene-
nents take legal action to eject tenants
who have not paid their rent. In these
courts all the petty business contro-
versies 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
shnls and other court employees.
There should be no delays or postpone
ments and no dockets overloaded with
untrled cases. This Winter. Of all others,
the poor litigants should be promptly
served by the legal servants who draw
fat salaries from the city treasury.
As 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
Wauhnna LINN. snlary Sk nn0
Second District Civil Court, Centre
5000. ~
Third District Civil Court, 125 Sixth
ay~enue-Judge William +. Moore; salary,
Fourth District Civil Court. 80 First
s~treet-Judge George L. Roesch; salary,
Fifth District Civil Court. IA Clinton
street.Judge Henry NJ. Goldfogle: sui
airy, Sc, 900.
Sixth District Civil Court. 4O7 Second
a~venue-Judge Daniel f. Martin; salary,
Seventh District Civil Court. l5l East
Fifty-seventh street-Judge John B. Nc
Eighth District Civil Court, 200 West
Twenty-second street-Judge Joseph Fl.
Ninth District civil Court, 40 East
One Hundred and Twenty-first street
Judge Joseph p. Fallon: salary, 1000.
Tenth District Civil Court. corner of
Third avenue and East One Hundred and
McCrea: salary. 5000.
Eleventh District Civil Court, 9l9 Eighth
av~enuemJudge James A. o'Gorman; sal
AS the salary OF each Of these Judges
Is 5000 per year, the total amount eX-
pended annually for the eleven courts
Is $66, 900. Civil court justices hold office
for six years, the total salary for each
official being $50. 900 for the six years OF
his term; The salaries of the clerks and
OF ofnt thc om dudre emp tbSs mama eGIaI the me s annnei
|, cost to the city OF New York for the
, eleven courts about $lS2, 900. OF s792.O 900 for
the judicial term OF six years;
These figures are given In this particu-
1 lar Instance solely to show, what the
people do for the courts. and the ques-
ton then arises what do the courts do
4 for the people? How are they conducted ?
t Arc Judges and clerks doing their duty
e and acting promptly In these troubled
3 The Evening World" has been'a daily
r visitor at the eleven courts OF this city.
Every one Of the eleven courts, has been
n thoroughly investigated and the condi,
ton OF affairs accurately ascertained.
v In the eleven courts there are pending
, at the present time nearly 5000 actions,
Of the eleven courts. Many OF these
cases have been postponed for the con
venience OF attorneys, or owing to wit,
nesses being absent. but the truth should
~ NfseN 80 - thse' NaS'S iuNN
been delayed and trials postponed by tn,
negligence OF the judges themselves, VIII,
have been absent from court attending
to their private business instead OF sit
ting In court to do the work for which
they receive a salary Of $4,000 per year
10 Out OF the clever, clvll courts there i
l. Wednesday, and there Is only one cour
ID In session OF Saturday. On Monday an,
Thursday Ave out OF the eleven court
are In session: on Tuesday seven are II
lc session, and on Friday nine,
Of Two out OF the eleven civil judges hol
court four days each week.
=. In the remaining seven courts tn
ot Judges hold court but twice a week.
As court usually convenes from I
Is o'clock until . the Judge only sits upo
j. OF these civil courts the Judges, there
s. fore, hold court just about eight hour
re each week; for which they receive
salary OF 1926. This Is at the rate OF 81
an hour for services rendered.
There nave been instances known witt
In the past few months where civil coui
Il, Judges remained away from court fc
W ten days TO devote their time and talent
t. 10 defending clients in the Superior Cour
t, for 1t must be remembered that thes
Judges OF the civil courts are nearly a
OF them practising attorneys-at-law, wit
ed Judge iSS2T; Tor instance; has 2 la,
en- has an Office at 2Si broadway; jnds
Moore at ~ Wall street; Judge RoesC
At $50 Rroawday; Judge Tailon a, l
E,aSShN street, Juusf McNFth NJ
Chambers street, and Judge O'Gorma
m At zoo broadway. Judge McKeon, Is
-, lawyer a. 25 Chambers street, and al
~, q dealer In real estate at 1889 Third av
'en nue..
OF While some OF the legal gentlem'
led who are favored by fortune and Bo
Croker with $1,000 judicial positions, a
attending to their private business al
e. holding court but twice a week, the
are nearly 1,o0o untrled civil cases
~ their court dockets, and many poor pc
Va pie are Inconvenience by the neglc
old of these public servant". who are pa
,cN salaries sufficiently large to enable the
at to devote all OF their time to their OF
um cinl duties. .
"rhe Evening Worll' proposes 10 t
lust how much time each OF the
eleven Justices devotes to his private In
., practice and how much TO the work I
mr., which the taxpayers pay him Il salal
The facts gathered in thls two weel
IA. INVESTIGATION Will be OF great interest
nSc the public.
AID FOR PFkNNERER.