The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1894-01-26
HERE is ONE EVIL.
Civil Justice Lynn Points Out a
Defect in the Law.
He Thinks the Courts Jurisdiction
Should Be Increased.
Tie Glass of Litigants in the First
Judicial District.

/
city.
1t was originally created in 1859. and
FOR many years was the only court Of
"a" kind in existence. Many eminent
men. including subsequent senator's, Con
grrssmcn Mayors and Recorders, were
Judges in the early days OF the court
The court Is now held in the upper
part OF the old Superior Court Building
at the southwest corner OF Chambers ana
Centre streets. In city Hall Park. The
lower portion of the old building being
used by the Fire Department, an odor of
the stables now perYadcs the courtroom
The Judge I'm this court IL Wauhopc
Lynn, who commenced his second term
on Jan. l. and will hold Office for the
next six years at "A salary Of 5000 per
annum. He has already been Judge for
Two years, having filed the unexpired
term of Peter Mitchell. This gives Judg"
Lynn total salary OF $4,000 for the
eight years he serves as Judgs.
There is an air of cleanliness about
the First District Court, the white. walls
and o,d-fashioned apartments reminding
one OF the hospital or poorhouse. The
entire second floor is utilized by the
court officials excepting n corner room
which is occupied as sleeping apartment
| by Fire Chief Croker, nephew of Rich
ard Croker.
Louis {. Bruins. Clerk of the Court
IL
there are three marshas and other at
| taches, who are paid for their services
by fees collected from clients.
There are few complaints made as to
| the conduct of this court, and only about
one hundred suits and cases are now
pending before Judge Lynn. There are
two trial days on Mondays and Fri
o'clock A. NJ, and continues until 80
l.. NJ.
When an Evening World" reporter
| visited the court yesterday special at
tention was paid to the question whether
| the poorer people in the district were
receiving proper attention at the hands
of the court. and whether any improve
ments could be made for the benefit of
the poor people whose legal differences
are adjusted in this court.
Judge Lynn was found In his private
office. sitting under the shadow of a
large framed photograph of Richard
Croker As to, the conduct Of his court
the Judge said:
between the ordinary actions brought
by business men and the wage cases OF
the poorer people. We insist that these
cases be tried within a day or two. and
| make 1t II rule to impose fee of 81
for it Is unfair to bring, man into
court for three or four different occa-
s!ons on an 81 or 50 case.
THE landlord and tenant cases In this
court differ from those in any other
New York court, for the reason that the
IL
property holders like those on the East
side. our landlords are wealthy men
and corporations. and they are very in
dulgent, especially in these hard times.
and n great deal in the Fifth Ward.
OF these parties are very indulgent with
move against tenant until he is -four
or five months behind in his rent.
| Of
In New York is Ward McAllister Will,
the newspapers have paraded him as one
Of the Four Hundred nothing has ever
erty in Greene and other streets in this
district and never commences sui
) against tenant until he Is four or iiv,
| months in arrears, and then McAllistel
usually gives the tenant more time.
Il have no other office and no othe
private business and devote all my time
to the work of this court. am herr
every day from . o'clock until 1. NJ,
trial days are Tuesdays and Fridays
and when my calendar gets crowded
/. hold court an additional day In the week
= As rule. our cases never last longe
e than two or three weeks.
$ 1--WE now have about one hundred case
. pending. Tomorrow is court day, an
, we will dispose of forty or fifty cases
i, We never run behind as they do In som
n other courts, and a lawyer never wen
k away from here without getting hear
a I'VE have no 'shyster' lawyers o
: hangera-on in this court and in thi
g again we differ from other courts. som
| of the leading lawyers OF New lOrl
o come here as the representatives of larE
: firms and corporations.
Nov, | want to call your attention
to something which Is OF material beneii
to the great mass of citizens. In lis!
when this court was established, tn
jurisdiction as to amount involved. wa
70. This amount was then increased L
flo, and in l776. was fixed at SO In 1891
the amount was so. Now, 1t stands a
$50, with the power of removal to tn
8 Court of Common Pleas in all cases in
. volving over 800
/. Here exists an evil which should b
;, corrected. A corporation haEing cas-
q In this court involving over slOO can re
which Is high court of records. In
II stead of having speedy trial, the cas-
O Is then tied up for years, which Is real
a defeat of justice, and practical end
:, ing of the case.
II have seen poor people leave thi
court in tears, because their cases hav
' been removed to the Court of commo
s Pleas, there to he dragged along 70
k years. and to be abandoned or nonsuitec
! With us, however. we are naturally CON
PEELED to take IA personal interest In tn
: case, and hold speedy trial.
). III the jurisdiction OF civil courts !
a the matter of amount was increased I
a $500. without the power of removal,
e would greatly relieve the Court of Rec
d 'rds. Speedy relief is what Is d,
!, mundci In these courts, and ! hop
the coming STATE 'onSututlonal Cor
e vcntion will take some action In th
" matter
- The First District Court is the onl
. court in the United States which
really out of its jurisdiction. The Flr'
District extends from Canal street
the Battery and from broadway to II
North River, while the court - actual
located In the Second District at II
. corner OF Chambers and Centre street
II a citizen resided In the court buildin
he could not bring an action In the Fir'
District Court.
"a The First District Court under the az
~ which created 1t. must necessarily
located in city Hall Park. and when Il
= old building AT Centre and Chamber
'e street is demolished as Is proposed, II
Is court will either he compelled TO r.
. move to the supreme Court building
)" else hold its sessions out of doors G
pr the green sNard of the park.
In 81. Joseph's Lyccum EntertainmeI
The eighteenth annual entertainment and r