Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-11-20
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS. |


Eighth and Ninth avenues, after years
OF delay and after an expenditure OF
several hundred thousand dollars, is
worthy of more attention than it has
yet received, for few persons under
stand how large part in the admins
tration of justice in New York is taken
by the police court tribunals. APP
proximately, one hundred thousand
persons are arraigned each year in the
police courts in New York city. Each
case includes also complainant,
usually police officer or detective.
and in many cases, though not in all.
q civilian complainant, the victim or
alleged vic.im of some violation of
legal regulations. In addition to the
nrisnnar and cnmplainRnt, there is
often witness or two, and III some
cases there are several ral--sOmetimes as
many "a dozcn. Taking into account,
therefore, the prisoners, civilian com
claimants, the police officers, and the
witnesses, and adding to them the law
yers, for the more serious cases an
raigned in New York police courts are
attended by counsel for the defence.
it is apparent that not far from half
million persons in year have, one
way or other, to do with police courts.
1t might he supposed reasonably y under
such circumstances, that these tribu-
nails would be up-to-date structures,
accessible to visitors, and constructed
and equipped for prompt and satisfac-
tory despatch of public business,
Until recently, however, the ven
cradle building on Fast Fifty
seventh street, near Third avenue,
euphoniomsly but inaccurately known
as "the Yorkvile court" for Xork.
vile has long ceased to be an Off
cial designation for any part Of the
present city of New York, had served
the requirements Of the police judges,
since the time when much of the ter
ritory north of Forteth street and
south of Eighty-sixth street on both
sides of the town was nnoccnpiel for
purposes of habitation. The Tombs
police court, long maintained in the
old Tomb building, is now held in the
criminal court building and it has come
to be known as the Centre street po-
lice court. A modern structure has
replaced the Harlem police court but
in the most crowded territory OF town,
in the heart of the most thickly popu-
lated portion of New York. the ancient
Essex Market building continues to be
used for police court purposes like the
Yorkville court. The convenience of
litigants, witnesses, complainants, law
yers officers and judges certainly de-
mands that the arrangements which
existed twenty-five years ago should
be improved.
Why Miss Jessie X. Parsons killed
herself at the Hotel Manhattan is hard
to understand. Miss Parsons was
pretty girl, about ~ years old, edu-
Gated in various schools, and meant to
enter Barnard college. She had a
considerable fortune, at least $l00, 900;
and she was quiet, modest, though
self-reliant person, who never spent
anything like her income. Her law
yer tells these facts, and also says that
she was "a remarkably well-baanced
girl" She had about six weeks ago
made her will, leaving all her estate to
an invalid aunt. Nevertheless she ar
rived at the Hotel Manhattan in the
evening, registered and went to her
room, where late the next forenoon her
body was found by the chamb rmaid,
lying OH the bed, dead for some hours,
with bullet wound in the mouth, and
her street clothes neatly piled on q
chair at the foot of the bed. There
were two letters, one to her lawyer at
Tarrytown, requesting him to do some
simple matters of business; another to
a young man whom she asked to break
the news to her aunt in Yonkers, where
she lived. Her postscript to this let
ter was: "Please go up and see aunty
once in a while" The young man had
often visited at the home of herself
and her aunt. But neither the lawyer
nor the young man cast any light on
her suicide. In fact, the young man
refused to talk, though the young
mans father said that they were ia
miliarly acquainted, and that Miss
, Parsons WAS to have visited his house
on the day when she killed herself.
Here is the groundwork for aromance.
Richard Croker is something like
spared monument of all the bosses in
the late campaign. Platt went down;
German was relegated to private life;
Quay was severely rebuked; Hanna is
on the tenter-hook of doubt. In all
this company Croker looms up as the
solitary victor His former support
ers welcomed him back to his old
throne. and his chief nominal oppo-
nent contributed actively to his vic
tory. Croker has had enough success
under apparent difficulties to turn his
head. He is serenely modest SO far
az any manifestation shows since his
triumph. He appears, however, to
feel it to he his mission to rehabilitate
the Democratic party in the nation.
His next essay is to be the uniting of
the gold and silver Democrats. 1t is
interesting to speculate as to whether
Croker will accept Bryan as his candi-
date for the next presidency or afford
the nation one of his own selection.
The king of the dudes here has spent
night at the new twenty-cent Mills
hotel, and he allows that it isn't half
bad, don't you know. Meanwhile, the
establishments accommodations have
become exhausted by the rush of we'll
to-do, cleanly, and Industrious and
thrifty men, who appreciate good
thing when it is placed within their
reach
II it is true that Mayor-elect Van
Wyck's campaign expenses were only
Sl5s, he got good thing remarkably