The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-13
DIGGING INTO OLD NEW YORK
on the site or the stadt Huys or New Amstcr-
dam, Dniit In loAo.

oun, buiit IN lthS.
Antiquarians arc much Interested In the tear
ing down Of tho building at 10 Pcarl street. 1t
stands on the site OF tho old Stadt Hugs of New
Amsterdam, which was the first city hall Of the
old city that is now New York. It 10 directly at
the head OF what Is now Coenties slip. 1t Is said
that a part Of the foundation of tho present build.
ing was a part of the foundation OF the old State
House, which was built in 1912. The workmen
have been ut tho building for a week now.
They have demolished the two companions In
the rear at 80 and 40 Stone street, but they
have not got far enough with the work at 70
Pearl to disclose any Of the foundation, and
nobody but the workmen is permitted inside
the building on account Of the danger from
falling bricks and timbers.
The State House OF 1912 was built originally
as a tavern. and that part of the city was the
fashionable part. 1t was q three-story stone
building. There was no Pearl street then. Tho
building stood on what are now two city lots.
Nos. II and 73 Pearl. As a tave IN II was tho
favorite resort Of the chip Captains. who sailed
s shf,E was Soa ahsn f tnSsn q! az e eo SSty }e ao iane. i besauss
the property around there was owned by Con-
T T%s Ten Eysk s:o who o. WIS a,o niesnsmod u Scents ,ui
to the ferry to Brooklyn at Peck slip. Broad
street vas than q canal or inlet, and was
East River to Wall street and Exchange place
and was brldged. HerdkoppIs Pist stayycsant
WAS poNeTuOV IN INC uhysoi lutOiu State hOust.
Ho was the Gar, OF the town. He even dictated
the wages that should be paid. In front of the
State House he had n whipping post and cage
where malefactors were punished. Sometimes
they were whipped. and. sometimes they were
branded and sometimes both. II they were here
tics they usually got both and were banished
besides.
The court room was in tho old State House.
and when the first lawyer c1me to town the
Governor wouldn't let him practice because no
was the only one and there would be no one to OPP
pose him. For a long time after that, even after
other lawyers came. they wero permitted only
to defend themselves. They couldn't have any
One Of New York's historians said yesterday
that 1t was on the site of the OLD State House
that nine negroes were convicted OF killing q
white man In l641. They pleaded guilty. They
were slaves. They were sentenced to death.
The frugal Dutchmen rose up at the idea OF such
gross waste Of labor. Their protest was so Wig
orous that the Judges sat again. They decided
this time that tho nine should draw lots
to see who should be the victim. Tho lot fell TO
the biggest man In the party. Tho next day he
was taken out to hang. He was 30 heavy that
the rope broke three times. Then tho people
protested again, and said he was such o strong
man 1t would be a shame to hang him. He
could be made SO. useful in the colony. So the
Judges pardoned him.
The original State House stood in Pearl street
until the beginning OF the present century. IT
was torn down then and warehouses stand on
the spot now. The historians don't agree about
the old foundation remaining. Some say 1t ID
still there and some say 1t isn't That is the
reason the antiQuarians are Interested The
foundation of the building will probably be
reached the middle OF the week and the question
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