The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-12-07
COURT TO PUT ON W
SOME SUPREME COURT JUSTICES
SAN TO OBJECT.

They May sit Gownless ~ They Choose, for
Their brethren Have No Power Over
tho Clothes of T~hem-Justice Bischoh
Would Gown the City Magistrates Also.
The RowninG OF most. IL not all. OF the JUS
tices of the Supreme Court In this city. sit
ting at Special and Trial Terms and the Ap-
pellate Term. was announced yesterday as a
departure for the coming year. the change
has been talked about much Of late. but It met
with opposition. and no definite step was taken
until recently. when the opinions ot the Jus
tices were canvassed. Gowns won bv n large
majority. but there Is n probability that some
OF the: Justices win refuse TO be Rowned. and
the majority have no power to gown them.
Tho Justices of the Appellate Division. who
control the rules and assignment OF Justices
Of the Special and Trial Terms and OF the Ap-
pellate Term, were in favor of tho RowninE.
Justice Bischon was the only Justice of sew
eral interviewed who would make n definite
statement yesterday about the movement. He
said:
"Yes, we have decided to wear gowns. and 1
am glad that we have arrived at such a de-
cision. l think that too much solemnity can
not be thrown around our courts. especially
our trial courts. The Justices OF the Court OF
Appeals and OF the Appellate Division wear
gowns. In these two courts appeals are hoard.
and there are but few persons present who are
not members OF the bar and who are we'll
dressed and well behaved. The gowns are not
80 much needed In those courts as In the trial
courts. where all Glasses OF litigants. wit
nesses and other people appear. Priests wear
gowns. soldiers wear uniforms. and other men
wear tokens OF their Office. and IL is eminently
proper that the Judges, whose duty and office
call for n certain amount OF solemnity and re-
speet, should wear gowns. Thu wearing Of
gowns will, impress those WHO attend court.
part OF some ofthose whose duties bring them
to court. Last summer. a man rushed into
Sockers and a negiige shirt thrown vide
open. mention this as an illustration OF how
lax some people have become in the respect
crease srses; The ,n rss peeFl IN S vi sRT this 'i tribu1 no rs Is
calculated to aid in the due administration OF
Justice. believe, also. that Police MaSis-
t tEsass sh Is one T is T nc Gn e IS as m a6s p neaessat they y
inspEe the people with respect who are
Justice Truax said: Gowns are in pros
gect, but you had better see Justices Scott and
Beekman. who have the matter in charge,
subject. but subsequently said: "The mat
ter is under confederation and will be deter
mined in a few days" He refused to speak
It is understood that the only part of the
project in charge of Justices Scott and Beck
worn. :,
I am not Concerned in the subject" said
Justice Pryor, as ! go out Of office before the
rule will come into operation. I am aware
that a majority OF my brother Judges have de-
cided that after Jan. l next gowns will be
The Justices who are quoted as strongly
opposed to f~rocking are Justices Lawrence.
McAdam and MacLean. II Is said that they
urged that.ln a democratic government there
should not be a tendency to ceremony and cir
cumstance. and that Justice had got along we'll
enough for many years with no gowns to its
back. Justice Lawrence left the building early
yesterday and Justices McAdam and MacLean
refused to state their position on the question
or what they would do in view Of the decision
OF the majority.
There was much ado in some quarters when.
three or four years ago. the order went forth
that all the officers but not the clerks Of the
different branches OF the Supreme CouSt
should wear uniforms. The change came 70
be considered an advantage because people
who did not know the court attendants
learned at once to whom to go. but they are
still in the dark as to the clerks of the differ
ept branches Of the court, who are In civilian
dress. At the formation of the Appellate Di-
visions. the Justices in those branches Of the
court in the State adopted gowns. against con-
siderable opposition OF some of the Justices
and Of some members of the bar, but the
gowns now sit easily. and most OF their for
mer opponents think they are 1T and proper.
In each of these movements what particularly
bothered the lawyers was the feeling that an
other step In advance would be to compel law
yers to wear wigs or gowns.