Waterbury Democrat., 1901-03-18
BRADSTREETO OUT
Retires From the Bench Alter
 Long Service.
NOW PROSECUTING ATTORNEY

Many changes Tn Our Courts Since
 Judge Bradstreet First Took Office
 Attorney Peasley Assumes Position
 of Deputy Judga
 After twenty-two consecutive years on the bench A. F. Bradstreet, deputy judge of the city and district courts. will, q few weeks hence shed the ermine of the bar of the state of Cons necucut. Judge Bradstreet made g good judge and he will be greatly miss- ed. He was q very useful judge. His presence on the bench was alWay9 what it should be, dignified.
 The change is voluntary on the part of Judge Bradstreet. Since the filing Of briefs in the famous suit of Ash borne against the town of Waterbury two years ago by Attorney Hendricks Judge Bradstreet did not relish his Judicial position. It was more an obstacle than an aid to his practice ill the local courts. One day he was pleader in his own court; the next day judge. This rather inconsistent sttua- tion, though it could not be helped in view of the local situation of affairs relative to the district court was harp ed upon rather sharply by the su- preme court. The office of deputy judge of the district court was one that never paid. It lacked ln judicial honor. it never sufficiently recompenSed it's incumbent for the work it required; it did not give the holder the eminence that any high court should receive: it yielded nothing to Judge Bradstreer but bother.
 Judge Bradstreet was first elected deputy judge of the police court of W1fachl.V he was reelected. In 1883 he was ap- pointed judge of the district court, be l ing the first judge to hold that posi- ton. The court had then only civil | jurisdiction. For four years he held this office and in 1891 there was a deadlock in the legislature. The con- 1 sequence was that Judge Bradstreet | held over until 1893. The legislature of that term was about even. Attor- | ney c. c. Root was elected senator orr the democratic ticket. The democrats cast far and wide for representative and finally sent to Hartford on q walk over Attorney Linford F. Root and John l.. Sake. Judge Bradstreet was busted as judge of the police court and Sena- tor Root elected in his place. Repre- 1 sentative Root secured the clerkship l of the district court and so the spells of local office were distributed Judge Rradstreet was now deputy judge Of the police court and judge of the dis | trict court. The police court was abolished and the city court organized | in it's stead. It was found necessary to do this to oust Judge BradSTreeE l without recourse to law.
 ] The late Senator Webster used to tell a story of the last day Judge Bradstreet presided in the old police court. Attorney Holohan was then messenger of the city and district 1 np hn in clean blotters were laid on the table at which the reporters and lawyers used to sit. Judge BradStreet was considered q very severe judge until | after Judge Root was appointed. After court that morning MT Webster, who | was then clerk of the court, picked up one of the new blotters and on it was l written ''Bradstreet, you son of q gun. you will never send me down the road l again for thirty days" It was always q question with those who sat at the l table that morning as to the author- ship of the scribble on the blotter. | Whoever he was he had reason to 1 change his sentiments very soon after. for Judge Root turned to be the l SeyereSt judge that ever held court iH | this city.
 | In the legislature of 1897 there was quite a battle for the judgships of the city and district courts. Colonel Bur- pee Judge Cowell. who was represen- tative. and Attorney Durant. were OH one side and the Kelloggs and others against them Colonel Burpee was then prosecuting agent. but he aimed higher and secured the judgeship of the city court while Judge Cowell was ap- | pointed to the judgeship of the district | court. Judge BradStreet was dropped 1 to deputy judge of both courts This position he has held since and a few; weeks hence he will dofr the ermine al- 1 together.
 l Judge BradStreetS entrance to the bench of the district court was q. stormy one. Judge Cowell was nomi-, mated for judge by the New Haven county representatives. But when the appointment was to be made Calvin Carter representative from this city. l foretold dire things if Judge Cowel was appointed. The latter received the nomination by a vote of Il to 6, yet when the appointment was made Judge Bradstreet carried the field oyer- | whelmingly.
 Attorney F. NJ. Peaseley takes Judge Bradstreets place while the latter takes up the rein dropped by | Attorney Bronson as Prosecuting Att torney of the district court The law
 yers in general do not look fo- trouble
 with Judge Bradstreet in his new office They expected a whole lot from
 Mir Bronson but were pleasantly dis
 appointed This will be q new role
 for Judge Bradstreet, from judge to
 prosecutor is quite q changes but no
 one doubts Judge Bradstreets ability
 to handle the duties of his new office.
 He is d first class attorney, has been
 an excellent judge. he will prove an
 unprejudiced prosecutor. But he will
 be missed from the bench, for he was
 every inch q judge, having held that
 position for twenty-two years. As
 ways the pink of fashion he was demo-.
 cratic from his boot heels to the top
 of his silk hat, notwithstanding that
 in politics he is republican.
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