New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-07
GEORGE G. REYNOLDS So
The Former Justice in Ercelent
Healtk-SOme "reminiscences.

George c. Reynolds forTasr Supreme Court Jus
tee Is eignty-three years old today and although
he has for sixty years been practising as lawysr
ard Officiating the bench he continues practice
with unimpaired intellect and with Httle physical
Inconvenience ". Reynolds stands high IN public
esteem. When the CITY Court first organized
r. Brooklyn IN 1916 with one Judge and With juris-
dicton similar that OF the Supreme Court. sxcept
that Il was local. Judge Greenwood was the FIRST
iu.ss. In $3.50 Mr. Reynolds elected Judge Of
that court tor a term Of six years. and was re-
elected IN 1S12 under the present constitution. and
filed that Office until 1851 In that term an act was
passed detailing a Judge OF the City Court to hold
trial terms IN the Supreme Court and undsr that
act Governor Cornell detailed Judgs Reynolds to
hold trial term fer year alter which the business
IN the City Court compelled his return &c that
bench.
II an interview yesterday sfr. Rsynolts declared
that his recollection OF Brooklyn began In ls47 when
he was a student under Judge John Dikeman- Z
was admitted 10 the bar In lS44" Re said and
spent the ten subsequent years practising At The
Duchess County bar IN 1874 took uD practices IN
Brooklyn. The principal lawyers IN BROOKLYN az
that time were Lott. Murphy q NAnderoH~
Judge DfEeman Nathan L. Morse. John Grssn-
wood J. p RoIfe John Trembly. Joshua E cott-
H. p. Duryea. E. Y. R. Stanton and few otnss
! an the only survivor OF the Brooklyn bar a. u
stood IN fS4 The Circuit Court then tho
only branch o: the Supreme Court in Brooklyn. and
had been held IN q building at Fulton and Gran
berry SITS. on the third aoor. The suprsns Court
for Appeals held at Albany. Rochester. Uuc>
and Nev-Tork CITY. having four terms each yssr.
The Court Of Errors was then the nisness eoa1h
now known as the Court Of Appeals
In 1873 or ls44 a courthouse was lifted Up N ne
then recently built RaymOnd-st jail. and ne 30
prens and County courts were held TIERS We DAD
no City HAN. courthouse (Other than tnAf N
the jaiD then
Il was kept IN rem e-nbrenc- OF ths year OF my
birth constantly By meeting two Of the most srni-
uent and most useful men who ever hVed n
Brooklyn for a long period They were Dr. s-orrs
and Father Sylvester Malone. We were al born
RE same year and We used 20 that We vsrs
all Twenty -oners''; and when they died fsaa
lonely. Or. TheodOrs L. Cuyier was little %
lated for he didn't arrive until January, lS7 pan
he was almost entitled 70 be rscxoned ons ., Sw
number
what IL your Opinion OF the comparative sd-
vsntaSes % tho elective and the appcintins sysssn
with respect 70 the judiciary tbs judge va
asked
.ry,-hv. r-pIied Judge Reynolds. -vnsn tns pi.a
NJ e1ecting fdges was frst adopted. fslc strongly
opposed TO H. because I thought better selections
would Be made By the Governor. who would fssl
some Individual rssPons Bat mar . sys.sn
through the state thai / have greatly modidsd y
P 1S G d7t Sas 5S@ RSa series q
judges under the elective system. SON - xa %
Judges have been elected almost without sxespt,en
ana the present standard o. the JUDICIARY u 11lA'
Are YOU in favor OF long or short terms
right ~ FIST q was eight years but that vs. 20
short fudge gains experience on tnS oeIn 80
at the end Of eight years Is better quaned 70 or
tinue than he was 10 enter u2on rs tuyss 40
not think Judges should be appointed tor HIe-fo.r-
. team wears seems % me about right LnlhA I1s
provision to retire judges at me age OF sevsnsy
wears fs an u-7vise one have known many
f1d-as who at that age were really better uoz -
man At an- time during their term OF once. For
. Instance chief Judge Andrews OF the Sourt *
Ap-lafz had TO tire because Of the age uInt Al
tTorrh he was On fun vigor OF health with ionS
exua~ience. and would have been a credit 20 tns
as lresI business more readily disposed OF to-dAy
than formerly. trtEag .,,
I Yes business is transacted much more readily,
rot 0- bv reason Of increased judicial forces bu-
nv the methods employed ln those Gays al papers
y-are written ana did not have printed bills.
S-e-0craphv ana typewritiug have greatly facii-
P ra+eF The dfzDatch OF business Nevertheless. ws
are behind ali the time, and the TACT mat u
F--ra- f4s ia sufta OF the want OF these Improved
r1rtr-ie that We kept up with the business. Only
goes to show how enormously litigation has N
. creased. The Introduction OF q new branch or IsN
. IN recent years. especially IN New-fOrk, namely
negligence cases. Is responsible in a great UeAsNFa
what il the secret OF your physical prsserrs-
i ''JtelI.' said the Judge laughing. 7 spent n,
I f-e- eighteen years Of my life on a farm. snc
rHi-k in that way 7 developed a CONSTITUTIONAL
strength which. combined with tsnperats haor>
has carried ne through.