New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-13
MAGISTRATE BUTTS DEAD
Victim of Acute Indigestion at
His Summer Home.
ASSOCIATES PAY TRIBUTE
Introduced Several Innovations
in Courtroom Ethics
Active as Legislator.

City Magistrate Arthur Clarkson Butts
died yesterday at his summer home at
Westbrook, Conn. where he had been
since the latter part OF July. having been
compelled to abandon his work on the
bench because Of poor health
Mr.. Butts was in his sixty-hfth year
He had long been sufferer from
acute indigestion. and while at his city
home. at No. 1904 Trinity avenue The
Bronx. was under the almost constant
care Of his son, DR.. Arthur c. Butts. ,r.,
Of No. 2l2c DAILY avenue, The Bronx
At the bedside OF the magistrate were
his daughter Susan Helen Butts. and
Mariana Jackson. a cousin. DIR. Butts.
his son and a married daughter. Mrs.
Theodore Human. jr.. Of No. lC5l Boston
Road. were In this city.
Magistrate Butts figured prominently
in the state Legislature. being elected an
Assomblyman prior TO becoming a magis-
trate, and i'm the office of the Corporation
Counsel. where he was an assistant
Tributes were paid Mr.. Butts by all the
city magistrates presiding yesterday.
Magistrate John Freschi, sitting in the
Harlem police court and for years a
close friend OF Magistrate Butts, said at
the close of a glowing tribute:
MY dead friend. Magistrate Butts, has
been summoned To the higher court, be-
fore whose Judge we all must stand. he
was a man of sterling character. an inn
partial dispenser Of justice and a worker
for better conditions"
Arthur Clarkson Butts was born IN
New York CITY on August %. 1875 He
was the son of the Rev. Joshua and Susan
Undertill Butts. His early education was
received in the public schools. and he
later attended a preparatory institution
mitted to the bar. He was a special
Judge and surrogate Of Sullivan County.
n. Y. from 1873 until 1876
While a member OF the New York As
senbly, 1866 Mr.. Butts was respon-
sible for the legislation eliminating the
two-fare system on the elevated road en-
tering The Bronx. From 1895 until 1901
Mr. Butts was an assistant in the office
OF the Corporation Counsel While act
ing in this capacity he spent much of his
time in Albany. watching legislation af-
fecting New York City.
In 1907 Mayor Mcclellan appointed Mr..
Butts magistrate. One of his first acts
on the bench was to abolish the long
prevailing custom of lining mp IN the
courtrooms the defendants and arresting
officers I'm the order in which they were
TO appear before the court.
| Magistrate Butts originated the system
of admitting but one defendant, or the
defendant I'm one case. into the courtroom
nj one time. the others being kept in n
room separate and apart from that in
which tho hearings were being conducted
lie also strenuously objected 20 the pres
ente Of the complaint clerk in the court
proper. and established separate room
for him. in order that his work could be
accomplished without ANNOYANCE TO tn'
court.
The magistrate was q man OF demo
cratic IDEAS and was wont TO announce
| from tho bench whenever the opportunl'
presented itself, that the rich and th'
poor alike were his friends, and that M
would treat the rich the same as he would
the poor.
In the hearing OF cases Of intoxicatior
Mr. Butts. with rarely an exception
would conduct the prisoner TO his private
chambers and there question and reason
with him.
Il do this because | wish TO prevent
the humiliation which would attend a
public Arrangement" he said
Magistrate Butts was the author OF a
number of poems. which he recently pun
lished for distribution TO his friends
among them Monticello; \ Picture OF
tha