New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-07-01
A LEGAL MILL
How the Jefferson Market Night Court foI
Women Impresses an Observer.
ne Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
! Sir: The public spirited letter signed
American Citizen" in last Sundays Tribune,
concerning his experiences as visitor 10 the
Jefferson Market Night Court for Women, and
deploring the methods of procedure pursued
in the trials of the unfortunate women prison
ers, and the letter on the same subject in
your issue Of June 30 signed "V. V. F."
move me tn similar criticism.
This court was primarily instituted for
hearing cases against women of the streets,
so called. In the beginning il was thought
to set aside court and formulate such pro-
cedure and assign such judges would serve
&c bring into being thoughtful useful court
With sympathetic, tolerant and trained judges
clerks and police officers, peculiarly adapted
to reform or help this class of unfortunates
court which would proceed gravely and
deliberately in this task Of protecting the
public on the one hand and these, for the
most part defenceless women on the other
unhampered by the cold and unbending rig
ors of the ordinary police court procedure
! One has but TO attend a night session 10
become disillusioned and heartsick at the
Gresry waste OF it all and the i'll directed
efforts, or lack OF efforts; a. reformation
The relentless mill grinds its human grist
nightly. The lack of sentiment and the com
plete want of human pity with which the
calendar is hastily called and inpatient
disposed Of; and the spying and the obvious
| lying, and the zest shown By the "oficer"
who made the arrest and gathered the cyl.
dence, the hasty judgments delivered; the de-
grading, thumb-screw operation of finger
printing, make the judicous grieve.
do not wonder that your correspondents
are moved TO express themselves publicly
As they did. One asks himself whether this
wholesale feelingless transaction taking place
nightly can bring any good in its train. The
casual visitor involuntariiy cries out sgains,
what he nstinctvely feels is veritable
debauchery OF osths, trickery and conscience
less treachery IN the unequal matching Of
wits between the women on one side and the
specially detailed young men, bedecked with
their badge OF office. on the other. One feels
ashamed Of his kind when he hears tness
young fellows glibly and gleefully recting
under oath their catchword phrases, won
derfully the same in each case; and one
wonders why this great civilized community
will Permit its Police Department, now pre-.
sided over by conscientious and able Com
missioner, TO send these young men to func-
ton as spies and worse in this unwhole-
some trade
| In passing, might remark that a custom
has grown up, ripened almost, but not quite,
into a rule Of evidence. under which the pre-
siding magistrate with the highest motive
Isinguarly enough takes the unsupported word
OF these officers against the word OF the
women. The sordid struggle before the bar
OF this court usually resolves itself into
plain issue between the informer and the de-
/ PENDANT.
/ The community must be aroused 70 the dire
need, If even approximate justice is 10 be
done and an American court saved 20 respect
for more time, more consideration, more
earnestness TO arrive at the truth. more zeal
/ for human betterment and gentler feeling
for the business in hand. on the part OF the
personnel directing the affairs OF this court.
No court even with the best intent ons on
the part Of the magistrate, can rise higher
than the plane Of public thought and seHti-
ment; nor can It ever sink below 10.
HUGO WINNER
]