Evening star., 1932-02-07
Early Justices in Washington Courts

1895 the writer found . reference 70 IN
The Star Of July OF that year, which said:
The removal Of the old livery stable
street to the rear and east Of the National
Hotel, between Four-and a-haf and Sixth
streets northwest, which is now going on said
an old citizen 10 q Star reporter recalls 70
my memory when Walkers great Southern cir
Gus had its Winter headquarters there so
years ago. The performance carried on
for three months In the Fall and Winter after
it came In from the road at the closing Of the
tenCing season, and it was regarded very
fashionable place to go in those days. In an
amusement way, then, 1t bore about the same
relation to the Summer circus that an opera
troupe bears now to the ordinary theatrical
troupe. While to all intents and purposes the
performance was a circus show, there were
other things added to make it more attrac-
tive, in the way Of stage performance. The
stage was a folding affair, which could be
pushed out of the way when the time
for the ring show. 1 remember seeing Joseph
jefferson and his father and mother playing
in walkers circus, as well many others
who, in after years, reached great prominence
in the theatrical world Mr.. Jefersons mother,
besides playing part in the circus, kept
busy during the day in looking after mending
and restoring the circus players costumes while
the elder Jefferson was also very much in
evidence in a business way about the place.
1ueTG were BtItI any III &c dCIS III each Ol
the plays produced there two being on the
stage and the closing act in the circus ring.
It wntered in Washington for several years.
The building used was originally livery stable,
and it was kept warm enough except during
very cold weather, when the performance was
suspended for a couple Of weeks at a time.
In those days the downtown hotels and
boarding houses were the headquarters for Con-
gressmen and their families, and it was handy
for them to go around to Walkers circus.
There were no congressional boarding houses
in any other part of the city then and South
erners took a particular pride in Walkers cir
Gus, which was a strictly Southern show and
rarely ever went farther North than PhIladel-
phia. 1t travelled by wagon exclusively, and
in its day was very extensive affair"
IN August 5, 1905, the Police Court held its
~ last meeting in the old church building,
when it moved to the Ulke residence On Fif-
teenth street. south of the Avenue, where is
now the Department of Commerce. The Ulke
Building was picturesque structure, with
porches covering the entire front and had pre-
viously been occupied by the Bureau Of Sta
tics Of the Treasury Department. and prior
to this was the home of the Young family.
The present building, costing around $4,000.
was completed and first occupied on June IA.
1907, the cost of the equipment at that time
being about $4,000, which is almost as good
an investment as the Federal Government
made when it purchased Alaska back in 1857,
for the fines and forfeitures turned over by
the court to the United States Treasury aver
age in recent years 100000 annually.
When his honor Judge Gus A. Schuldt was
first inducted into Office June 2l 1928, the
writer was one of those well wiSherS who
attended the ceremony. Some days later he
received letter from his esteemed friend.
saying: Come to see me socially but not off,
cially" and, obeyng this judicial Injunction
the writer did not call until few days ago.
when he was preparing this story, for he did
want to see just how things were done since
he practiced briefly in the old church building
more than 81 years ago.
And it makes quite a difference. too, whether
YOU call Officially" socially" for upon
this occasion a seat was rendered him in the
'East'-or perhaps more strictly speaking, on
the bench"-which, of course, was gladly occu-
pied after which. due to the courtesy of the
presiding Judge the writer was shown over the
entire building, introduced to the several judges
and given an insight into the way the court
business Is transacted
In his rounds of the building three things
particularly attracted his attention: The made
quacy of the building-from top to bottom
the marvellous record system and the forced
inhuman way in which the prisoners are
crowded into the cells awaiting trial and maybe
transportation to some penal institution.
THIS building could certainly have been de-
| signed and constructed to give better re-
suits than are obtained today, even admitting
that the work of the court has increased over
whelmingly since the building was first erected.
The stairways are noticeabiy deficient and
apparently only suitable for a siX-roOm dwell
ing. OF course, the judges are not to blame
for this, since upon many occasions they have
pleaded for better quarters.
To the man who likes to keep Ms house in
order the record and file system here is equal
to the best, If not better than anywhere else.
1T would take too much space to describe the