The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-07-08
immigrant
Built Houses
in New York
Cottages Near Norman
dies Pier Still Tenanted;
History Related.
BY HELEN WORDEN
Time. special Writer


NEW YORK. July 8-JusIce
y John NJ Tiemey. official ref
cree for the state Supreme Court Of
View York. has cleared up a mystery
for me.
of and on. since the day I ex-
plored the neighborhoOd Of Pier 80,
where the Normaudie now anchors.
I've been attempting to trace back
tho history of The Civil wartime ,ot-
tage on 49th-st. The agent ard
tenants had little 10 tell. and even
tho oldest local inhabitant Was
vague as to the origin Of the quaint
wooden houses.
Then a letter came from Justice
Terncy.
The cottages were built by
German named Messler," he wrote,
who came 10 the United States in
l648. lived In one of those houses
from 1863 to 1866 with my parents.
As little boy my playground was
the Green Fields. meadow just
below the cottages which adjoined
the Hudson River Railroad tracks.
Ours was a delightful neighborhood
made up Of German and Irish fam
lies.
The row often has changed
hands since young John Tierney
nlaved on 49th-st Judge owen w.
Bohan. Of the Court Of General
Sessions. owns several OF these
houses. writes Justice Tierney. He
vas born in one Of them, but he
came years after my time"
Heard Noted Cases
IT. was John NJ Tierney justice
Of the Supreme Court at the time,
who divorced Geraldine Farrar
from Lou Tellegen and who handed
down decision of the famous
Gould heirs lawsuit. which had
been IN the courts for Il years.
This was the family dispute in
which the brothers and sisters OF
the late George Gould sued him for
an accounting in the handling OF
tho affairs of the Denver q Rio
Grande. the railroad the GOulds had
inherited from their father, Jay
Gould. More than 30 lawyers, in
Guiding Samuel Seabury and Will
liam Nelson Cromwell, we're IN
VOWED IN the squabble.
Georges co-trustees and his sis
ter. Mrs. Finley J. Shepard, and
some of his brothers contributed to
the reimbursement Of those of the
family who had lost their money
through his management. 1t was
said that Mrs Shepard gave mp
practically her entire accumulated
fortune toward the liquidation Of
the Judgment i'm that case.
The Judges political career dates
back to 1897. however, when he was
first elected for term Of 10 years
IN the Municipal Court of the City
OF New York. reelected at the emo
of Inns first term for another 10 years,
five of which he was president Of the
Board of Justices. and IN 1915 elect
cd to the Supreme Court. where he
remained until Dec. 81. 1929 At the
expiration of this term he was made
Official referee of the Supreme
Court
Reviews Full life
I've had FUN life" says the
uriSt I've been the guest of the
King and Queen Of England I've
visited Timothy Heajy, Governor
General Of the Irish Free State, and
its President COsCrave. I've called
on Lord Chief Justice Moore of
Northern ireland. and I've sat by
the freslde Of peasants. COmmunlng
with them over their JOYS and woes.
I've been entertained by President
Won Hlndeuburg of Germany and
President Masaryk Of CzeChOslo-
takia but more of these experiences
has dimmed my memories OF my
boyhood on the sidewalks of New
York"
The Justice remembers the April
dav IN 1865 when his father came
running into the little cottage on
w 4qth-st shouting. Abraham Lin
coin has been aSSaSSlnated!'
He also remembers his mother
ask his father What Is the price
of sold today?'
In the sixties" he said. the only
money We had was a Cartwheel cop
per penny. a 2-Cent copper piece
and a 3-ceut nickel piece. The rest
of the money was paper, IN de-
nominations Of : cents. 10 cents. %
cents. 50 cents. 81. s. and $40. Tbs
current price of gold determined
the purchasing power Of the paper
money.
In 1866 the Sth-av horse car
line. having been extended from
Il4th-st to ll9th-st. we moved to
Manhattanville." continued the
Justice. where We lived until 1859,
wnen We rented Is acres running
from Hath to 1l9th-st between
Bloomingdale-rd and the Hudson
River. It had the most beautiful
japanese maple trees. gorgeous
flowers and hedges Of lockwood. We
paid $50 a month for the place
For the last 81 years Justice
Tierney's home has been on Bed
ford Park -blvd Just of the Grand
Concourse. I am old-fashioneG
enough 10 want a house with a
lawn. flowers and a shade tree" he
SAYS. I enjoy thinking Of old New
York as I work IN my garden. Your
column on the little wooden cottages