File:New York by sunlight and gaslight - a work descriptive of the great American metropolis; its high and low life; its splendors and miseries; its virtu (1882) (14799946103).jpg

Identifier: newyorkbysunligh00mcca_1 (find matches)
Title: New York by sunlight and gaslight : a work descriptive of the great American metropolis ; its high and low life; its splendors and miseries; its virtu
Year: 1882 (1880s)
Authors: McCabe, James D., 1842-1883.
Subjects:
Publisher: New York : Union Publishing House
Contributing Library: Columbia University Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: The Durst Organization

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e a queer set who come before the Justice athis morning session. Some are old offenders and arewell known; a few are on trial for the first time. Theystarted out the night before to see the sights and havea good time, and now find themselves called to answerto the law for their conduct. Drunk and disorderly isthe charge against the majority of the prisoners. Someof the offenders are women, and others mere children,arrested for vagrancy or minor offences. The Justicehears each case as it is brought before him, disposesof it promptly, and either releases the prisoner with afine or a warning, sends him on for trial in a higherCourt, or commits him to the Tombs for ten days or toone of the institutions on Blackwells Island for alonger period. First offences are dealt with as leni-ently as the law will allow, but old offenders receivesevere punishments. Though a stern foe to vice andcrime, the Justice is disposed to be as lenient as pos-sible with those who are unfortunate, and often sends
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i THE COURT OF SPECIAL SESSIONS. 417 a prisoner away with sound good advice, when the un-fortunate has expected a harsh sentence. It is impos-sible for a criminal to deceive him, and he sternly putsdown all attempts at sham innocence or mock peni-tence. During- the sessions of the Court, many personscome to him with complaints against other parties. Helistens to them patiently, and where their cases are notprovided for by the law, kindly advises them as to theproper course to pursue. By ten oclock the businessof the Court is generally over, and the Justice is offduty until the next morning. The Court of Special Sessions is held in the largeEgyptian hall on the right of the Centre street entranceto the Tombs. It is devoted entirely to criminalmatters, and here are tried the cases which are tooimportant to be settled by the Tombs or other PoliceCourts. Two judges constitute the Court, but itssessions are often presided over by a single judge.Prisoners are defended here by counsel, and a

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