In New York City during the 1790s, certain criminal and municipal offenses were quickly adjudicated at City Hall by one or two aldermen acting in their capacity as justices of the peace, meeting in a room that came to be known as the Police...
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In New York City during the 1790s, certain criminal and municipal offenses were quickly adjudicated at City Hall by one or two aldermen acting in their capacity as justices of the peace, meeting in a room that came to be known as the Police Office. The collection of New York City Court of Aldermen records, 1795-1798, consists of two consecutive volumes dated 1795 December 18-1796 August 12, and 1796 August 15-1797 March 22, recording proceedings before "a Court of Aldermen held at the Police Office at the City Hall in the City of New York." Laid in at the end of the second volume is a similar record, an abstract of cases before Alderman Richard Furman at the Police Office, dated 1797 November 20-1798 March 1 (15 pages in a sewn gathering). The records are rough minutes, in journal form, of cases held in court each day. Charges cover a broad range of offenses under state and municipal law. Ship desertion by mariners, bastardy cases, and aspects of poor law administration were included in the justices' jurisdiction.
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