Noted criminal trials—Catering to depraved tastes—Some great trials—Legal loopholes—Beating the case—Many trials a farce—Swift justice for criminals—Homicide trials—Lax condition of courts—Greasing the machinery of the law—Crooks at the bar of justice—Noted criminal lawyers—Strange sentences—Examples. CHAPTER XXIV. CRIMINAL BRANCH OF THE SUPREME COURT Page 202 The new Constitution—Abolition of the Oyer and Terminer—An exclusively criminal court—The highest Court in the State—Criminal branch of the Supreme Court in session nine months—Cases of great public importance—Narrow margin between civil and criminal law—Dead sympathies—Variety of thinking—Merging the General Sessions. CHAPTER XXV SHARKS AND SHYSTERS OF OUR CRIMINAL Page 206 COURTS Fallen on evil days—Robbing clients—Examples—Steerers and policemen—The City and District prisons—Grafting around Courts. CHAPTER XXVI. SCENES IN OUR POLICE COURTS Page 213 The sorting Criminal Bureau—How crooks are gathered in the pens—The Magistrates’ Court—The shyster and ward heeler—The power of a pull—Examples—Mike Maguire—The drunks—Sunday morning at the Tombs Court—Small justice—Good Judges. CHAPTER XXVII. CROOKED CROOKS IN PRISONS Page 219 Crime Committed in Penal Institutions Brilliant men in prison—Bold crooks—Dr. Robertson’s experience with crooks—Shep of New York—A big undertaking—His success—Counterfeiters in Auburn—Big discovery—Sent to Clinton Prison. CHAPTER XXVIII SCENES DURING VISITING HOURS IN THE Page 226 TOMBS A polyglot assembly—Many nationalities—Pathetic scenes—The guilty son—The young woman—Mothers kneeling—The newsboy—Murderers’ Row—Negroes—Italians—Germans—The prisoner’s plaint. CHAPTER XXIX. DOES IMPRISONMENT REFORM? Page 236 A hard question—Changing character—Cure for crime—Brooding over the past—Born crooks—Lines of circumvallation—Efforts made to reform—Evolution of prison reform—Needed reforms to-day—The greatest barrier. CHAPTER XXX. STRONG DRINK AND CRIME Page 243