Jews of Brooklyn


History of Flatbush, continued


and was of much larger dimensions. It was of two stories, and planned in general after the model of the old one. This plan was drawn by Mr. James Robinson, and is called in the minutes of the Board of Supervisors "the wooden plan," from the fact probably that the erection was to be a frame building. John Vanderbilt, Johannes E. Lott and Charles Doughty, Esqs., were first appointed the Commissioners to superintend the building of this court-house and jail. Mr. Vanderbilt having resigned the appointment, Rutgert Van Brunt, was afterwards commissioned in his place. The old building was then sold at public auction. It was purchased by Michael Van Cleef, for the sum of seventy-one pounds. The timber was afterwards bought by the Rev. Martinus Schoonmaker, and used in building the house lately occupied by his son, Stephen Schoonmaker. The court-house and jail was completed in the year 1793. It was a very respectable looking frame building, surmounted by a small cupola. The jail, however, was not very secure; several escapes were made from it, although it was often repaired and strengthened. On the 30th of November, 1832, it took fire from some unknown cause, and was burnt to the ground, and from that time Flatbush ceased to be the county town, and the courts and all judicial business, were removed to Brooklyn.

The ancient government of the town of Flatbush was similar to that of all the towns under the administration of the Dutch authority. In the infancy of the settlements, the Governor appointed magistrates in the several villages, with more or less power, as he judged proper. Usually these public officers were a scout or constable, a clerk and an assessor, all of which, were appointed by the Governor. The duties of these officers consisted in preserving the peace, and regulating the police of the town. They appear also to have had power to give judgment in some cases of judicial proceedings. In consequence of a deficiency in the records of the town, we are not able to give the names of those who held these offices during the dynasty of New-Netherlands. After the surrender of the colony to the English, in 1664, and the adoption of the Dukes Laws, some alterations were made in the number and character of the town officers. It was then ordered, that in addition to a clerk, each town should elect one constable and eight overseers. The duties of the constable were laid down with great particularity. They were to hold town courts, with the overseers, and with them to make assessments, &c. to whip or punish offenders, raise the hue and cry after murderers, manslayers, thieves, robbers, burglars: and also apprehend without warrant, such as were overtaken with drink, swearing, sabbath-breaking, vagrant persons, or night walkers, "provided they be taken in the manner, either by the sighte of the constable, or by present informacon from others; as alsoe to make searche for all such persons, either on ye sabbath daye, or other, when there shall bee occation, in all houses licensed to sell beere or wine, or any other suspected or disordered places, and these to apprehend and keepe in safe custody, till opportunity serves, to bring them before the next justice of ye peace, for further examinacon." The constable was chosen out of the number of overseers, whose term of service had expired.

The list of the constables will be given subsequently.

The overseers were appointed in the following manner, according to the provisions of the Dukes Laws. "Overseers shall be eight in number, men of good fame and life, chosen by the plurality of voiyes of the freeholders in




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