CHATELET, shat-la', was anciently a small château or fortress, and the officer who commanded it was called chatelain. The word is a diminutive of château, formed from castel Ism, a diminutive of or from caste!. latum, a diminutive of castellum, castle. The term, in later times, has been applied to certain courts of justice, established in several cities in France. The Grand Chatelet, in Paris, was the place where the presidial or ordinary court of justice of the prey& of Paris was kept, consisting of a presidial, a civil cham ber, a criminal chamber and a chamber of police. The term signified the same at Montpellier, Orleans, etc. When Paris was confined to the limits of the old city (cite), it could be entered only by two bridges (Le Petit Pont and Le Pont au Change), each of which was fortified with two towers — a smaller one in the wall, facing the city, and a larger one before the bridge, toward the country. These two exterior turrets were the Grand and Petit Chatelet. The tradition that the Grand Chatelet was built by Julius Caesar, though adopted by some, is not well supported; but it is certain that the great tower was standing as early as the siege of the -city by the Normans (885). The Grand Chitelet was the castle of the Counts of Paris, and therefore the seat of all the royal courts of justice within the city and county, and also of the feudal court. The city had no proper jurisdiction whatever; its bailiff or pro vost (privot) was appointed by the king, and was president of the court (though only nomi nally, because he had no voice in the judgments), and, by virtue of his office, leader of the nobil ity. The office of provost of the merchants (prevot des marchands; in other cities moire), established before the former, and afterward united with it for a time, was finally separated from it in 1388. The business of the Chitelet
was transacted by the deputies of the bailiff (lieutenants), of whom there were five, three for civil causes, one chief judge of criminal cases, and a lieutenant-general of police (lieutenant-general de la police). The latter, indeed, was Minister of Police for the whole kingdom, and the extent of his functions and power, particularly after the new arrangement made by the celebrated d'Argenson under Louis XIV, rendered him one of the most important officers of the state. In the Chitelet, however, he held only the fourth place. The whole court of justice was composed of 57 counsellors, with 13 state attorneys and a multitude of subal terns, as 63 secretaries or greffiers, 113 notaries, 235 attorneys, etc. All these offices were sold. The place of the first officer of the civil cham ber was rated at 500,000 livres; that of a notary at 40,000 livres. The Chatelet was first in rank after the Supreme Courts (tours souveraines).
Hobart C., American author: h. Chicago, 24 March 1865. He was graduated at Cornell University in 1886. In 1888-90 he was editor of America, was consul of Spain at Chicago in 1892-94, and became a member of several honorary societies of Spain, France, Italy and Portugal. He has written 'With Edged Tools' (1891) ; 'An American Peeress' (1893) ; Two Women and a Fool' (1895) ; 'The Land of the Castanet' (1896) ; 'The Vice of Fools' (1898) ; 'The Idle Born' (1900) ; 'The Crimson (1902) ; (Moliere; a Biography' (1906); 'Fame's Pathway' (1909) ; 'Goldoni; a Biog raphy' (1913) and contributions to various magazines and periodicals.