New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-05-11
No. remaining May $, 1860.
MAGISTRATES AND POLICE COMMITS
SIONERS.

The recent order issued by President Bowen of the
Board OF Police Commissioner acting in the capacity
of General Superintendent to the Captains OF Police
pointing out the uses for which the station-houses
under their respective commands were designed, and
prohibiting them from allowing police magistrates TO
hold court in said houses has created considerable dis
affection among the police Justices and they have
undertaken in rather singular way to reaiate upon
the Commissioner For many years previous TO the
issue of said order upon the arrest Of any drunken
rowdy obstreperous shouder-htter or brawling poll
tican during the night time, his friends would HE
Instantly to the residence of police magistrate and
induce him 10 hasten to the relief of the prisoner
For many years past thousands of worthless vaga-
bonds have been screened from justice by the very
men in whose hands the Furnishing power was placed
and set at fun liberty only to defy the police who ar
rested Them and 10 maltrea those who urged the COM
plant In order to remedy the evil and to protect the
police in the performance of their duties as well as to
carry out the purposes for which the StationHouses
were designed, Mr.. Bowen issued the order above
referred TO.
Within day or two thereafter an officer OF the
Eighth Ward lin accordance with the law, which re-
quires the police take forthwith all persons arrested
to the nearest Police Court conveyed an intoxicated
man to the Jefferson Market Police Court. No magis-
trae CHANGED to be present. it being about II O'Clock IN
The Clerk asked the name of the prisoner The officer
said the man was too drunk TO give his name, upon
which the other informed him that he would have TO
convey the accused to the Saton-HOuse there to re-
main until sober. The officer, finding argument
less returned with his prisoner TO the SationHouse
Similar cases have occurred at the Lower Police Court
the MAGISTRATES directing the officers convey their
prisoners to the sation-house and keep them there
until they were sober, when they would be examined
An officer of the First Ward, who, with the greatest
difficulty. had conveyed drunken man from the lower
mari of the city to the Tombs directed to take the
man 10 the Sixth Ward ton-House, and lock him
M there until be got sober and then appear with him
for examination Heretofore, in cases OF drunken
men, unable to give their names, and they were very
common the Magistrates have granted temporary
commitments upon the affidavit Of the officer, and
toward the close Of Court hours disposed Of twenty
or thirty such cases at time the prisoners having
meantime slept off the effects of the liquor IN the PRISON
CELLS The Magistrates claim that they have right to
make such disposition Of their prisoners as has been
mentioned in accordance with law Of 1857 but 1t IS
rather singular that they before put the law In
execution. Taking all things into constipation, 1t Is
evident that the magistrates instead Of protecting the
police as is their bounden duty, are seeking
TO throw every obstacle in their way, ana
this recent action their part is in consequence oil the
order issued by General Superintendent Bowen, pro-
hbting them from making public convenience OF the
S,ation-Houses to discharge ad bitum the ruians Of
Our city when they unfortunate enough to be ar
rested
A day or two ago the cells of the Sixth Ward Sta
ton-House contained twenty cases Of ntoxication
which the Magistrates refused to have anything TO 40
with until the prisoners were sober. Other Station
Houses have been equally crowded and the patroInen
are half broken down by Juggling drunken men to and
fro at the pleasure Of the Police Magistrates.