The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-07-04

TIE MAYORS CouRr--we attended the Mayors Office
yesterday morning. and found very mixed and motley
thrung assembled therein: white black. blue and yell
low men, women, and children. Each either had some
complaint to make had thiher to to the
complaint of somebody else When his Honor arrived,
and undertook to his days duties he found
things in beautiful confusion His first duty to in
form the officers and Others that as he compelled
each morning attend the police station in order to hear
dispose of the of prisoners there confined he
would have make rule fixing the hour of ten O'Clock
each morning to commence his sessions at the City Hall
Several parties were called before him. but all matters
were involved in such nextrcable confusion, owing
to want Of knowledge on the part of officers and the
entire absence Of system in the conducon of business
that His Honor was forced to declare his inability to tran
sact business in that shape would DO Called and
before witness could be heard it would be found that
some Of the parties absent, that the officers
had not welascertained tine facts, and it would
have to be deferred. Another case would be called
with like results and then another and on till he at
last found he had some half dozen different matters on
hand at the SHINE me all of which cloudsd in so
much Doubt and mystery that he found himself utterly
unequal 10 the TASK OF arriving at the facts All this Of
course must be remsdied. System must be established
rules adopted the officers instructed in their duties and
order brought out OF choas generally There are in the
FIRST place. many persons crowding around the
desk These should be excluded beyond the railing and
whena Is Called the first thing be ascertainca ia,
whether the parties and witnesses are present TT an
should it be of arrest, the officer who made tho
ought to be called and give his statement of all tho
facts in clear and concise Other witpe,,es n
corroborate his statement, il any are necessary NAV
then testify after which the defendant or accused can
b,n forward his witnesses whom he should always have
nreseut using compulsory process, if necessary. 1t
might be that the defendant requires time to procure his
.,nessss in which event. tho Judge postpone his
IN some future day and furnish him with subpenas
for his witnesses. -
n i, all important that order and System should ruls
!, . .,so important that every officer of police
...I hou,d make himself thoroughly acquainted with
an the facts regarding any arrest he may Make the
names of the party and the locality OF the arrest and
have the marty present at whose instance the arrest was
made Every case should be finally disposed Of for the
day either by judgment posponsment before anotns'
il brought up This course and the exclusion Oh all par
tea except officers Of the court from the OAR WOMB W
away with much confusion place should be prepare
where the prisoners can kept separate from other par
tlos As the magistrate may probably have twenty cases
md hut few hours devote to them 1t is neces
,srv he should be very prompt in disposng Of trfins
in order that ho may have the more time to devote
to more important issues gentleman like Mayor Tabe
having large experience in isw and quick PeePa0AS