The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-05-30

selves, and for Higby McLaughain and
Peetz. The fees are enormous, and exceed.
ingly. oppressive, especially upon the class
Of, men Who are generally. arrested. Take
the case of Stodd and Allison: The fines
were 90 each, and the costs o. follows:
In Stodd's case, to Highly $500; to Curtis
and Condor So, to Mclaughlin so CENTS to
witnesses $3.50. Total $s, 80. That j. the
entry on Highly docket Peetz's bin, for
board, goes 10 the city council, to be paid
out of the peoples treasury
In Alhson's case, fees are entered on Hig.
by's docket ss follows Highly - Curtis
and Condor 81, Mclaughlin so cents. wit
nesses 81 Total $3.50.
Take few other cases, which we looked
at yesterday, on his docket: ASA
May 2ad R. Golmere, fine 50, Higby's fees,
$3,35, arrest SO cents, Mclaughlin Sl,oo,
witness so cents, total cost 1896.
May 2s, John Gladstone, fine 50, Highly 8
fees ss, Mclaughlin $3.50. As kk.3E
May 81, Daniel Haney, fine So, Higby's
fees 50, Mclaughlin 81, conveying to jail
so cents. Underneath this entry is written,
enc money ; sent to jail for days.
After this man was ordered to jail, Nc
Laughlin and Condor started out with him,
and. outside the door, Mclaughlin asked
him if he hadn't two dollars in money. be
said he had Mclaughlin demanded the
money. He refused to give itup, when Nc,
Laughlin ordered Condor to take him to
jail, and search him, and get this two doh
liars. Condor obeyed the order, and came
back grinning, into court, saying, Il get 1t,
and handed in the money. This monei is
not credited on the docket, and the man Is
serving out his eight days. What became OF
the money? Is the city to get no credit for
it? Is the man to be robbed of it, and re-
CURED to work out the eight days?
We are told that other police magistrates
have only charged S2,25 fees for themselves
in such cases-but Highly sticks itto the poor
fellows from S. to 81 each Add tothis 81
each for Curtis and Condor, so cents to Nc
Lsughlin on every case,no matter whether he
is present or not,and witness fees besides and
the poor people who get in the way of Curtis
and Condor fare pretty hard. 1t seems to Vi
that some ofthese fees are "extortionate," and
Illegal sort of system of robbery for the
benefit of radical ofice-holders. Curtis and
Condor seem to think it is their especial bu
siness to watch around town for every man
who has drank glass of beer, or who is Out
late, and go for him. We are told that
they even went so far as to attempt TO arrest
a German who vas employed as night watch
man on a lot of lumber on the levee and al
SO attempted to arrest Engineer Isaac Boil
man, on his way home from his work on the
ferry boat And they have threatened that
''if they could only get half a chance, they
would go for certain other people. Now, We
submit, to Mayor Murdoch, whether this: i:
the business for which they were employed
For night police to arrest people who, OF
complaint, are disturbing the public anc
also to require strangers who are strolline
about under suspicious circumstances, a
very late hours, to give an account Of them
selves, is al right. But they had better no
make any threats as to what they'll do, 81
they get half chance" They are not al
thorized to act on such "chances," and ma,
get into trouble if they continue the practice
They acted on one Of these "halfchances,
the other day, when they arrested the yount
man spoken of in Mr.. c. Atkinson's letter
and they found, when they got him int
court that he was soberer than either tn
court, or marshal generally are. The young
man showed by his conversation and his &C
ton that he was sober, and had committe
no offence. But they had got him up, ant
must have some fees, right or wrong. S
they fined him SO, and costs $5,50li Tn
people who were present hung their head
in very shame at the official outrage upoI
| this young man shame that their own cit
must be so degraded by radical officials, i
order to line their pockets with ill-gotter
| fees.
1t is high time for Mayor Murdoch to pu
a stop to Curtis and Condon's practice c
acting on ''half-chances" also to lear
what has become of Haneys two dollars
and also to see if his police authorities ar
not gobbling Illegal fees. Mayor Murdocl
is just the man to do this thing thorough,
he undertakes it-and he will neglect hi
| duty if he don't do it.
|
| Communicated