Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-08-11


!Soms Prisoners wAo scere Fised, sih tia Al,erna-
tire # The BorfsOuss-T1ey are on he Records
as Herring Been Seat to the Workh0use, but
Didn't Arrive There-T They Paid tAs
FiReS, Ae Fat IS Not Entered on
TIE BoOks-Whyis TAis TRssf
Alleged Difference Bet,ceen Costs Paid a.d Co,ts
Accounted For-A-e the ITEMS % Carriqc, Hirs''
and :" Lager Beer" Costs If the COuTt(-H
Not, WY ave- hey Charged as SHehs-
Cupid N the Police CeLs-Wkat
Judge Moore Meier Sav.
Some time since, Mr.. Boswell, of the House
OF Delegates OF the Legislative Assembly, called
attention in that body TO alleged abuses in the
ment Of special cOmmittee-MesSrs- Boswell,
Burgess, Moore, Mcknight, and Hsll-to inves-
uSate the matter.
They have been examining witnesses for some
seeks past, and il is understood that their report
will be submitted to the House of Delegates this
afternoon The conclusions arrived at by the
committee have not transpired, bot from a re-
vised copy Of the testimony, which covers a
below.
Accompanying the testimony Is a sssst of
names and amount of fines Of prisoners eEtered
on the records OF the Police Court as having
been sent to the wOrkhOuse, but who were not
received at that institution, from July 18th,
1870, 70 June oath, ISL" The fines range from
81 70 SO. and amount 20 $50; securities s2OO
money?
THE FIRST WITNESS.
Justice Charles Walter was the first witness
He testified as TO his manner of conducting
business while he was police magistrate and as
20 the amount and disposition of the fines i'm
posed, and thought the new system not so good
as the old one. Had heard of cases being COM
promised in the Police Court but did NOT re.
member the names OF parties.
SENTENCED TO THE woRKHeUsE, But DIDN'T
GET THERE-wHo GOT TIE FINES?
Lieutenant John F. Kelley, OF the Seventh
fad hat
Saturday, after the adjournment of the court,
have to remain in the station-hOuses until
Monday morning, in many cases without food,
unless they are fortunate enough to have
friends He had often had six or seven in the
statiOn-h0use all day SUNDAY. When prisoners
are taken from the ststi0n-Rouses in the "Black
Mara they are conveyed to the Police Court
and placed in the cells, and remain there until
the court meets, when they are taken upstairs
by the bailfs. Here is where the connection of
police officers with prisoners ceases. When
ponce magistrates were in Office the police Off
GERS were furnished with the disposition of cases
Immediately after trial; such Is not now the
case, as the officer IL generally compelled to get
me disposition of cases from the docket. Some
times as many as six of his officers were in
court waiting the trial of their cases, their
beats in the meantime being unprotected
arrests and have not informed the Superinten-
dent OF Police. Knew of a number of cases in
which parties were arrested, dismissed on col
lateral, and Afterwards appeared at the court.
IL was customary 10 take collateral On Nav
14th last, nve parties were arrested for unlawful
assembly; one OF them left IS collateral the
Others remained all night in the station house.
he sent the 50 20 the court next morning by an
officer who turned it over to the marshal. The
party stood trial, forfeited the IS in payment of
has hne. The other four were tried, and fined IS
how he could get one of the boys out; went to
see the marshal, and as he was busy, looked over
the docket himself, and saw that four of the five
cases were entered as 90 sent to the workhouse"
a fin hahn
one so entered He thought at the time there
was something wrong, and told the marshal he
did not wish TO enter that disposition on
his books. The marshal made no replv-
hree days after he examined the books again
which still showed the same entry. Supposes
the doekets are kept by the clerk. This partic-
satisfy himself he went to Thomas Young, who
takes the prisoners to the workhOuse, and ascer-
tanned from him that one OF the prisoners had
been sent down. subsequently saw all the other
parties, and IL satisfied that none of them were
sent to the workhouse. The erroneous entry in
this one case would show difference OF sl5 in
favor Of the marshal in his accounts or s1s,
including seyenty-fve cents each for conveyance
10 the WOrkhOuSe- Under the old system the
police officers could attend to their cases and get
on early; now they are compelled TO wait half
or three-quarters OF day. Another bad feature
l. that when the court has only a small amount
Of business IL adjOurns as early as IL a. m. when
wants a warrant they must 20 to a magistrate
and pay for IL or 90 without In his opinion the
establishment Of the Police Court had not d.
minished crime.
WHAT HAPPENED TO MR. MILLER BECAUSE HE
WOULDN'T DIVIDE.
n. III. Miller testified as to the practice under
the Old system Of magistrates and the present
one, the Police Court. He, like Justice Walter
thought the latter system compared unfayorabIy
with the former. He Is now a practicing attor-
ney. He testified that there is not a very favor
able opinion among lawyers in regard to the
officers OF the Police Court, and 70 say the least
business Is conducted IN a very extraordinary
manner. He could only account for his business
falling of in the Police Court because he would
not divide fees with the employees of that court
Such suggestion was 1rst made to him by Mr.
Ihom mas, and afterwards by Mr.. Henry Lacy,
bailln- They said they had opportunities of re-
commencing him for cases, and expected him IN
divide. lie defended two Cases and feeling ag-
gr1eved at the decision of the court offered an
appeal His client went with his security To file
an appeal bond, and he (vitness) had been in
formed by said client that the Judge RENTED
one OF the fines, stating that the next time he
had case there he had better come without
lawyer and he would do better by him.
PAID so TO HAVE HER NAME KEPT FROM THE
REPORTERS
Miss Lizzie Peterson testified that she was
arrested for keeping bawdy house in February
last; that she accompanied Marshal Thomas and
Mr.. Frazier TO the police court at one O'Clock in
the morning, and paid Frazier SO at his request
on his promise To keep the fact Of the arrest out
OF the papers
Mr. BOSWELL CALLS ATTENTION To- Dis
CREPASCY OF S325.
OF lines and costs collected for the quarter ending
March 81, ISL, as returned by the Marshal TO
The Auditor OF the Corporation in settlement OF
his account, in which John Bell Is reported
% fined SO, 10 COSTS Mr.. Boswell put in evil
dence his cancelled check given in payment of
the penalty in that case, which reads as follows:
No 10 WASHINGTON, ID. c., Feb. "a, IS7I
Washington City Savings Bank paw 10 a. C.
Thomas, or order, for costs in case OF John Bell.
>iS.zo. +. A. BOSWELL.
The check Is endorsed by G. G. Thomas. ana
pay ment Of the same was made to G. G. Thomas,
the endOrser.
WHEN WAS THIS DEDUCTION OF 80 MADE?
Marshal W. -. Thomas testified that in manv
eases arrests are made by police officers, and
sgmmOnses served BY them, in which cases he
(1homas) always charged the same fee as IL he
or the ofhcers OF the court served them. Wit
ness was asked the question: "Now let me call
Your attention 70 case No. 20, of the United
States against .. g. Columbus, in this bill of
yours where serying abench warrant Is charged
SlOT' 20 which he answered, ssI served that
warrant myself; IL Is not an intentional charge
ct was subsequently discovered that A rednc-
ton OF 50 for this over charge had been made AZ
the foot OF the accOunt)
$50 AND so.
Jennie Howard testified that she was brought
before the court and fined 800. Size paid $50
cash, and got thirty DAYS time for the remainder:
AZ the end OF which time IL was paid 20 Marshal
Thomas, as his receipt for the same will show
JUDGE MOORE AsToSIsHED.