The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-04-03

Stty-Ihe
of Drunkenness.
Court of Quarter SessionS-Jttdge Parson.
In opening the April term of the court this
morning. his Honor Judge Paxson appointed
Henry A. Styles, Esq, foreman of the Grand
Jury, and then proceeded to deliver lengthy
and instructive charge.
After referring to the administration of JUS
tice in a great city like Philadelphia, and the
true objects of punishment, Judge Paxson said:
SIN looking back over the statistics OF the past
year. glad be able to that there Is nothing
to indicate any increase of crime in this community.
On the contrary, the indications are reasonably
thereof. it is, Of course, unsafe to draw
general deductions from the statistics of single
year: ut a comparison Of the commitments to the
County. Prison for the year 1870 with the commit
ments for several preceding years exhibits gratify-
ing result. learn from the twenty-fourth annual
report OF the inspectors OF the Philadelphia County
Prison, recently published that the total number Of
commtments me to that ms institution for the year 1879
ceding years was as follows:-
IN loo9 1896
In lS6S. "17620
IN looI ...lSolo
While in 1850 the wear preceding The war the nnm
her was 90 SOL Taking into view the large increase
OF population since 1850, this marked decrease is
significant and 1t is earnestly to be hoped is an ndi-
cation OF permanent check in the progress Of
HFrom the able and interesting report referred to-
extract the further facts that, out OF the above
stated number OF commitments for the past year,
1888 were for intoxicaton and that of the entire
traceabe to intemperance. This is a startl ing
fact, and one which should be brought to the know
% 9ve e The Ds sanse S out OF
drunkenness itself, aside from the crimes which
it is the active cause, has become very great evil
in this city. 1t is so common that many persons
have ceased to regard it as violation Of law I;
has been an offense for very long period By the
third section Of the act Of 22d Of April, 1874, it is
ReTse by the drinking Of spuous
vinous, or other strong liquors, and shall be con-
victed thereof he or she shall forfeit and pay the
sum OF sixty-seven cents for every such ofense;
If such person shall refuse neglect 10 satisfy the
said forfeiture, or goods and chattels cannot be
she shall be committed to the House OF Correction of
the proper county, not exceeding twenty-four
hours.
'This it will be observed, inncts penalty for pr
yate drunkenness. SO greatly does the law abhor
privacy OF a mans own house - '-0
"Public drunkenness is also ofense, and is
more serious by reason of its evil example. the act
Of Assembly, 9lst of March, 1885, provides that ANY
person who shall be found intoxicated in any street,
highway public house. or public place shall be fined,
mayor, alderman or Justice OF the peace, not eX-
ceeding five dollars, to be levied, with the proper
cost upon the goods and chattes or the defendant.
"a subsequent act has reduced the fine to two
dollars, which Is certainly very moderate one for
ceedings, 1t will be seen are summary In their ma
ture and it is to be regretted in view OF the numOer
Of drunken men, boys, and even females to be seen
upon our streets, that the law upon this subject is
not more rgidly enforced. No man, however re-
spectacle his position In society, should be allowed
TO exhibit himself upon the streets OF this city in
state OF intoxcation without being arrested and
fined for such conduct For the respectable man
the excuse is less and the effect OF the evil example
the greater. The law recognizes no social dstinc-
tons 1t falls, as the dews OF heaven, alike upon the
poor and upon the rich.
"There are many other interesting facts stated in
the report referred to- among others, that 800 per-
sons were committed last year to the County Prison
for trial. OF this number, 1893 were discharged by
the committing magistrates, and 43l caaes were g-
nored by the Grand Jury. Thus it will be seen that
fXv0- m fna
were discharged without trial.
'This Is a fact suggestive of great hardship and
oppression. vast number OF these cases ought
never to have been commenced, and it is not too
much 10 say that very many OF them were not only
OF the most petty character, but would never have
been returned under different system OF police
nagisuacy."
Judge Paxson then dwelt upon the crowded
condition of the male convict department OF the
County Prison, and said the authorities ought
not to let another season pass without correcting
this evil. He urged also the enlargement OF
the insane department of the Almshouse, and
referred in closing to the endorsement of Gov
ernor Geary's discreet % exercise of the par
doniug power by the inspectors of the County
Prison.
ImpOrtant Patent Case-Parham VS.. Anne
rfcan ButtOnhOle Sewing Machine Conn
United States Circuit Court -Jud G HcKenaGn.
Judge McKennan delivered a very elahoIa g
opinion, deciding that the resssued and extended
letters patent of Charles Parham for sewing ma
chimes were valid: that the reissue letters patent
were for the same invention as that mentioned IN
his original patents that the invention as use
that il was well described and claimed; that b
claims were not for functions, but for devices, and
were valid; that the Wickersh ammachine and.tf {
Fisher W WickeTsham machine, were not perfected
inventions, and were not similar 10 Parham lnven-
tion that Ensweiler was not snownto De rror ~
date TO Pafham; that his invention was not the
same as Parham's and that he abandoned It.
The Court further decided that the respondent
| clearly infrinRed both claims OF rarnams patent
and decree that PaTham recover the pronts earned
by the defendants and the damages incurred 0y far
| ham, and that II be referred 10 Thomas N. wills
! as MASTER 10 estimate them, and that perpetua
Injunction issue restraining the defendants from
further use OF Parhame invention.
| Harding for plaintiff; Cuy.er and Collier 10
' daft