, 1872-11-03
NOTES FROM THE CRIMINAL COURT.
The Lax Administration Of JUS
tice in Chicago.


There is rule Of the Criminal Conrt which
requires all parties making application to bail
out prisoners to make schedule Of their real
and personal property. The record Of the
Criminal Court shows that Tip Farrell, we'll
known confidence man and pickpocket, was in
dcted last June for picking the pocket Of lady
who fully identified him. When he WAS put in
jail all sorts OF efforts were made to get him out
on straw bail: but the Court refused to release
him on the ground of the insufHciency Of the &C.
curity. When the case came up for trial, one
afternoon, before Judge Gary, Farrell produced
statement signed by Charles H. Reed, in which
he said he would be satisfied with Thomas II.
Thompson and Benjamin n. Mum as surities
for Farrell without making the usual statement
required by the rule Of the Court. The case
came up for trial three days afterwards, and Tip
failed to make his appearance. A scire fac1as
WIS Issued immediately, returnable at the Au-
gust term. It WAS not returned, and no steps
have been taken to collect the bail. The
eurities are reputed to be worthless. Mr.
Talcott, President Of the Board of Police, heard
OF the circumstance, and informed Mayor NE
dill of it, asserting that it was useless for the
police to arrest criminals if Charley Reed turned
them out as fast as arrested. Mayor Mediu
wrote Nr. Reed a letter in regard to releasing
prisoners on straw bail, and Mr. Reed replied
that the rule OF Court requiring schedule OF
| property was always complied with. The record
shows it ia not; Appended is the record in Far
son, June 8. 1872, pleaded not guilty; bail fixed
at S.. 900. June 15 1872, Benjamin II. Mum
and Thomns N. Thompson sureties in 81 600
from day to day. June IS, 1872, recognizance
| forfeited"
ster, . convicted counterfeter, as surety On
bail bonds without requiring him to make q
| statement of his property?
| Why has the case OF Abraham 8. Robinson,
indicted for larceny last December, been contin-
ued from time to time, and nov stands continued
| until the next term
The record shows that Elijah Spencer WAS ar
rested for demonstrating, and that Spencer was
taken before Judge Jameson, in December last,
on writ OF habeas corpus. The evidence was
bail, which he was unable to give. He was in
| dicted in January, and bail was taken on the
| 11th Of that month, his father giving
bonds for his appearance at the March
term. On the 18th Of March, an en-.
| try in the record shows that the case was
continued until the May term :" by agreement
| On the 17th of June another entry shows that i
| was continued s'by agreement" until the July
term. On the 10th Of July another entry showf
that it was continued 'by agreement" to tht
| September term. The case has been continuec
"by agreement" ever since.
The history OF the case Of - Jones, which hal
already been briefly alluded to in previonu1!
issue Of TEE TRIBUNE, is as follows: In 1868
? 69ed BY vi Judge McAlster st s266o i vas rep
tsa1D''u bad $1,000 in in CASH which b
WAS willing to deposit as security for hi
appearance, but the Judge refused to acce;p
less bail than $4,000. Subsequently, Jailo
arrested, signed bond for $4,000, and Jone
| WAS released from custody. The bail, however
was afterwards declared forfeited and the cas-
dismissed by the States Attorney.
Lett was indicted for four forgeries, and plead
ed guilty to the four indictments. Judge Gar
was determined to send him to the Penitentiary
and would have done SO had not Mr. Reed agree
to allow him to withdraw bis pleas OF guilty AM
enter the plea Of not guilty. He escaped pun
iahment BY SO doing, but has since been sent t
Joliet for committing two other forgeries.
Tim Fuller and Dick Rainforth, who at
tempted to defraud the Knickerbocker Lii
Insurance Company out OF $l5, ooo ~ proyn
! that Ranforth Was dead, have been indicted fv
times since the fire for conspiracy. They hav
not been prosecuted!
George Hoyt WAS arrested in May last for tn
larceny Of horse. Samuel Hoyt, lis father
had money but no real eBtate,, and, after an at
tempt to secure Georges release on straw bal
had failed, deposited $500 with Mr. Reed as col
lateral security for the appearance Of his son
answer the charge OF .'driving away q horse,
as appears by the following receipt:
RECEIVED, May 81, 1872, Of Samuel Hoyt, Esq,, av
the appearance Of George Hoyt before the Grimm,
Court Of Cook County, to to the charge Of un
lawfully driving away horse In case said Georg
Hoyt appea1s and answers to the said charge, the
said money is to be returned to said Samuel Hoy
Signed. CHARLES REED, statea Attorney.
The case has been continued from term t
term-from June to July, July to September
| | September to October, and from October unit
the next term.
On the 4th of May, 1879, several indictment
} against Aldermen were dismissed. The State
, Attorney was particularly anxious that the re
porters Of the newspapers should be present an
> give the public his reasons for dismissing til
Indictments. No reason was given for dismiss
ing the Indictment against Alderman ]. J. III
Grath, now candidate for State Senator, for tal
, ing bribe from Dr. Dyer, but the record ehoW