National Republican., 1873-09-17
JUSTICES LITERATURE.
EXAMINATION OF WARRANTS IN COURT.

How Warrants are Obtained-ybntT They
Cost md what They are Good For
Some Excellent Specimens Of the same.
Having received several Communications since
the investigation commenced by the Long COM
mlttce relative TO the ability OF some OF our Jus
tlces OF the peace to 80 oil In the blank form OF
a warrant that It would ''hold waterr at the
Police Court, an aitdehe Of THE REPUBLICAN was
detailed to look Into the matter and inspect some
OF those warrants, Appearing at the courtroom
he was oourteousy received by the acting judgr,
l.. q. Dawson, esq, who expressed himself de-
lighted TO do anything In his power consistent
with his position, to serve THE REPUBLICAN or
lts numerous readers. He selected from the
various pigeon-holes containing the dismissal
cases, at random, the warrants. from which the
following charges were copied; 1913.
NO. 1.-JusrIcE y. W. FERGUSON.
June 90, 1873. "on oath Jarvis Robinson
charges Mrs. Havener with having committed
an assault on his person aud threatened to do
him bodily harm and cursed and abused him
using profanc and Indecent language which
could be heard on the public streets"
Upon this complaint the party was arrested
and held to appear before the Police Court on
warrant issued by Justice d. W. Ferguson.
T. win Be i 4 aSss ss:oss nSt ssnds sHSSy
there was no case, and the complaint was noiis
ESQ. .
NO. e-JusrIcK N, '. pucKKY.
July Is, lsI3-"On oath, las. LCarpery charges
Corieta Washington with having, on the 22d day
Of July, 1sTs within the county and District afore
Reid, using Improper language toward her and
making threats Of arrest, Sc. On which arrest
was ordered by Justice NJ. V. Buckley" Noi's
| NO. s-JusrIcK o. 3. D. WALL. %,
| June 90, lsIs-''on oath Of J. IL. smith, who
charges one William I. saunders with havins,on
aforesaid, assaulted In street car, with fist and
| right arm drawn, and threatened TO strike and
| beat complainant; the said William T. Saunders
| also behaved In very disor,ierly manner, using
profane and indecent language, TO the annoy ance
Of passengers 10 the said street car"
May 4, ls,s-"on oath, William Brown charges
within the county and Dbl rvsforcsaid, forciDiy
kept possession OF and dh malciously break.
key Of the complainantto to the great annoy ance OF
the said complainant and his family, and In vio-
iation Of act Of Congress- &c. 500
July 81, 1sI9-"0n oath, George Washington
charges John Bell and one Clark with having on
The 9th day OF july, 1873, within tho county and
District aforesaid, assaulted and threatened with
nsts aud dirk-knife Complainant with profane
language and otherwise behaved very dsor.
dery."
Oh each Of the complaints Justice wan issued
q warrant holding the party 10 appear At the
Police Court the next morning to answer, AMI
all were dismissed for imperfectlons.
NO. 4 JUSTICE SIMON JOSEPH.
| July 9, 1sT9-"osth: That one Mary Fleming
trict OF Columbia, then aud there throw at ant
upon him the contents OF pail flled with water
body" r..- H...-f..
Complaint In warrant accompanying the In
July s, isIs-aoa,h Of Patrick sllnay CHARGE
one Mary Fleming did, on the sth day OF July, II
the District OF Columbia, then and there commit
an assault and battery on the body Of PAtricl
Arrested and held for court. and then nsii
. prosecuted.
NO. Q, JUSTICE A. u. l.. KExsR.
Sept. 8, 1sI3-.Uath OF Col. George A. Arme
D charges James shields and Brown snowlen viii
/ having, on the u day of September, maliciousl
aud williully placing stones against the staol
door, AMI preventing the use thereof, and 70
: the purpose OF creating disturbance" a
Justice Reese issued two warrants on tn
Z same day based upon lhis complaint, neither 0
which would stand. Armes nrst called at tn
Police Court for warrant, and was refused be
q cause there was no case. lie then went to
d justice, where he could buy warrant for
dollar, case or no case, aud swore out two.
NO. Q, JEsKTE THOMAS, az,
June 10, isI3--"Upon oath, John Kelly charge
Joseph Baker with having on the 18th day Q
said, threatened to do the said John Kelly bodll
n injury, growing out OF the killing OF Reube
e Bakers dog BY order Of the Hon. Judge OF th
Party arrested and taken before tho court an
dismissed.
|, The above are commended 70 the attention Z
!. Mr.. Long and his committee.
Judge Dawson explained that It is the practlc
. In the Police Court where warrants arc issue
!, without any fee TO inquire into the merits OF th
y case, and II no real ground Is found TO exist fc
y criminal action q warrant Is refused. II
often the case that those refused threaten to z,
and do 90. TO Justice OF the peace aud get
Police Court from the justices Of the most laugl
able nature, being couched In the most illiterai
n and bungllng composition. They cost O dolls
n each, and are not worth the paper on whic
y they are written, except as matter Of yengefl
spite on the part OF the complainant.
Is Assistant District Attorney Charles 7. Clos
Ie Ic0urteously Informed the representative OF tn
REPUBLICAN that he had been some two years |
= charge OF the Police Court In that capacity.
i estimates that at least one-half OF the warrant
+ offences are nciis prosrquisd. Many others are d
~ missed. Probably not more tnan one-thlrd {
i. the whole hold good. They are usually Issue
!, because they are asked for on certain accusi
|, tlons, and dismissed or noe prosrquied becaus
! they are found to contain no case for the Go,
T. eminent. The result Is that many Of these pei
= sons arrested are locked up In the station-hous
over night upon no legal grounds whatever.
1t Ia the great evil OF the present practice ths
parties getting a plque or spite against eac
II epitnets toward each other, and perhaps a knocI
rs down, and then starr out on foot race for th
r nearest Justices once to get warrants. lie VIII
arrives frst tells his story, pays his dollar an
I takes his warrant. Putting this into the hand
"a OF q policeman his enemy Ia arrested and locke
~ up In the station-house to appear 10 court tn
:; next morning, unless be can get bail or depos
y collateral for his appearance. II sometimes ha
' pens that the two parties to feud hunt dinerei
Justices, and both secure warrants for each othe
y when both are locked IN.
/" The next morning, II they be laborlng mel
!, both are obliged to lose daJ's time to appear
"a the court, which, added to the cost OF the wa
II rants, spolls two days wages.
!. Mr.. Gloss mentioned the fact That magistrate
= sometimes appear In the Police Court and act
counsel. Instances have occurred where magl
|, trates appeared there rs counsel for the defent
a. In cases In which they had themselves issued q
. warrant. la O recent case OF this Kind the pr,
- siding Justice remarked that the counsel for q
defence was OF a different opinion when
Issued the warrant.
Mr.. Gloss might have said that the magistra,
had an eye to business. lie issued the warraI
10 to getcomplainants nrst dollar, aud pleaded q
h case to get the defendants last dollar. But
IA did not say this, nor did he mention the names
y these justices who arrest men for one fec whe
ie they know there is no case against them, al
then obtain another fee for getting the case di
10 missed or nois prosequied which they knew mu
q, Inevitably be lts fate anyhow