Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-05-01
Municipal Court.

There will be found in our advertising
columns a warning for the annual meet
ing of the village of Rutland, the sixth
article of which is ''to see what action
the village will take in relation to an
act of the General Assembly of Yer
mont, approved Nov. 90, 1872, entitled,
AN act to establish Municipal Court in
and for the village of Rutland. We
have felt that the establishment of this
court required the favorable considera-
ton of the inhabitants of this village,
and though we have on two former oc-
casions expressed this conviction at
large, we again call attention to it that
no one may omit consideration of the
question through forgetfulness of it.
The manifest advantages to be de-
rived from this court must be apparent
to any one who will reflect for a mo-
ment upon it. 1t will greatly facilitate
the collection of debts; it will shorten
and cheaper the administration of jus
tice; it will relieve the County Court of
large number of small cases that en-
cumber it's calendars and occupy its
time; it will put into permanent form
the records of important suits, that are
now loosely lying in pigeon holes and
baskets around the offices of lawyers
and justices of the peace. 1t will re-
lieve the State of large expenses in keep
To- IN, 5oI
court convenes in which they can plead
guilty to the charges against them or be
tried. 1t provides summary jursdic-
ton for the abatement and removal of
nuisances in the village. These, with
many other considerations of equal
merit, commend this court to the favor
able action of the village meeting.
In most attempts at improvement in
local government, we have to settle the
question of the utility of proposed re-
forms in view of an increased expense,
but in this instance the establishment of
this court will cost nothing to suitors or
the village, as by the law referred to all
costs are to be taxed and allowed the
same as in suits or prosecutions before
justices of the peace, and while the
suitors pay no additional costs the cor
poration pays nothing, as the salary of
the judge, three hundred dollars, is pay
able by the State Treasurer, and it will
be the best investment the State ever
made, as it must inevitably relieve each
term of the County Court to an extent
that the expenses would exceed the
judges salary for an entire year, anG
must be double saving as a jail deliv-
cry, under the eighth section of the act.
We conceive that the village, if the
voters fully understand the effect and
bearing of this vote, will establish this
court by nearly unanimous vote. Our
is now in the midst of an
as n sutton in court. that
amply illustrates the advantages which
suitors would derive from the court in
question. We refer to the case recently
decided in the County Court, of Village
of Rutland as. Jacob Edgerton. This |
suit involves the right of the water com
missioners to make an additional charge
of five dollars to families using water
from the aqueduct, where they have a
water closet, and the premises occupied |
ire entitled to the rights of a post under
The old aqueduct company. The case
was thoroughly tried before Justice of
The Peace, witha decision for the village.
The defendant appealed and another
full trial was had in the County Court.
md judgement was given for the de-
from which an exception was
AIKEN by the village, and the cause goes
o the Supreme Court for final adiudica-
ion. There is no disputed question of
act in the case, and the whole litiga-
ion arises upon question of law. Now
t the Municipal Court had been in oper-
tion the suit would have been in
tituted in that court, and upon a trial
4 the same length and expense as the
ne had before the Justice. the case
you'd have gone on the same exception