National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-08-06
PETTY MAGISTRATES.
POLICEMAN ANDERSON BACKS MoPFArT

sprrsue Did Fieari.h HIS Piast-- Justice
Clark Gives Davis a Roland for His
Oilver-Josh Parker = Csnss,sseur Of
the Fise Arts-A Question Of vcrscity
Between ifr. Norris and MaIer Luiiey-
A youps Lawyer Rises to Explain
IIasdseme Defcsce Of the Risins Bar.
Business before the "Lone" committee was
quite lively all day yesterday.
Lingan Anderson, q member OF the Metropoll-
Ian force on duty at Uniontown, was the frst
witness examined. lie stated that he accom-
panied Consiabes Gordon and sprague to Moi
fatts place, where they went to levy on the
skeleton wagon, at their own request, as they
said they were fearful they would have trouble;
saw sprague force open the bolted door and
draw and flourish his pistol: henni Moffstt call
sprague q coward" when he nourlshed his
pistol; did not see Mofrau have q swingictree or
painted stick In his hands as he approached the
Monatt was somewhat excited, but
used no opprobrous epithets as charged by
sprague. Did not see Mrs, Moiiait have any pts
ject TO the seizure Of the skeleton wagon as be-
ing worth $3.50, when the attachment was only
for 500, and ask them to take something else.
Heard sprsgne reply that he had plenty more
executions, aud ask Monsit where the paintings
were. Mofratt said they wer. locked up.
u Will he noticed that this Is pretty thorough
essential points.
Justice Clark appeared In the committee
room with his docket TO explain q charge that
d. Clark Of exorbitant and illegal costs and fees
charged upon case In which he had confessed
Judgment for %. 30, and suffered from an attach
ment Of I'll. 30 upon money due him from another
parry, showing apparent costs OF F.sa.
From the statement OF Justice CLARK, substan.
tiated by entries upon his docket and the origi.
nal papers, u seems that Mr.. LockheAd entered
suit against ID. W. Davis on the sth OF May for
800 for merchandise aud gas fixtures; that
DAVIS had the case continued from the 10Th to
the IAN Of May. upon the plea that he could
appeared, expressing much Indignation at Lock
head, and demanded subpoena for one James,
9 clerk for plaintiff. The subpoena was issued
s When ss snSa. % Ssnf ss
and confessed JUDGMENT for 500 debt and si.2o
on me 18th, Lockhead having made oath that
said Judgment was due and not satisfied. Justice
Clark issued upon said oath writ Of attachment,
with inteTrogations, addressed to Z. W. Perkins,
an alleged debtor Of DAVIS. These belng served,
In money belonging to said Davis, and the same
was condemned for the benefit OF the judgment
debt Of said plaintiff. with costs, as follo~si
commission comm sion Of i've Der Zen eeSmm on dcst, -,
80 cents; In all fi6.35: but a. tho gar
nishee was custodian OF only SIS, and the
UtlEluul utDt was IlU.So ~ commencement
OF the second suit, IL follows that only y is in
costs could have been obtained from that source
u u had been paid over, which has not been
doue 10 this date; Neither have any costs OF
fees In the cases been received by justice OF
constable beyond the usual fee OF 81 paid by the
plaintin when the nrst suit was instituted.
Justice Clark exhibited very handsomely
kept docket, and impaired much valuable infor.
nation to the committee relative to the practice
| IN justices courts and the costs and fees legally
chargeable therein; for all Of which he received
Sarah washington, a bright mulatto woman,
| testified that some months since one Canby
brought suit against her before Justice Donald.
son Tor b.ii o. goods amounting TO about ter En-
colored Constable Josh Parker, whom she told
that she held Canbys receipt for all she oweJ
HIM, but that this bil was debt OF deDonent't
father. Her father also went to see Parker. aud
| told him that he owed the money aud would paJ
| H.. However, tho suit went on, and Justice Don
aldson gave Judgment against this deponent.
| Constable Parker came to the residence OF this
deponent armed with an execution for tht
amount OF the judgment. Deponent was absent
from home. Her sister informed the constable
OF that fact, when he demanded tho key Of the
deponent had the key away with her. Parkel
then seized roughly hold OF deponents sister
violently away from the parlor door, inlnring he
quite seriously, causing several days Illness ant
putting her In jeopardy Of her life.
Parker then burst open the paror door, break
pictures which cost 81 aud carried them away
Parker left no notice OF sale or receipt for TIT
property, nor has he to this day made any return
OF the same or OF sales OF the same To this de
ponent, and this deponent does not know
whether Candy has received pay for his Ju,lg
ment. This Constable Parker still holds thu
q delicate woman, forced the lock OF the parlor
and stripped the walls OF the pictures Of Lincoln
Grant aud their companions. lie should b,
taught that such acts are disgrace to his calling
HelOW will he fDllul n lettef fr0m NnFri
to Mr.. Chairman Long, In which he raises
question OF yeracity with Major Lniley. tn
latter reiterated the statement TEN mde yesteri.
the language imputed TO him the day before
speaking to him On the street day or two sub
sequent to the trial. The question Of veracit!
having given both q hearing.
Following Mr.. Norris letter II a commnnlca
tlon from LEGO" which explains itself.
| LETTER FROM NJ HOWARD NORRIS.
wAsHIsoros. August 8, lisa,
Hos. J.m., O. Long. Chairman CoHn'inss " Lsgs,'y
SIR The statement published In the REruB
LiCAS OF this morning, purporting to have beei
made by Major NJ. Lnliey before your committee
Is so far as am concerned, erroneous In mos
the case referred to, before Justice Thompson
| Whether the judgment In the case was right o
| wrong, certainly there was room for great diver
| sty of legal opinion, and ! believe that thu
justice, whom have always looked upon as Al
| upright and careful magistrate, was conscien
| tious In that judgment. The remark attribute,
| to me, that dthey could do nothing with tina
magistrates row up on Seventh street" Is no
correct. l made no such remark, nor could
with truth, for consider each OF the gentlemen
referred ere 70 CrhSmPson, Hyde, and Harper capa
With respect, II. HOWARD NoRRIs,
| Attorney-at-law.
DEFENCE oR TuE YOUNG LAWYERS.
| 10th. Editor ~ Tie National Rspsbiioas.
Ia your report q the proceedings Of the msgls
your issue OF THIS date, after few introductor
remarks, the following paragraph occurs:
at Ia diflcult To account for this state o
things In any other way than BY suPp9sg tina
governing the practice In the justices courts
and are, therefore, obllyious Of their almost con
slant infraction. Be this as It may, the evidence
taken by Longs committee shows that younI
| lawyers do not hesitate TO go into justice,
courts for counsel fees. and allow their clients
be beaten In the plainest cases, and yet fail u
nal"
This unjust reflection upon the profession
cannot pass by quietly. Pray whose fault Ia
that these plain cases are not brought ITO tn
you that the only way to correct an erroneous o
corrupt decision made by justice Is by appeal
proceeding which requires, nrst, bond, witt
surety 10 be approved by the justice, and condi
| toned to the performance Of the nnal Judgment
and, second, deposit with the clerk OF the Su
preme Court OF ten dollars as security for costs
| n
however venal or corrupt IL may be, for befor
the consequences OF any Judgment can b.
avoided, II must be reviewed and set aside by tn,
superior court.
Now, sir, know that l venture nothing II
saying that In ninety-nine cases out OF hun
dred, where the loser Is dissatisfied with the re
suit, his lawyer Is ready and willing to retry tn
cause In the supreme Court; but surely you can
not expect that he will give his own bond an,
deposit ten dollars from his own pocket to secur
Justice In matter In which he has not tn
slightest personal interest, and In which hi
client, whose property Is at stake, has not sum
cient confidence to risk so much. The idei
would be preposterous. All that the 6ttornel
can do Ia to counsel his client what to do, sery,
him II he wishes 1t done, and charge him fe,
for doing It. But II the client rejects his advice
preferring to pay the judgment rather than risl
! mourning more expense, even wacre he Know
his cause to be righteous, he should "sufIer an
lay blame upon the lawyer or the law.
Ana these same arguments will apply wit
equal force to the question Of the Impeachment
OF a Justice for corruption or malfeasance 1
once. No attorney cares to move In matte
, sure to occasion him great deal of trouble an
some expense when the real parties In interes
refuse to support or assist him In his thankles
task. The remedy for all this trouble lies oil
viously with the people, and they must shOuldt
: the blame II nothing Ii done, for when client
become willing TO light their cases upon prime
pie and pursue justice for Justice sake, instea
OF encouraging the extortions OF these pett
magistrates and cOlstables by surrenleriDQ I