Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-12-04
Annual Report of the Attorney Gen
eFas.

Attorney General Williams has prepared an
elaborate report, concerning all the transactions
OF his department during the past fiscal year, in
which he states that during that period the
amonnt OF Judgments in civil suits in favcr of
the nited States vas - 02f, ,,24, but the amount
actually real Zel was 1851 1872. The criminal
cases disposed of numbered 6, los, principally
revenue law violations, but including 9Gj under
tho en- UrcemeBt acts, In which there were l02
convictions. % acquittsis, and ~ discontinue
ances. Tie expenditures of the department. for
the fiscal y ar amounted to - 66D,73O, or
N5ol iJS iess than the preceding year. The At
TO nay General de votes 4 portion Ut his report
70 tho subject OF
THE HEMRrROPOLITAs POLICE PoRCs,
%-ol $50 having been sle at for It's maintenance
during the year; aud he also refers TO other sab
jects Ct local interest. lie invites attention 10
the suggestions Of the District police board in
regard 30 the sale of iiquOr in thls District, and
laws FOR the punishment OF persons engaged IN
tL!s tafiio without the proper licenses. It Is
necessary some additional legislation should be
hac which Viii more elfectually break mp this
Illicit traffic. The whole number OF arrests
made during the year by the force has been
g 5i@Z, OF which II, ,l22 were males, 2.C70 were
lemal.s, 4 So we're mAEried, and q $50 were
single: SCI could read ant write, and 4s3T
could not read and wri c. The ATTORNEY GEN
eia' c4iIS tce attention OF Congress to the neces-
-itJ toT the increase OF the police force, ii being
wholly inadequate, and recommends addi.i9nai
appropriations tor the reform school
SALARY VERSUS PREs.
EesaTt to Changing the mode OF compeasatius
district attorneys and niarsh2is for their SER
vices. They are now paid respectively two
LuI1Tec dollars per annuT0 and fees. He thinks
hey should lie wholly PAD by salaries, and ali
tecs So Tar rs they are chArge8hle 10 the L nited
States should be abolished These ficers A.
vel a. clerks and com niSsOners, are now di-
Tecty interested in Implying the number OF
prose cutiUns, and he is satisfied the government
IS subjected 10 unnecessary expenses iu cOnse-
iUsnle OF this state Of things. Frivolous aud
svNatOus prosecutions ought TO be avoided as
Ar as practicable for considerations that relate
20 the citizen As well az 10 the government.
\ TEHlTEETEARY FCE THg DISTRICT RECON-
MgEDkD, ETC.
The attorney General reuegs his recommend
+'ioA made in his last annual report As to the
necessity. Tor p peIitentiary iii the District Of
Columbia, instead Of sandng cOnvicts to the
Abby peDltentary. u = su ggeSts that an art
9s passed providing uultOIm mode OF obtain
NJ jurors tOr The United States courts, he m ain
-dea OF which shOud ce that the names of
iaUgC number OF the best qualified persons rs-
~iolDR in different parts If the district should be
returned to the clerks tv commissioners or other
ucTsCGs, 10 bt designated by the courts tor that
purpose, and from them, ut each term, should
'e CIdWn bF lot the Esmes of the number OF
persons DecessS1y TO c0nstitut5 the grand and
Detit iuTleS for that term. Various provisions
Of law VIII OF course be necessary to give effect
20 this iCCa, and he further suggests that "a
much % the acts OF Congress requiring jurors
II The United SLates courts, 10 possess the du,!i-
scat urs tixeC by tbe laws Of the state for iurOrs
the state courts tie abolished, as by yiyta-
'teTeOt persons Otherwise competent are d. =
IuaIt-eu "a Jurors on the ground Of color.