Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-11-22

would be given 10 the Aforementioned by the |
County Clerk of the name and nature Of every !
criminal trial proceeding pending In such court
together with the disposition and situation Of all
criminal proceedings in such court enabling the
Acknowledgement 10 he fully informed thereof
The bill requires the Attorney-General TO keep
record Of the name and nature Of every criminal
prosecution. and the disposition that l. made OF
each and every case, so that he can keep check
over both the States Attorneys and the Clerks
] by which the Attorney-teneral can NJ glance
| tell what becomes of every case, and what amount
Of fines and costs are paid TO the County Clerks,
/ and should be by these clerks paid over TO the
/ State Treasury; and also what amount Of balls
are forfeited and too often lost to the state by the
cases being dropped from the dOckets without en-
/ forcing the collection Of the amount Of bail. This
/ bill cuts of the employment OF any assistance TO
/ aid the States Attorney In the prosecution Of
| criminal prosecutions, and makes 1t the duty Of
/ tho Acknowledgement 10 aid the States Attorney
| in the various counties, thereby giving the aid Of
| good counsel to the States Attorneys who are
| too often young and inexperienced men, and who
/ need aid and now have It assigned TO them by
/ the court There are alwaysa number of lawyers
around the court house that are ready to be called
/ in to assist the States Attorneys, and draw q
| large fee from the state-aggregating the sum Of
/ three thousand five hundred dollars in all the
/ counties in the state during the last year This
/ bill fixes the salary oil the Attorney-General at
| two thousand dollars. and his necessary expenses
when absent from home, aud his services will
take the place Of what now costs the state nearly
or quite double that amount and thereby be
state lie referred TO the report Of the Auditor
| Of Accounts in which he says that Of the fines
| and costs imposed IN the counties, amounting to
] iorty-tive thousand dollars, only about eighteen
thousand dollars are collected and paid To the
state: making a loss to the state Of some twenty
seven thousand dollars, which II is hoped the At
torney- General would be enabled to collect and
/ save 10 the Treasury The Attorney General is
required biennally 10 report 70 the Governor the
number, nature and disposition Of all the crimi-
nal cases and proceedings for the two years next
proceeding; thereby giving In concise form the
| condition OF the criminal business Of the state--a
report which is much needed TO give the General
Assembly history of the criminal prosecutions
Of the state lie thought il would be a saving Of
money 20 the state, and hoped the bill would be
passed.
Mr. EATON Of Danyille, moved to amend by
striking out the clause allowing necessary e1-
penses when absent from home on official BUSH
| ness" which was agreed to-
Mr.. BATjHElDER Of Arlington, said that in
the matter of the druUng indictments the
counsel Of an Attorney General necessary
that criminals may not escape punishment through
defects In the indictments, which now are too often
drawn up by young and inexperienced attorneys.
lie believed also that this bill Will result in the
saving of large amount OF money tO the state,
In that the Attorney-General will closely look
after the collection Of fines and costs, and in the
collection Of forfeited bonds. Something was nee
essary to be done u reduce the cost Of our Grim
nal prosecutions and he believed this bill would
tend 10 do It, and hoped il would pass,
by adding clause requiring the Attoney-Gen
era n procure able assistance 20 aid the States
Attorneys in cases where he was unable to do so
himself, without cost TO the state.
Mr. FRENCH OF Woodstock opposed the amend
ment
MIR WOODBRIDGE Of vergennos, opposed the
amendment as being onerous upon the Attorney
General and compelling him to pay for services
which he was Unable TO attend by reason of
other duties and moved TO amend the amend
ment proposed by Mr.. Mcfarland, so as to
provide that the Attorney General shall attend b
the prosecution of all criminal cases when re-
quested by the States Attorneys Of the various
counties, emitting that part Of the amendment re-
quiring him to employ counsel at his own expense
when he could not attend
Mr. ADAMS OF Enosbureh thought it hardly
probable that the ablest lawyers of the state could
be obtained to fill the position at a salary OF 5000
a year, and we shall be compelled TO fall back
upon the young and inexperienced members Of
the bar, now do for states attorneys. He
could hardly support the bill.
Mr. EVANS Of Moretown moved the bill be
dismissed.
Mr. SHELDON Of Rutland hoped the bill would
not be dismissed, as it would work great good in
Rutland county alone, and he doubted no. in
every county in the state.
MIR WOODBRIDGE favored the bill as one
drawn in the interest Of economy and of efficiency
in the prosecution Of our criminal causes.
The motion to dismiss was disagreed TO. The
question required on the amendment proposed by
/ Mr. Woodbridge TO the amendment proposed by
Mr. Mcfarland, which amendment Mr. Wood
bridge modified by adding the provision "uness
detained by sickness or other official duties
Mr.. MCFARLAND opposed the amendment
proposed by Mr.. Woodbridge, and by unanimous
consent Mr. Woodbridge Withdrew his amendment
Mr.. FRENCH Of Woodstock moved as a substi-
tute to the amendment proposed by Mr. McFar-
land the words If upon the request OF the States
Attorney the Attorney General Is unable TO attend
by reason Of sickness the court may direct coun-
sci TO be employed to assist the States Attorneys,
if ueces. AIRY, to be paid by the Attorney General
Mr.. DILLINGHAM; of Waterbury opposed the
amendment proposed by Mr.. Mcfarland, as being
practically impossible for the Attorney General to
comply with, and hence ought not TO be adopted.
MI. LADD OF Alburgh proposed an amendment
worded in such manner as TO obyate the objections
brought TO the amendment proposed by Mr.. Nc
Earland and by Mr. French Of Woodstock
MI STEWART OF Middlebury Mr.. Martin OF
Londonderry having been called to the chair
said he thought this bill was an important one to
! the state in the interest of economy. We have
lecn shown from the meagre report Of the Audi
tor of Accounts that there great wrongs in the
administration of the criminal laws OF the state
money by reason Of the loose manner in which
! the books and accounts are kept five put the
! execution of the criminal laws under the charg,
of a competent Attorney-General, we take a stel
! in the direction of correcting the evils under
which our criminal prosecutions have so long
: been labOrng. We must be careful, however
! and not put the head man, as some would desig
nate the Attorney-Geneial, under the direction o.
, fourteen different and Indifferent heads ant
l thereby thwart the object of the bill Its a very
important bill and should be carefully considered
perfected and passed
On motion OF Mr. FRENCH Of Woodstock, adj
House-Afiernoon.
BHls introduced and Referred-By MIR BLOD
r GErT of st. Johnsbury for the better protection
of buildings from fire within the limits Of village
+ organized under the laws of the state; to com
mittee on judiciary.
7 by Mr.. CALDERWOOD of Greensboro, author
u izing the raising Horse Pond in the town o