Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1878-12-07
CRIMINAL COSTS AND JUSTICES OF
THE PEACE,


EDITOR ISTELLiaESCn The cost Of chine In
Lafayette county for 1877 was. 81, G0U, OF whick
about one half WAS paid by the county. and the
balance paid by the state The principal item
being the board of prisoners in jail, and the
witness aud jury fees. Now, It seems that the
view as entertained by your paper, giving some
;ssident judge criminal jurisdiction. and at the
same time giS,ng the county courts discretionary
power as TO utilizing tines or labor, when the
fines cannot be paid. is a good su %Sgestion. IL i t
Is not profitable to use them on the public roads,
why not hlrC thfin 10 the city authorities. who
have various Ileana Of utilIllng lhsir labor on the
strreta or To other parties who can use them.
There is nothing su obnoxious 10 the petty thief.
as labor. II Is q great mistake to think that con.
wet labor on the public roads Iuterferrs with
honest labor las It Is we'll known that the farmers
object 10 leaving their crops. nc. to work on the
public roads, and It is also well known that
cubic roads should be worked during the crop
season. iroIu May to October. The farmer and
! ,horcr Will be benefited by this road labor, as
the road labor comes 8s tax on the cItisens.
Then the result Of convict labor on public roads
will Diminish the road tax. as well AS the tax on
property, to pay ths coats OF crime. Labor OF
public road, is not hired labor. but labor ore
ated by a tax, both poll and property.
Another important question that bears on
criminal costs. is that of III. office oil Justice Of
the peace, as about one half the cost paid by the
state and counties Is certified up from their
courts. These officers are elected for four years.
sud a large percentage OF the criminal cases
OF originate in their courts. The legislature has
reduced the fees of Justice, OF the peace TO such
a small cum that it Ia very difficult to find g
good and competent citizen who will have the
office. Then why not make the fees reason
sbir. thereby securing the best and most COM
pstent men. The mistakes in acknowledge
menis of deeds and taxing up fees, and other
papers sent up from many Of the Justices
courts in the state have been the of cause many
law suits in our higher courts. II Is q false
economy to reduce the fees of justices of the
peace to q mere pittapcs Many people through
out the state bring their suite IN ting circuit
! courts Ter the reason that they have little or no
confidence in the ability of the Justices courts.
and many for the same reason appeal their csses
, to the higher courts. Then, having good justices
| of the peace will decrease the coats of crime
and litigation, as it Is a well known TACT that
many prisoners are sent up from the Justices
courts and lodged in Jail TO remain until the
criminal court convenes, when a majority,
might say, are turned loose or acquitted. Then
increase the jurisdiction OF your justice Of the
pesce, mat. his fees reasonable that be may
afford TO give some Of his tine to the study OF
his duties. under the law; decrease the nunher
of justices. allowing but one or two Justices to
each municipal township. except where there
sre Incorporated towns and cities where an aa-
dirionsl jusiics might be elected. Thus you will
have 4 good set of justices, who are identified
with the Taxpayers of the state. and who will
expedite the trial OF cares before them and
prevent trivial gases from coming up from their