Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1879-01-18

head of costs i'll criminal cases, ,charg-
cable in each period of two years for
Ike four wears ending on the first Of
this month, are rs follows:
ls75-January l-Balance tn credit OF
appropriation for costa in criminal
Appropriation ior ISIS and ls7s .. $50 COZ 70
Defcisncy appropriation. III '5a1 "
Bills of cost filed with the auditor
prior TO JANUARY J. ls11-.......... $1,000 %
s414, ,54s IS
The two items last mentioned.
amounting to 1924. .547 80. were dis
bursed from the treasury during tho
year 1877, and were included III the
estimates with other liabilities of the
state, which compelled the legislature
To authorize the temporary loan. For
the service of the last two fiscal
years, of the appropriation of $780,
900:
This sum has been disbursed -. .sss7 900 co
Certificates OF in ebte,lness Issued to
Ist of this month. under head OF
costs in criminal cases. IL ,0le o7
Total. si2s, ,oI9 s!
Making the sum of but $42S ,Ol9 81,
the amount of costs paid aud certifi-
Gates issued on bills of costs IN GRIM
|inal cases first presented to the audi
ioT lpi uul NCai AotS
and 1878, whilst during the years 1875
and 1876, the sum of $474, ,545 6S, bills
of costs in criminal cases, had been
presented to the auditor, making in
four year the following:
1875 and lSi6 54s es
1871 and 1873. .s......-...-.. .....-.. AZ, 0l9 81
The sum Of. .$9o2 58s 23
Presented for allowance and audit-
ed during that time as the expense
paid by the state for the prosecution
of criminals.
The money paid from the treasury
for the support of the penitentiary
during the same years, is as follows:
1878 .....sio4. 6s5 90
$3.50, ,sas 81
1877 ....-.......s 81, ,0l0 oi
ISIS ,..,.-...-..- ......-.. ........-- oi'soA os
sl47, ,s7s s.
In the cost of maintaining the PEN
lteu,iary, as here stated, have not
counted the earnings of the prisoners,
W nlch have been applied to the sup.
port of the prison, but have stated
| the cash actually paid from the
treasury tor that object. There was
cash paid ont of the treasury:
For support of the penitentisry, four
ysats sts in criminal cases paid by state s
Total -. 81 ,9sl 1855 60
AN annual cost of more than $322,.
900 paid by the state for the proseou-
Itlon and punishment of malefactors.
Does any one now wonder that the
officers charged with the management
Of the penitentiary seek to make the
convicts work? aud if they cannot be
worked within the walls of the pri-
sou to work them outside? Would
not those officers be culpable if they
4 should keep 300 or 400 men locked up
. in their cells because they could not
be worked within the walls of the
prison, when there were persons
ready to employ them to work out
side of the walls and pay the state
fair wages for their services! Aud is
il any wonder that the officers of the
state government, when the treasury
paws SO great sums for the prOsecu-
; liou aud punishment of criminals,
should ask the general assembly to
} lessen the costs the state pays2 or
: seek to make criminals help pay the
/ costs of their conviction and punish
: menI? The government of the United
; Safes does not pay the costs of the
defendant, even though the defendant
r 81. ould be acquitted; and such is the
1 law of several states i'll the Union.
r But do not advise SC harsh a RENE.
: dy. But would 1t not be good law,
n since the defendant is permitted to
: testify in criminal cases. that the
: costs of witnesses who can only tes.
D iify "a to the character of defendant,
or who may have been summoned for
e that purpose, shall not be taxed
# against the state, nor against the
e county, in any event whatever! The
II people demand a reduction of the ex.
l. penses of our government, municipal
Il state and national.
II CRIMINAL LAW,
take pleasure i'll stating to you
= that the criminal law is, at this time
~ well executed and enforced in al
', parts of the state. In few cases
y beside in the 'strike" in the sum
=, of 1877, q spirit of turbulence ha
j been manifested. l have, in . sfev
:. Instances, sent Gen. Mitchell, the ad
20 jutaDt-gencral, not in his military ca
pacity, but rs all attorney, to aid th
10 prosecuting attorney of the count,
where sent, in the management o
a. such criminal cases as were pending
u. ls or might arise, with directions t
y make known to those who were law
lessy inclined that the law should b
. enforced and criminals punished, tina
'n the whole power Of the state was Q
~ my command, and if the execution o
IL process of the law should be resisted
Z, and there was not asuficient uumbe
~ of good people i'll tue county 10 en-
;h ~ force the laws, would find all ade
a. u quate force elsewhere that woul'
us promptly enforce the law aud pre-
es serve order. The duties of the .,
70 torney-general i'll the supreme court
or i'll the preparation of his case!
were 90 urgent that he could not b
spared TO perform the services wist
ne ed 70 have then rendered. Tho sci
es vices of Gen. Mitchell were valuabl
ee and efficient, and were rendere
on without other charge that the pa!
e., inent of expenses. In those countie
lal to which L aliude, the law-abidin
ell citizens of the county manifested
NJ readiness TO aid the civil officers
"s the execution Of the law and the pr
Gu servahon OF public quit, and a
e" glad Can announce TO You that OBJ
n 1"lChCC w thS lo" Iii Ou&u0k
w. the state.
VI THE STRIKE.
AZ
an Iu the summer of 1877 there WI
in manifested in many towns and citi
TO III our country, which were railros
cb centres, a disposition by lawless &C
no to coerce the railroad companies [
he increase, or to prevent a reduction
10 the wages OF their employees. Upt
mt many roads all OF the employ
ed struck; upon other roads portit
he struck and compelled those who " e
mt willing to remain, to quit their ei
res ployment. There was but little i
s77 terfereuce with the trains which Cd
The rled the mails, but OH many roa
to the running of freight trains was @
for tirely suspended. In some citi
the these disturbances eliminated IN
IA, destruction OF a large amount
csc mcrcnaudise in transitu-of cars al
or locomotives. In some places ,
nal civil authorities invoked the aid
re. the militia, and collision betwe
sis the rioters aud the authorities to-
de- place. resulting i'll the loss of lii
lld and i'll some quarters the au,hori
lnf In