New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-15
INEFFICIENT POLICE COURTS.

| AN ASYLUM OF NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. TEMPERED
BY ALDERMEN-wHY CREME is not SUPPRESSED
| THE PERSONNEL OF TIE COURTS-SALAKIES
| THAT ARE not EARNED.
The administration of justice in this city
costs the taxpayers about &l500OGO Annually. ibis
sum f. exclusive Of Federal courts and also OF the cost
o. maintaining prisons asylups and reformaores. wich
cost the city still larger sum- The sum OF $15OOOoo
includes only the salaries Judges and their clerks AID
attendants the law officers OF the city In 1850 tho
| salaries OF all the city officers amounted To only
So SOOOOO Since thar time the work OF the courts has
IN rcased 80 per cent, hut the salaries OF the court
officials have increased 400 per cent. 80 c'y in the
world according TO Il recent authority on the subject
paws its minor court officials avishly the CITY OF
New.York The expenses OF the Police Courts ana the
District Courts proporonately greater than thoso oi
the higher courts The Civil District Courts cost the
oty S1s5OOO per annum salares. and last year they
turned into the City Treasury $4,000 as the amount OF
fees collected. Justice Callahan. with 1886 cases be-
fore him. collected 50 40. wmle Justice Lngbein with
800 cases, collected 1889 in fees. The Police Courts
cost the city in salaries $73,GOO per annum exclusive
Of policemen in attendance and last year they collected
| S53 622
There is a wefOunded belief that the expenses OF the
Police Courrs can be largely reduced and the admins
| tration OF Justice in them greatly improved There are
eleven Police Justices IN this city who are appointed Dy
| the Mayor aud confirmed by the Board OF Aldermen.
They receive aries Of 900 each per annum and the
|
Of aply and nigh standing in the community would he
induced to accept the office. and that the administration
Of Justice would be raised ont Of the influence OF ward
politics he SAID, however that the operations
Of the law met the expectations Of tts trainers
Lawyers OF ability and nigh standing have not been able
10 accept places the Police Court benches for the
reason Thar sucn places Lave not been rendered them.
The large salary. long term and ease with which the
work can be snrded make the position desirable one
for politicians, and the original provision in the la"
limiting the appointments to lawyers was stricken ont
Police Justices obtain their appointments as re-
wards for political services; and the admni tratlOn OF
the law Il made less sub.ervient to partisan
politics. Onders against the law. as rule. have their
experience with the administration Of justice In the
lower II they hnd the scales uncyeuy balanced.
or that money or political nnu,n'c VIII secure tHem
freedom from the restraints Of the law. they lose that
RESPECT for 1t which is essential the suppression OF
crime The great increase In crime IN this city during
anu following the DAYS OF Tweed Is proof Of this fact
THE COURTS RESPONSIBLE FOR CRIME.
Tho criminal judges, of coarse. are not altogether to
blame for The great prevalence u In TINS city IN,
police are bimGless There Hrc 'rect in the Jaw,
but there are s gr alter the adInus
The Excise law ant ius: alton Of this fact Police
Justice Ktbreh has gwen It is ms opinion thai ot all
the that heior. him a least 90 per cent are
due directly indirectly 70 the uf hquor aud set Of
all the laws governing the city there Is probably
not one that is less regarded than tht for
the proper regulation Of the hqupr trnnc. tn"
Keepers grOggrrics all have political influence and
control votes and for that they punish
inrn But volators Of the Excise laws are not the
only offenders that e'cAp Justice. lottery dealers and
gamblers aud krpers % house, ~ bad cirI'cr have
alInrs 81 Il like exemption.
18Th, law Of the state" sava an cX-pl'trirtAornry
governing the Police CIuris stands ~ rl O' b1 tue
alteration What Il rcqIre - mat uc Police Ju tees
should obey the think that one Of He principal
reasons why this city +, no. Suppressed Ia that
the Police Mag either nave been scrnu ignorant
OF their duties have vii uly neglected them IN several
respects
A committee Of the Legislature which INVESTIGATED |
this subject reported:
OF practice Ony ionG A. crlcnce coupled "Ith eminent
abniiychn compcnae Tor hr Lack ~ rsal raining ANA
of Ut the Polc Jlo rs Wl he ionad nic"-
OfIgnurhncc ~ the principles or laS IN" p"puhr
theory that II all thIt IL needed iu
Police Justice l. absolutely ialjc. Common scns' Is
prerequisite. but II knJwlclg" OF common aud statute
law II likewise essential" mi, recommendation w.ts
acted upon b. the Legislature. although made four
and in" result has oecn very unfortunate Tor
The proper adm nlsralon Of the law All OF the
recent appointments to Tie Polio" Court bchcl
have been OF politicians VINO made no prrtencc to
knowing anything OF law. Tha has been parly due {!
the necessity II obtaining confirmation by The BOaid ~
Aldermen. Mayor cooper Nominated Cin"rd n. Hand,
II wcl-knOwn lawyer, for Police Justice bli he quickly
known politician Instead IA ONLY such pcrsons could be
confirm IL These men are under nngauon to Alder
and party leaders, aud beng professional politicians
dirrs in way To- bench, tIr party friends r"gard.s
OF Justice. " Oae of ia" rreat difficulties with which
Police Justices have lad to struggle. ~ have all the
other authorities dealing with cnme" gislatiye
cnce OF politicians y behalf of prisoners. Police
Justices al testify the annoyance growing ont OF hs
rccthed."
1t Is common sight In the police courts OF the city
to Aldermen AID other pOI cians slttmg the
bench With the Police justices. Among rr-Ons VINO
have recently occupied tins prominent place In the eyes
O criminals, have been such men IA cxSrnatOIs JUnn
Fox ana Mlchni Norton. ana persons against whom
tired indictments for completely win we-kuown crimes
now In the plgcOn-hOc- u law nlccs city.
man sent TO the penlcniaIy for stealing small VI
money cannot he expected to nave much respect Tor jus
tce. when slttng beside tue magistrate perhaps inu
hundreds OF thousands Of dollars from the city.
ALDERMEN oN TIE SIDE OF LAw-BHEAKERs.
II aman Is arrested 10y the police for some crmp and
he happens to baye influence he Immediately sends
to his friend the Alderman and the Alderman goes 10
the Justice who too often discharges the prsonrr pot
haps without examination, for of sufficient evil
dence." The policeman who arrested hl'n, and VINO
perhaps has been Kept from hs rest for In order 10
be present at the trial, Is tered AT by the discharged
prisoner and perhaps at by the Alderman. VINO
threatens II no the again 10 re.ort tho
policeman to the Captain or Commissioner ~ thr case
may be- The Commissioner /, dependent upon the A.
dcrman, perhaps Tor his office, aud only 100 VIII
ing to comply with his request Many police officers
have found themselves suddenly transferred to tie
goat district" other undesirable place because
OF of zeal ~ detecting arrestng criminals
who have political infu, nee" but more often they are
repr"ved by Justces for bringing before them
such "fDsy evidence"
A in point OF very recent occurrence. lot
terry ed and taken before Police Jus
tice. The Justice discharged the for "want |
of evidence" Tue case was then taken before tho
Grand Jury then In SESSION and the man was
quc Kly indicted and DisriCtA torney Rollins had him
arTaignrd In court. But rather than trial IN
q neral Sessions upon the Same pYdouCe winch the
Police Jd-ce. red nsrtlt:nt. the lottery derlcr
- cadeu Luilty ana wa sentenced To fine OF 5000, |
win Of imprisonment lt Is unusual, however
take before the Grand Jury after the prisoner has
been discharged In the p1ce cDnrt.
Ia a recent report OF tne Board ~ Plic- Justices IL |
appears OF persons arraigned Tor
The Lot cry laws y-nlnr DISCHARGED where
Ninety held for exam nation or trial In OF
g-mhLlmg iOrl N.nmr puI.m Mr.c Msc.MrEe1 whore