Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-12-03
BREWSTER'S REPORT.
772 NEW SUITS ADDED TO THE
SUPREME COURT LIST.

Nearly ss,OOO,OO0 Asked for by the
Claimants-1,597 Civil Suits Disposed
of-The Treasury the Mecca of Thieves
The Want of Jury system-CIasses
in Crime.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2.-The following
are extracts from the annual report of
the Attorney General:
SUPREME COURT.
The total number of causes disposed of
in the Supreme Court, at the October
term. 1882, in which the United States
were interested is IA.
COURT OF CLAIMS,
Since the last report 772 suits, claiming
upwards OF $9,000,000, have been brought
against the United States. of which 10.
claiming $1,256,046 26 were brought on
transmission by the heads of departmants
under the act of March 3, 1888. chaDter
116. There have also been brought 81
suits claiming 1852, 155 II against the
District of Columbia.
CIRCUIT AND DISTRICT COURTS.
During the last fiscal year 1.597 civil
suits We're terminated. In 642 of these.
Judgments were for the United States. i'm
10 Tor the defendants, and 500 were either
mol. pros, dismissed, or discontinued: II
were appealed from the District to the
Circuit Court, and from the Circuit to
the Supreme Court. Many of the civil
suits reported Rol pros, dismissed, or dis
continued, were settled by authority of
the Treasury Department and discon-
tinued under its direction. There were
pending July |, 1888, 4,432 civil suits to
which the United States was party.
There were terminated during the last
year 1872 criminal prosecutions. Twelve
thousand one hundred and twentv-four
year, of which 2, l53 were cases in admi-
rally, and 9,971 were other miscellaneous
suits.
Twenty-seven thousand seven hundred
and ninety-one civil suits to which the
United States was not a party, were pend
ing in the Circuit and District Courts of
the United States July l. 1888, viz: 3. 1856
In admiralty, and "A, 405 other miscella-
neous suits.
The expenses of the courts, when finally
ascertained for fiscal year, usually
reach $3,000,000. 1t is not prudent to sup
pose that they will fall below this sum
in any year.
RECALCITRANT MORMONs.
The Legislature of the Territory of Utah
refuses to appropriate funds for the exc
cution of the Territorial laws under Con-
gressional legislation. If this legislation
is to be maintained special appropriations
the demands of justice.
GOOD RECOMMENDATION.
Many OF the persons convicted of
offenses against the laws of the United
States are not professional criminals. In
a majority of cases their offenses grow out
of the collection of the revenue or are the
result of temptations arising from carry
ing and handling the mails. That these
unfortunate persons may not be made
professional criminals by association in
prison with old offenders, | earnestly re-
commend that some provision be made
for their separate Imprisonment.
KICK AT WASHINGTON JURIEs.
The National Treasury is the great cen
tire of allurement and temptation. In
roads are made upon it through all ave-
nues by which it can be approached.
Every device which human ingenuity can
contrive is resorted to, and perjury, for
gerry and all crimes necessary are unhes-
itatingly committed to reach the treas
ure and despoil the public money. The
constant zeal and care of experienced
government officials, in every department,
are required to prevent these vile plans
being carried out.
The effortO one side is to steal the money
OF the people, on the other to prevent 1t:
but with all the care and attention which
honest and competent public servants can
exert, bad men are sometimes successful.
Laws have been passed by Congress broad
enough to make every fraud or attempted
fraud upon the government a crime to be
severely punished The one great diff
Guilty now encountered is the want of a
proper jury system with which to enforce
these laws.
1t is the subject of belief and common
report that the business of ',jury fixing''
fourishes to an alarming extent in the
District. 1t is asserted that men live,
support their families, and even become
rich in the practice of this nefarious pro-
fession.
BLOCKING THE LITTLE GAME OF MAR
SHALS AND OTHERS.
To protect the government against pay
ing excessive salaries in districts where
the business has heretofore been worked
up by the institution of frivolous cases,
for the sole purpose of increasing fees, l
respectfully recommend that Congress
give the Attorney General the authority,
at his discretion, to adjust salaries Of
marshals at the close of each fiscal year.
increasing or diminishing the same for
the next fiscal year upon some basis to be
fixed by law. In this manner Justice
could be done both to the United States
and itS offiaarc