Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-11-26
THE ATTORNEY GENERALS he
PORT.
Matters of Local Interest.

Matters of Local Interest.
IMPERATIVE NECESSITY FOR A NEW CODE OF LAWS
FOR THR DISTRICT AND A REFORM OF TIE JURY
sfsTKA-rHK JAIL AND REFORM SCHOOL, ETC.
Attorney General B. H. Brewster, I'm his annual
report TO Congress- says that the total number OF
claims pending in the Court OF Claims is !. in
volving upwards OF 3s,0o0.oo0. or claims against
the District or Columbia last term thrtyfour suits
claiming 75a.9s6..e. were brought 10 trial. In
twelve OF them, claiming $685.. 203 Il, Judgment was
for defendant In ntwenty-two suits, claiming sS59-
lS3OS, Judgment was for claimants for $50 l61. "a
Ninety-two suits, claiming sl.i5 s743i were dis
missed In two cases judgments were recovered
on counter-claims. in favor OF the District FOR
against the District Will be finally DISPOSED OF
during the next term.
IMPORTANT GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS.
1t Is recommended that the compensation OF
United States marshals and attorneys should be
fixed by taking as basis an estimate OF the bust
ness transacted during the past ten years Instead
done.
The report calls the attention OF Congress 10 the
want OF proper legislation for criminal cases. In
oruer mat the pleadings may be simplined. uni
form system OF challenges provided, and the trials
shOrn OF the technical objections and numlbevlesS
unatory motions that can now be interIosel to
prevent speedy trial upon the merits and sub
mltS forms TO remedy the evils and defects which
are referred TO at length.
The Treasury department,the report says.seems
10 have been well protected by laws designed 10
prevent and punish the use or false afiidavts con-
cernlng the business in that department, hut the
other departments of the government. Particularly
the post Office department., have not been fortl-
nate. Amendments are recommended TO section
5392, Revised Statutes In order that there NAV be
protection onered TO all the departments In this
respect
CODE OF LAWS FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
The laws for the prevention and punishment OF
OF Columbia are supplied from different sources.
In passing general laws Congress has depended
upon the local state laws 10 supply DEFICIENCIES
that would otherwise have been provided tor. In
passing special laws for the District of Columbia
much dependence has been placed upon the laws OF
Maryland TO provide proper criminal code for the
DlStrlct. where Congress has failed 20 dCfine or
provide punishment for what should be a crime
In the District recourse is mainly had 10 the laws OF
Maryland. and as most OF the laws OF Maryland
that existed prior TO February q, lS0l have since
been repealed. altered. or amended the former laws
nave long ceased to be known or considered by the
present generation OF lawyers The consequence
arising from the confusion now existing is, that
what laws are in force in the District OF Columbia
Is matter involved In SDch obSCurity and doubt
that IL remains legal puzzle upon the solution OF
Wnich no Two lawyers can agree. number OF
have heretofore been made to secure the
adoption by Congress OF general code OF laws for
the District. but the efforts have failed. In view
of this condition OF affairs the Attorney General
says there Is an imperative necessity for the prompt
adoption OF civil and criminal code Tor the Dis
trict of Columbia.
JURIES INsTHE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,
The Attorney General says that the evils which
the jury system OF the District OF Colum-
bia demand condemnation, and after reiterating
the views on the subject as emphaticaly expressed
In his last annual report, and printed In THE STAR
at the time, he recommends that the number OF
jurors should be increased TO fortyeight that the
time OF service should be reduced TO one month:
that where deficiency exists in the jury that de-
hciency should be supplied from the box. and that
an improved system OF drawing, selecting and sum-
moning Juries should be adopted without delay.
broad line OF distinction, the report says. must
be drawn between the crimes committed in the
District which affect citizens Of the District alone
ana those OF public character against the whole
people. Government officials who have committed
crime have always been prosecuted with vigor but
when the crime has been committed and tried
within the District justice has too frequently been
denied, and experience proves that il should be
tried before jury other than that engaged in the
trial or the local crimes committed In the District
lt Is recommended as remedy that the 1urisdic-
ton OF the United States circuit and district courts
for the judicial district OF Maryland be extended
80 as to include the cOgniZance OF crimes commit
TED In the District OF Columbia
THE JAIL AND THE REFORM SCHOOL,
In regard to the District JAIL IT is believed that IL
could be conducted with greater economy to the
United States and greater benefit to the commu-
nifty II placed directly under the management OF
the Attorney General, who is responsible for its
expenses AS far as possible careful attentiN has
been paid by the department TO the expenses OF
the Jail, and there has been a reduction I'm those
cApcuSSS vi 6S,oG QuI1tlS uScdl year 1854.
1t Is recommen led that the law governing admiS-
sion OF juvenile offenders TO the reform school be so
amended that offenders from convenient districts
may be confined in It.
UNITED STATES PENTTENTIARY NEEDED.
The erection of United States penitentiary is
for United States prisoners, where
they can be employed In the manufacture OF sup
plies exclusively for the government, making it
almost self-sustanng. There are now about l. 200
United states prisoners under sentences OF one
year and over One thousand Of these are in pris-
OnS east OF the Mississippi river and il is suggested
that the penitentiary should be erected at some
central point where there are ample railroad fac-
ties for the transportation OF the prisoners and the
goods manufactured by them.
Ii is again recommended that authority be given
the judges OF the United States sentence prison.
erS convicted OF first Oenses, particularly Juvenile
TO such reformatories or graded prisons
as the Attorney General may select.
That portion OF the report referring to star route
civil suits has been printed in The STAR.
THE SERVICE IMPRovEp.
In concluding his report the Attorney General
says that the condition OF the public service so far
as 1t relates to ohcials connected with his depart
ment, is greatly improved. This is in a large
measure due to the active efforts which have been
taken by the department during the present admin
StratiOn in checking irregularities, correcting
abuses and Furnishing frauds and eXactions com.
m1tted by district attorneys. marshals. and CON-
which have existed in number OF dis
LrictS |