National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-07-31
WITNESS FEES.
They Are Paid in tho Police Court in Policy
and IlauOr Cases.


81 have three witness certificates which
will sell for 10 cents" said young member OF
the bar to group of half dozen capitalists,
including a REPUBLICAN, reporter, yesterday
afternoon Either there was not sufficient
money In the crowd. or the investment was
not considered safe, for no one took up the
liberal oiler OF paper OF face value OF S3.15
for 10 cents.
The question OF the payment of witness fees
IN the police court seemed, on inquiry to be
in very much mixed condition. District
Commissioner West, to whom the reporter was
referred by Secretary Tindall, said he knew OF
no reason why all district witnesses in the
police court should not be .paid If any order
had been issued to the clerk ut the police
court or district auditor he knew nothing
of It.
President Edmonds evaded the question nj
first By referring to the necessity which existed
at the close of the fiscal year to curtail the
expenditures for judicial purposes to the lowest
limit. Then, he said, orders were given TO
pay none but such witnesses as had been in
duced to come into court by the promise OF
the fec He aferward acknowledge that this
was standing order explaining that the
cases referred to were against Illicit liquor
dcnlcrs aud policy playing lie justified this
practice on the ground that congress only gave
q small appropriation for this purpose aud
that witnesses in the cases referred to can only
be induced TO testify by the promise of tho
fee. I'VE can't get statesmen or clergymen to
testify In such cases" added Mr.. Edmonds,
with cynical smile.
Capt. Prince, clerk of the police court, said
II would take SIS 600 u year to pay the fees IN
the existing condition of business before thai
tribunal, while If that was to DC commenced
there would be two hundred cases day. Peo
pie would get out warrants before justices o.
the peace, paying iiity cents each for them, and
make sevcnty-fyc cents clear besides shart
i'll the fees Oi other witnesses.
1--WE pay all witnesses who bring certificates
from the clerk of the court" said District Au
ditOr TiChenor's chief of staff. "rhe amount
varies last year II was about s2,2D. We have
nothing to do with United states cases"
The marShurs Office has nothing to do witt
police court cases, said deputy of Col Nc
Michael. ''rhe law says they should be paid
but they never have been in this Office"
Section 1870 of the Revised Statutes of the
United States relating TO the District of COlum
bia provides that witnesses before the police
court shall receive the same fees as are al
lowed for similar service and attendance II
the supreme court of the district.
There are certain abuses connected with the
payment of witnesses in the higher court. A
short time since Judge Wyie, ON motion of al
the payment Of the witnesses for the defense
commission of 10 per cent. was charged by
the attorney and paid by the witnesses righ
in the marshars office. The matter wa
brought to the attention of Judge Wylic, who
said he would take prompt action, but re
queStcd the deputy, who had seen and re
ported the transaction, to procure atidavlts
upon which the court could net. This the
deputy was informed by his chief was not IL
the line of his duty, and he did not do 1t
The matter has rested several weeks.