The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-12-17
LAW DEPARTMENT.
What the Attorney General Has to Say
About His Department

About His Department
| WASHINGTON. December 10.-The annual
report to Congress of Attorney General
| Garland gives detailed succinct statement
of the operations of that department
! throughout the country during the past
year, including the business of the Supreme
I Court the Court of Claims, and the Court
of Commissioners of Alabama Claims.
! During the year 1,65S civil suits and 1l,971
/ criminal prosecutions were terminated in
! the various United States Courts, leaving
ALAG of the former class and S,Sos OF the
latter class pending at the close of the year.
/ The aggregate amount of judgments rem
, dered in favor of the United States in civil
/ suits during the year was S677, ,3SS, and the
amount actually collected on these judg-
ments was S7O,l ,l57; while S37, ,02S was OBJ
tanned during the year OIL judgments as
rendered in former years for the United
States, and S144, 452 was otherwise realized
in civil suits. The aggregate amount OF
fines, fOrfeitureS and penalties imposed dur
ing the year in criminal prosecutions was
S4S1, $50, and the amount of these fines,
forfeitures and penalties collected during
TIE year WAS SUH, III, "Illlc CO, lOt hStc
realized on fines, forfeitures and penalties
imposed in former years. The aggre-
gate amount of court expenses paid dur
ing the year was 81, ,S74, ,733. The AttOr-
ney General suggested the advisability of
building jails at each place in the country
where the United States courts are held.
The necessity of building Government
penitentiary, where all persons convicted
of United States Offenses could be con-
fined, is strongly urged. "Such cOnvictS," :"
he says, could be employed in the manu-
facture of supplies exclusively for the Gov
ernment which work would assist in max
ing the institution self-sustaining." He
also suggests the prOpriety of erecting on
the grounds adjoining the Department of
Justice a proper building for the aceOmmO-
dation, in addition to the department of the
Supreme Court and other proper courts and
commissions of the United States. The
Attorney General makes a number of other
recommendations, among which are the fol-
lowing: That the fees of Marshals in
Montana Idaho and Wyoming be doubled !;
that the salaries of Marshals be revised;
that the compensation of the United
States Attorney for New Mexico and AriZo-
ma be increased and that the eompensa-
ton of clerks of the United States Courts
i'll California be reduced; that attorneys
and marshaIs be required to make
returns by fiscal instead of cal
endar years; that the accounts of chief
supervisors of elections be taxed IN open
court under the instructions of the District
Attorneys; that the penalty for the punish
ment of persons resisting officers be made
more severe; that increased provisions be
made for the protection of United States
witnesses and that 4 suitable United States
jail be built at Fort Smith, Ark. The re-
port closes with a brief statement of the
Union Pacific Railway litigation and says
that motion will be filedby the Govern
ment in the Supreme Court in a few days
to advance the appeals in the dOckets so as
have a speedy determination of them. Tie
Attorney General adds that the motion will
doubtless be granted and the matter be dis
posed of an early date.