National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-01-16
THE MAGISTRATE SYSTEM.

A Growing Demand for Its Nostora-
tion-The Police Court as an Appellate
Tribunal.
Squire Harper, who for many years was
a police magistrate and subsequently be-
came an assistant clerk Of the police court,
in talk with reporter for the NATIONAL
REPUBLICAN,, remarked that the magistrate
system was far preferable to that Of the po-
lice court. He felt sure that the general
public were better accommodated aud bet
ter satisfaction was given. The revenues
from tho magistrate system were larger and
Increased yearly. He remembered that
when he was magistrate for the fifth pre-
cinct, which used the old central guard
house ON Louisiana avenue, that the reve-
nue. from that precinct alone in one year
was one-third the amount raised by the po-
lice court.
Under the magistrate system the officers
and citizens were benefited by reason Of
having cases brought into the station house
and tried Immediately. Warrants were is
sued as soon as asked for; business was
transacted with citizens without delay;
business men readily presented themselves
as witnesses, knowing that no unnecessary
delay to their business would be involved.
The officers, as a rule, displayed great en-
ergy and efficiency in bringing in prisoners,
because an arrest did not involve the loss
Of their sleeping or brief leisure time.
Col W. A. TAFT, also an ex-magstrate,
stated that the old system was by far the
best. He thought that the establishments Of
the police court had proved II to be failure.
Inquiry Of leading citizens, who have had
dealings with the police court, reveals the
fact that Senator ingalls, has struck the
right trail-the right thing for the people of
Washington. Ever since the establishment
of the police court there has been more or
less dissatisfaction expressed at the system.
The expense OF running II and the de-
ilciencies in the revenues have also called
forth frequent criticisms. In the early his
tory OF the court abuses existed and the leg
islature Of the District ordered an investiga-
ton. The committee that was appointed
to examine the affairs discovered that great
frauds had been committed, and recon-
mended that the police court be abolished.
The report, before it was offered, was
obtained and destroyed by persons In
terested, and the proposed action was
,hwarted.
Among lawyers the opinion prevails that
the police court is unconstitutional In that
II tries federal cases without the interposi-
ton OF jury
The receipts from July /, 1870, to March
81, 1880, were SCOT; the expenses Sl2,-
57s6l; deficit, S2,90l,Gl. For the month
of May following the receipts were ST.
Oot,ou, anu tne eAFeuseS were ABOUT Sl,OUU.
Under the magistrate system, which al
lowed only municipal cases to be fined, the
United States cases, as rule, went TO the
upper courts, the net proceeds annually
| were from So, 900 to $50, 1000. A few years
| ago petition was drawn up and circulated
among the lieutenants OF the police force,
| In which the abuses of the police court were
set forth, and IL was TO be used to present to
theproper officers, in order that an abatement
| of the evils might be made. The petition
was, however, forestaled by betrayal OF
the matter to Judge Smell by q man who
thought to gain certain standing with the
judge who, at the time, was believed to be
the possessor Of great congressional inilu-
ence. In report that Judge Smell submitted
TO the District commissioners In June, 1880,
he stated that he had 1870 cases on the 9TH OF
July, and eighty on Christmas and New
Years morning.
A talk with the police officers reveals
their honest conviction of the superiority
Of the police magistrate system. elbow
would you like to 60 on duty at midnight
tonight said an old officer, "and, after
coming of at 0 o'clock tomorrow morning,
have to go to the police court Immediately,
without your breakfast, and there be com
PEELED to wait until !, 2, and sometimes as
late as o'clock in the afternoon before
your case is triedf Then you rush home,
get your dinner, and be back at the station
house at O p. m. to 60 on duty. You might
stand that sort Of business for few
| months, but you won't stand II much
| longer, There are many good reasons why
| the system should be abolished. IL Con
| gress don't abolish it It should investigate
| the workings and do something with it to
correct the abuses that exist. What do
| you think Of police court that won't
| issue a warrant on Monday be-
cause the clerk has not time to write IT,
That Is enough to raise little growl, but
that is the truth, and you only need to try
| it and find out for yourself. If warrant
was needed Immediately you could not get
II from police court under sixteen hours.
What is the good Of force Of that kind9
''If Senator Ingalls, wants information
about the inside workings Of the system he
could get II by calling the old officers Of
the force before him, and he will have In
formation enough to back down any oppo-
sitlon that may arise to his bill. The old
magistrates can produce their dockets and
show him how they did things and the sue
cess they met with. A return to the old
system Of two trials day at every station
and trial at the magistrates office at any
time In the day is big thing, not only for
officers but for citizens. Here is the differ
ence. IL were to arrest you on Saturday
morning after 10 o'clock would carry you
to the station house. There you would be
held a prisoner until Monday morning.
Think Of the horror Of being locked up In
filthy cells, and of only getting two or three
meals when you are accustomed to more
and better stuff. think that this business
of having no court Sunday is farce. There
would be more Christianity shown in try
ing cases than having people suffer In pens
all day.
The popular demand is not so much for
the abolition Of the police court, which II
seems pretty gen orally thought might re-
main as an appellate tribunal, with jury
attachment, rs for the facilities the old
system furnished for the speedy disposition
~ nettv cosas