Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-08-19

A Step In the Right Direction.

A Step in the Right Direction.
The opinion which Judge Patterson
handed down on Saturday, In the case
stated between Constable Dern and the
county of Lancaster, was a step in the
right direction. II was case which
concerned not only the constable but
every taxpayer in the county. To the
lay mind constable's bill of S2l.B
for arresting and taking five men to
jail for drunken and disorderly con
duct seems pretty good pay. There
is no mention made of the fees of the
alderman in the case, but 1T may he
taken for granted that his honor the
alderman did not let his subordinate dis
tance him in his grab from the public
treasury. When five men at one time
and place are guilty of the same crimi-
nal act there is no necessity in justice OF
law for more than one criminal com
plant. But the alderman issued five war
rants In this case and made five distinct
cases of them and consequently five bills
of costs. II did not seem 10 come within
the limits of the case stated To decide
that this was against the spirit If not
to be hoped that when this alderman s
bill comes to the county solicitor for APP
proval he will have the nerve to refuse
to approve it, Then perhaps the court
will be in a position TO lay down the
law in regard to the costs of aldermen
in this city.
The general practice of the aldermen
and constables in thus duplicating COM
plants and costs is wholly unauthor-
lied. Several times the judges of our
court have taken occasion to instruct
grand juries in regard TO this matter
but the power Of the aldermanic justices
has remained paramount, and there has
no practical good resulted. Many
criminal suits are brought before alder
men which are directly or indirectly in
stituted by constables, who act as agents
of the aldermen. The sole purpose in
view Is the making of costs for the oil
cials. In over half the cases after com
plants are made and the offenders ar
rested, the cases are settled and the costs
are paid by the victims or their friends.
These costs are often paid by the wives
and mothers of the offenders, and their
hard earned money goes to enrich the
fattened pocketbooks of fattened alder
men. In many cases the costs are exor.
bitant, and unless some attorney has
the nerve 10 insist on their being cut
down, they are paid in full
II is time reform is instituted in this
matter. Anyone who would have th,
moral courage to make the fight against
this legal thieving would be u publ,
benefactor. The better class of our citi
zens never gets into the criminal cour
and knows nothing about this wholesal,
filching; and attorneys generally fear tn,
ill-will of the aldermen and constables
There are nine aldermen in the city o
Lancaster, and it is very evident one
half of them could not live on the fees q
their office unless the business be sys
tematically worked up. And If there b
afamily fight in any part of the city, o
If two hot-tempered housewives quarre
over their back fences, IL may be taker
for granted a constable will put in al
arTesxapce. and the result will he sew
eral complaints entered. Then usual,
the litigants are advised To settle tn,
cases, and the only ones who profit ar
the aldermen and constables,
IL seems to us a change in the Law
would be beneficial to the public good
Let the Office of alderman in the city b
abolished and let there be established i,
its stead three magistrates with crimina
jurisdiction. Let them be paid suf1
cent salary to induce reputable and in
telllgent lawyers to accept the office
ms Is done in the larger cities an,
greatly TO their advantage. This woul,
in measure avoid the systematic pilfel
ing which is being practiced on such
large scale by our aldermen and con
stables.
But until this is done the efforts G
an honest county solicitor and uprigh
judges In cutting costs down 10 tbei
strictly legal amount will be CON
mended. 1t is a greatly needed reform
ana this paper has never failed 10 cal
attention to its necessity when AN occs
sion offered itself. The step which tn
county solicitor and the court have take
In this matter is one in the right dire,
ton. Let the good work 20 on aud |,
the next move be against the exurhitau
fees OF the aldermen aud il will receiy
the support of public who have born
with this outrage already too long.