Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-01
DISTRICT IN CONGRESS.
Several Bills Of Local Interest Favora.
bly, Acted Upon.

several Bills OF Local Interest Fav0ras
bly, Acted Upon.
The House District committee disposed of
considerable business to-day. In the first place
they ordered . favorable report upon the Sem
ate bill authorizing q survey for the proposed
Mt. Vernon avenue. The BILL which has been
passed by the Senate, provides for the detail
OF engineer officers Of the army to make the
necessary surveys for national road from .
point in Alexandria county. Virginia, at or
thence through the counties of Alexandra and
Fairfax, in said state, to Mount Vernon, who
shall report the same, together with the esti-
mated cost OF building such road to the Sec
rotary of War, who shall transmit the same to
Congress.
The sum of s1O 900, to be expended under
the direction of the War department, ia APP
propriated for the expense.
SPECIAL INAUGURATION APPROPRIATION
favorable report was authorized upon the
Senate bill appropriating $500 to be expended
in the preservation of order in Washington
during the Inauguration.
The House bill changing the law relating to
the directors of stock companies, &C., in the
District so as to extend the legal number from
nine to fifteen, was adopted.
THE POLICE COURT BILL.
They next ordered favorable report upon
the Senate bill providing for police magistrates
and jurors for trial of police cases in the Dis
trict. with amendments increasing the number
OF bailiffs to four, and providing a means of
appeal by writ Of error to be issued by justice
of the Supreme Court of the District
The bill provides that the President shall ap-
point four persons learned in the law as police
magistrates in and for the District Of Column
bia. each to hold Office for a term of six years
from the date Of his commission and until the
appointment and qualification Of his successor,
and to receive as compensation q salary Of
$1,000 per annum, payable monthly by the
Commissioners Of the District of Columbia
bond OF $5, 600 with the sureties is required
of each magistrate. The commissioners Of the
District are authorized to assign these magis-
trates for duty among the different police pre-
cincts Of the District, with full power and au-
thority to change such assignment whenever
and as often as in their judgment Ia advisable.
The magistrates may be removed for incompe-
tency, habitual drunkenness, corruption in
Office, or any other willful misconduct in the
discharge Of official duty, the facts having been
found by the Supreme Court Of the District Of
Columbia, after such notice and hearing or
trial as said court may by general rule have
prescribed. They may be suspended pending
a trial as above. Upon the removal, or the
death, resignation, or the expiration Of the
term OF Office Of any such magistrates, he. his
executors, or administrators, shall forthwith
ocil'cE W Inc cltTk OI salu supreme OOurt all
dockets and other records which said magis-
trate, so removed, dying, resigning, or retir-
ing from Office, may have had or kept as pro-
vided by this act; and upon failure SO to do,
the said magistrate, his executors, or admins
traitors shall forfeit to the District of Columbia
the sum of $500, to be recovered as other pen
alties are recovered Preceded. That nothing
in this act shall be construed as exempting any
OF said magistrates from liability to indict-
ment and punishment for any act punishable by
law, in addition to his removal from office as
hereinbefore provided. The magistrates are to
have original and exclusive jurisdiction, CO.
extensive with the limits of the District of
Columbia of all Offenses against the laws and
ordinances of the District of Columbia in force
therein, except offenses against the Sunday
and license laws and regulations of said Dis
trlct, and OF all offenses against the United
States of the class or grade known as petty
otfenses, which, according to the
common law, may be proceeded
against summarily in any tribunal legally
constituted for that purpose, without trial by
or sentences by fine or imprisonment or both,
or by imprisonment, on default in the payment
OF any fine imposed; and they shall have power
to punish contempts by fine or imprison-
ment, or both; but such fine for contempt
shall in no case exceed twenty dollars, nor i'm
prlsonment therefor exceed forty-eight hours.
They are further empowered to administer
oaths and affrmations, End to issue process for
the arrest OF persons against whom complaint
under oath shall be made, and all other forms
of process necessary to the exercise Of their
jurisdiction. All warrants, writs and processes
issued by said magistrates, shall run in the
name of the President of the United States,
and be directed to the major and superintendent
of police of the District of Columbia, who shall
see to the service, execution and return of the
same; and all warrants, writs, and processes
may be made returnable and returned before
any OF said magistrates Provided That nothing
herein contained shall be construed to prevent
Justices OF the peace in and for said District
from issuing warrants for violations of the
criminal laws as now authorized, but
all warrants 80 issued shall be returnable
before some one Of said police magistrates.
The trials shall be upon warrants, and upon
written charges or complaints, under oath by
officers making arrests or by the party COM
planning; The proper keeping Of dockets is
provided for, fne OF $50 being provided for
properly up to date. All fines, penalties, for
FIXTURES, and costs imposed, adjudged, and
taxed by said magistrates are to
be paid to and received by them,
and by them turned over weekly to the
collector of the District of Columbia.
THE AMENDMENT.
For the original clause providing the form of
appeal the amendment is substituted provid-
ing for wris of errors by justice Of the
supreme Court OF the District. In all cases
heard on an appeal from the judgments or
sentences of the magistrates, and in all causes
of which the said court now has original and
exclusive jurisdiction, the trial in the said
Police Court shall be had by the Judge of said
court and jury Of twelve persons, which fury
shall be selected and provided subject
to and in conformity with the provisions and
requirements Of chapter twenty-four OF the
Revised Statutes Of the United States relating
to the District of Columbia, except in so far as
the said provisions and requirements are mod
flied, altered, or amended by the provisions of
this act Prouided, ho,oeUer, That the person
charged may waive his right Of trial by jury
and submit the trial of the cause to the Judge of
said Police Court, whose judgment therein shall
be final as if the cause had been tried by Jury.
1t is provided that the names of persons
selected for this jury service shall be kept in
box for that purpose, distinct and separate
from that used for the names of persons
selected to be drawn for jury service in the
Supreme Court of the District Of Columbia.
Such names shall be put in the box at such
times as the public convenience and the
necessities of the case may require; and
should these names be exhausted by drawing
from said box at time when said Su-
preme Court in general term is not in session,
and the officers or persons to make lists OF
jurors are from any cause not in existence or
capable of acting, the Commissioners of the
N aA.aA ~ %lx. IL kali - -