Telegram-herald., 1890-03-19
POLICE AND COURT
As 20 Possible Abuses n Admin
tsrrsIive Machines
II SEEYS REFORM IS NECESSARY
Are Mea Arrested for frssA DruHks
When "a Reality II 10 the sane Ola
Drask a Littls sAkgrassted2-PstsF
h.bs4ean Fsnnd Gatity-

best vigilance sad the most consclen-
lous executive work. Two cases nave
recently occurred Ia police court which
illustrate how the officers Of the law
may err through a misappl.ed humane
ness. ca Monday, the 10Th INST,
James Mcmahon vas convicted IN
police court and fined S2 and s3.5S
costs for beng drunk. He paid up
about 3 o'clock n the afternoon, and
that same nlght Vas run IA again, and
was again convicted, the next morning,
and Vas sent 10 jail for fifteen days.
This column stated at the time that
these two convictions were on one and
the same old drunk. At lao o'clock,
on the 18th inst, A. L. YanderLp was
arrested drunk on Canal-st. At
$50 p. m, OF the same day, the
same man was arrested drunk
on south DyislOn-st. Unless a record
= somewhere made Of Il, no one would
be likely % conjecture the history made
between those two hours Of IL 10 =. n.
and $50 p. m. The fact Is that Van
deriip, between those hours, was brought
INTO court, pleaded guilty, was fined S2
and % 50 costs, paid the money and was
again arrested shortly after ms release.
lie was again brought into court yester-
day morning, and sent % jail for thirty
days, There can be no question that
the man was tried and released on pay
ment OF the tine before nc had become
sufficiently sober % regain his moral
responsibility. The frequency With
which such cases recur, indicates that
sufficient care Is not taken 20 provide
for the entire sObrlety OF all prisoners
tired. There could not be 90
much injustice IN trying a drunken
man II a jail sentence were 10 follow
conviction; but TO turn a man into the
streets before the restoration of his
moral force Is TO throw him into
temptation, and 10 do him positive IN
justice by cOnvlcting and Furnishing him
twice for the same ottense. IL this man
Nanderlip had been kept in restraint "A
longer time before trial, his friends say
that Il u almost certain he would not
have been 80 quickly re-arrested. Re-
form is necessary. Close observation of
the conduct OF affairs IN this court
shows that much of this abuse comes
from the accommodating spirit of the
officials. A man in the cooler pleads
Tor ms liberty and asks 10 be taken to
trial AZ the earliest posslll" moment.
The officers are men with ,ne instincts
OF other folk, and they are willing to
afford the uufOrtunates all possible re-
lief. But misplaced humanity IS often
real injury.
This column contained the account
OF Peter Rabeneau's appearance at
headquarters on Tuesday evening. In
making the arrest of the man. Officer
Van Dine had struck the man with MS
club. causing the blood 10 flow freely.
From the fact that this action OF the
policeman was directly characterized as
unwarranted and brutal, it was
deemed necessary that the circum-
stances OF the arrest be thoroughly
gone into at the trial. The respondent
also had reasons for believing that a
successful defense could be made
against the charge of drunk and dis
orderly, and so re demanded a Jury
and person named Allen. The
prosecution called 70 the stand
a large number OF witnesses, all
of whom testified positively that
tho respondent was very drunk,
and many swore 10 the disorderlv
are that Raheneau vas refused admit
tancc - Retmond's Opera House be-
cause be was drunk, and he became an
cry and profanc. officer Van Dine
vas called. and after leading MIN out
of the lobby. tired 20 direct his foot
steps homeward. lie WAS dlsincined
to run him in. because be was an old
soldier. Bat kabeneau pcrs sted IN de-
Tying al advice, and the officer con-
Guided 10 take him IN. On the way
down tauai-st.. Eabcueau became viC.-
Gus and struck ut the officer and refused
o. so. \ sutilc eusued, during which
R3hsneau was struck w'tn the baton.
end then h3nd-Cuffed. Mrs. Whlte. OF
go tfuai-st.. tcsGned that she saw the
scufilc. and t9at she did not consider
tire man very drunk, and heard from
h'm no Indecent language. She said
sad that tnc officer pounded him on
trc head 50 that 10 sounded
Ike pounding beef steak. she
s1r TIVE blows <. turned away her
head n horror. and hlart five blows.
'nar.es VI. scott. for the defense.
trUr gnt Rabcncau wasa lttlo drunk.
beard rw use hat Language. and saw
lw cHrCh the officer. saw Van Hus
STRIKE prisoner tw'Co. end Thought e
unnecessary ard brutal. The respond
ems took tire stand and denied ev,rv-
faing shat could possibly connect bfs
lps with alcohol HTc not ou.v had not
drunk drop. but belonged 20 " tbe
t,ood Temperance Soc ety. Whom the
case vas gwen to the iurv they were
conc Nut a short time ant returned
e-th a vt,riict ~ guilty. Sentence Viu
le prouoNnccd today.