Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-01
THE POLICE COURT BUILDING.
Court Held There Today-Judge Mill
Makes Some Remarks.

Court Held There Today-Judge Miller
Makes Some Remarks.
mo smoking in the court room at any time
Is one OF Judge Millers new rules which will
be rigidly enforced in the new court building.
1t was in this new temple of justice that Judge
Miller held court today.
The building has undergone a complete
change during the past few weeks and the
prisoners who have been appearing at regular
intervals for years past felt proud to see that
they nov had respectable looking place to be
tried in.
The cells room not yet being ready for oc-
cupancy the prisoners, twenty-five in number,
were seated on benches behind a rail and iron
network that separates one part of the room
from the other.
Among the prisoners were five colored and
two white women, who were given seat in the
rear, where they could not be seen easily by
the spectators and witnesses. Bailiffs Kendig
and Hooe and Policeman Madiean paced the
ioor near the prisoners to see that none of
them escaped and to answer questions pro-
pounded by lawyers and others seeking in
formation.
THE PRISONERS DOCK.
The prisoners dock and witness stand are
within foot Of each other, so that every
prisoner. unless he is deaf can hear every
word that is said against him. The iron net
work already mentioned is the dividing line
between the witnesses and spectators. and when
the cells are ready for occupancy the prison
ers will be out of sight.
Directly in front and to the side Of the
Judge bench Is a place set apart for members
OF the bar, but this morning before the court
met such persons were scarce in this enclosure.
for while they remained III that portion they
could not solicit custom and clients would
therefore be scarce. Some of the attorneys
paced the floor in front of the cage-like grating
and looked through at the prisoners with a
wishfnl e;e. But they dared not call I'm a
lawyer OF ask DO you want me?'' for then
they would violate a rule of court which pre-
vents 'capping" and thereby render them
selves liable to punishment for contempt.
When the members Of the bar wanted to
converse with prisoners they had to write
their names OH slip Of paper and hand it to
the ballih, 80 that there could be no picking up
Of clients from the dock by simply hearing a
portion Of one Of the victims names.
JUDGE MILLER ANNOUNCES Ills RULES.
When court opened at &c o'clock Judge Mil
Ter proceeded TO announce his rules concerning
the new court. and explained where persons
having business before the conr, are to go. The
judge said that ordinarily the court will .on-
vene at abou. 8:i5 o'clock by which time the
informations should all be sworn to. land"
said the judge. IF police officers do not ap-
pear In time to have their informations
made out and sworn to, then il they are de-
tanned after L o'clock, it is their own fault"
Then the judge spoke of the rights of the
prisoners and lawyers. Nothing. he said will
operate aga..st either counsel or client. Re-
ferring to the lawyers the judge said: Amy
lawyer who has any respect for himself knows
that his place is inside the bar. and that he
ought not to be rambling about the building
among the witnesses. Snch conduct not onlv
tends to degrade the profession which it's
members are sworn to uphold, but also de-
grades the person to the extent that he is unfit
to practice among gentlemen"
The judge concluded by saying he intended
to have the courts rules enforced SO that the
business can be transacted not only to the credit
Of the court but also with view to doing so
with some regard for the rights of citizens and
to get the officers back on their beats as early
as possible.
THE FIRST CASE TRIED.
The prisoners then started up for trial. The
first one to enter the new dock was red-haired
man named Timothy Hurley. He hangs out in
South Washington and Policeman Herbert said
that he was usually under the influence of
liquor and is always ready to warn law breakers
OF the approach OF policemen. A sentence Of
sixty days was imposed.