Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-02-05
CRIMINAL CHARGES.
SENATE COMMITTEES ON FINANCE
AND COURTS WORKING TO RE-
DUCE THEM.
Ninc Bills Of This Character Presented
Convicts on the squarc-Tho Railroad
Bui-Psrson's Scheme, SC.

| Nine Bills Of This Character Presented
Convicts on the squarc-Tho Railroad
Bui-Psrson's Scheme, &c.
In the Senate yesterday morning Mr..
| Blackstone. chairman of the Committee
for Courts of Justice. presented the fol-
| lowing report bearing on one OF the most
| important subjects now engaging the at
tention Of the General Assembly:
RICHMOND, Va, February 4, 1890.
To he Sennfe:
| From time to time during the session
| resolutions have been adopted directing
| the Committee for Courts of Justice and
| the Committee On Finance and Banks TO
make certain inquiries and Investigations
| with view to eifecting by new legislation
| reduction of criminal charges, which
| during the last fiscal year amounted TO the
enormous sum of Ss278. 1889. Acting to-
| cether the two said committees created
! Joint subcommittee to take charge OF and
| consider the entire subject. 1hIs suD-com-
mittee carefully examined all OF said resolu-
! tIOns and also many suggestions coming
| from many sources and not embraced IN SAID
resolutions. As a result several changes OF
/ the existing statutes were agreed on as
proper to be recommended, and IL was also
agreed that the Committee for Courts of
Justice should undertake tho preparation
of the necessary bills. This has been done,
and this committee now has the honor TO
report the bills fled herewith. being nine
| in number. The committee believes that
| if these bills are enacted into law very
great reduction will be effected-probably
not less than Sl00,0 900 per annum."
The report and bills were ordered TO be
printed together, so that the entire SUBJ
ject may be considered at once.
ONLY TWELVE JURORS.
The first bill amends sections 3146 and
3147 Of the Code of Virginia. in relation to
juries. This provides that the ordinary
renire fdcids shall consist of twelve instead
or twenty jurors.
The next bill so amends the Code in rela-
ton TO payment of fees to officers out OF
the Treasury in criminal cases as TO pro-
vide that no account shall be allowed or
paid for prosecutions of offences against
the ordinances of any city or town.
coMMoNwRALTH's-ATToR FEEs.
The third of the series of bills amends
section 1923 Of the Code of Virginia. in re-
lation to fees of attorneys for the Common
wealth. This measure provides that for
every case of felony prosecuted TO Judg-
ment this official shall receive $40; where
| there is an indictment for felony and the
PARTY is convicted of misdemeanor, only
80 shall be received. For misdemeanor
prosecutions the fee shall be So: but no
such fee shall be paid out of the Treasury
unless and until the Judge of the court
where the case was tried shall certify in big
opinion the same cannot be collected OF
the defendant by process OF law.
PAY OF GUARDS.
No. 4 amends section 1891 of tho Code of
Virginia, in relation to fees of sheriff, ser
geant, coroner, crier, or constable. 1hls
amendment provides that no person shall
be employed as q guard unless the Justices
certify that such guard could not be safely
dispensed with. Guards are to be paid 10
cents per day and cents for mileage.
The next in order amends the Code in
relation TO fees of jaier. The provision
here is that no payment shall be made ont
of the Treasury for receiving. keeping, and
supporting any prisoner committed TO 1aii
for a violation of the ordinance of any
city or town or who is in Jail under a
cnpids pro fine issued for failure to pay q
fine imposed for violation OF such ordi-
nances. -,
The next bill amends section 1898 OF the
Code of Virginia. in relation to fees of Off
GERS in gaming and certain other cases.
I.Ess GRAND JURORS.
The seventh bill amends sections 1876
9977. and 1884 of the Code of Virginia, IN
relation to grand juries. The number OF
grand Jurors to be summoned under this
bill will be twelve instead of twenty-four,
and seven members of a regular and five
of q special grand jury will have to concur
in an Indictment.
41O6. 4l07. and 4108 Of the Code, in relation
to the jurisdiction of justices. This bill
gives justices of the peace jurisdiction OF
all common-law misdemeanors.
The last bill requires lndges OF the conn
ty and corporation courts to set criminal
cases for trial.
The Railroad e commission Bill.
For some time the House Committee on
Roads have been considering the bill In
troduced by Mr.. Arnold, of Bedford, to
provide for three commissioners, who shall
have the control over railroad traffic IN the
State.
The provisions Of the measure are simi-
lar to the Georgia railroad-law.
The committee did not approve OF this
bill. and have reported as q substitute the
measure which passed the House at its last
session and was defeated in the Senate.
The object of this substitute is to make
State law to conform to the interstate COM
mcrce act.
The substitute was somewhat amended
bv the committee, the most important
feature of which is that there shall be one
commissioner instead of three, as the bill
provided when before the last House.
II Is understood that the friends of Mr..
Arnold's bill will urge its adoption in
place of the one reported when the latter
came up The bill presented by Mr.. Ar
mold, copy of which was presented IL the
Senate by Mr.. Yarrell, was prepared at the
instance of the Farmers Assembly and was
endorsed by that body before 1t was intro
duced.
Convicts on the Square.
The bill making an appropriation for the
hire of labor on the Capitol Square and 10
prevent convict labor thereon came mp IN
the Senate Yesterday on the question of
adopting tho amendment proposed by the
House striking out the body Of the bill
and converting it into such an amend
ment of the present law as to require one
of the Capitol police to take the seven con-
victs employed on the Square to and from
the penitentiary.
Mr.. Lovenstein, the patron of the
original bill, opposed tao amendment, saw
ing that il would entirely defeat the object
sought TO be accomplished. He had pro-
posed to abolish the convict labor, and
the House as q substitute wanted TO do
away with the guards.
The amendment was rejected ana MI.
Loyenstein so informed the House.
HOW IT WORKS.
From the patron of the bill Senator
Iovenstein) it is learned that there was
charged against the State in the year 1881,
including cost of gusrd. S1.724; in 1888,
Si,9ll.06: and in 1889 about 81, 200.
He further claims that the conviicts
can be hired out as other convictss
are, and that the revenue received
will amount to as much as 81 900,
which is appropriated by the Senate bill.