Los Angeles herald., 1891-02-19

70 tne nret day OF september, 1859, ana
yet those four men did all the work in
the criminal department of the superior
courts and in the township and justices
courts of Los Angeles city.
The criminal business, like all other
business, has greatly decreased since
then. In 1889 Mr.. Kelly filed in the
superior court 258 indictments and in
formations, while in 1890 he filed only
l63, which shows great falling OFT in
criminal business. Since Mr.. McLachlan
went into Office there have been, up to
date, ten cases tried in the two criminal
departments Of the superior court, all OF
which have been short cases. Now it
will not be denied that one court, one
panel of jurors and one district attorney
could have tried those cases without
being overworked. From September,
1880, until the close Of his term of Office,
Mr.. Kelly had one assistant and four
deputies.
Mr.. Kelly did not pretend to try cases
in any Of the courts, although on two or
three occasions he got in and bothered the
man who prosecuted. Mr.. Kelly's most
arduous duties consisted in drawing his
salary on the first Monday in each
month, so that all the work done in the
Office for the first eight months of his
term was done by four men, and for the
remainder of the term it was done by
five. During Mr.. Kelly's time one Of
his deputies was designated to attend to
the civil business of the county, but as
he did not know enough to fill out a
blank summons in an action to collect a
plain promissory note, it was thought he
would make good legal adviser for the
board OF supervisors and was accord
ingly assigned by Mr.. Kelly to that duty,
and Messrs. Houghton, Silent & Camp
bell were retained by the supervisors to
look out for the civil suits in which the
county is interested.
At this time there are at least two
more departments of the superior court
than are needed to transact the business
coming before the courts. The whole
state of Massachusetts has but eight
courts to transact the same class of busi-
ness that is transacted by the superior
courts OF Los Angeles county.
One department of the superior court
could easily transact all the criminal
business of which that court has juris-
diction. The police courts of Los Angeles
city, and all other cities of thirty thou
sand or more inhabitants, should have
exclusive jurisdiction to try and punish
all misdemeanors, even where the same
are punishable by imprisonment in the
state prison. Why should the double
expense OF an examination and trial
be had when one hearing could end the
case?
The police courts now nominally have
exclusive jurisdiction of all misdemean-
ors committed within the city limits,
and all fines collected in the police
courts are paid into the city treasury for
the exclusive use of the city. Why
should there be two sets of prose-
cutting officers in the police court, as at
the present time, one set to prosecute
statutory crimes, the other set for the
prosecution of violations of the city or
dinances? If the change here suggest
ed were made the force in the district
attorneys Office could be cut down one
hall and any competent district attorney
could easily attend to the civil suits Of
the county, and have ample time to ad-
wise the board Of supervisors; that is if
he is to do anything for his
five Thousand dollars per annum. A
competent assistant district attorney
could in the way OF recreation, advise
outside township officials, draw informa-
tions and indictments, attend upon the
grand jury when that body is in session,
and keep the books of the Office; one
competent deputy district attorney
could easily try all the criminal cases in
the superior court, and one competent
deputy district attorney could attend to
preliminary examinations and render
assistance to his associates. Of course
all the, above officers must be competent
and able to 90 into any court and try any
kind Of case, and not taken into the
OF learning the first principles OF law.