Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-08-06
ELEVEN READY
WORK OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON
REDUCTION OF CRIMINAL EXPENSES.
Changes to He Recommended Which II IL
Thought Will Save the state Many
Thousands Of Dollars.

The special Senate Committe on the Re-
dnction Of Criminal Expenses met yester-
day at the Capitol.
There were present Senators Moore Of
Fairfax. Jones of Highland. and Little of
Fredericksburg. \ telegram was received
from Chairman Blackstone, of Accomac.
stating that he was detained at Old Point
by sickness. but hoped to reach the city
later in the Gay. He arrived In tho after
noon.
The House committee on the same sub
ject had been invited to be present, but
none OF them attended.
Ihis was the third sitting of the Senate
committee, whose task has been quite
laborious. All of those composing it are
lawyers Of ability, and the successful
completion Of their laborious duties will
no doubt be sanctioned by the next Gene
raj Assembly.
ELEVEN BILLS PREPARED.
As practical result of It's labors tho
committee has prepared eleven bills to be
submitted 1T the next session of the Legis-
lature, to be accompanied by an eNplana-
tory report. The most important Of these,
which II is calculated will effect the largest
saving, and the one which required great
| II
constitutional prohibitions. amends sec
tons 4l06, lIO7, and 4l08 OF the Code in
relation TO the jurisdiction of justices of
the peace. 1t gives 10 magistrates
and police justices exclusive juris-
diction III all common-law misdemeanors.
with q right in certain cases 20
the accused 10 have removal
TO the Corporation or County Court before
trial and allowing appeals from decisions
rendered. This Will do away with all in
dictmeuts for misdemeanors, and will re-
leye the trial courts OF great deal OF
criminal business. In the drawing OF the
bill special care was taken 20 avoid the
constitutional objections adrerted IN the
cases Of Callnn rs. Wilson, decided recent
ly in the United States Supreme Court and
cf-p1rfe MARX in which decision WAS late
ly rendered in the Supreme Court Of Viz
ginia.
SEND FOR CoNyICTs.
The second bill amends the Code so rs
to require the Superintendent of the Peni-
tent;ary TO send after conyiots in the va
nous counties, instead OF the shenIls
bringing them in as at present.
1t is estimated that this VII effect n
eaying Of rs per cent. The basis Of this
calculation Is information furnished by
the Eastern and Western Lunatic Asylums
in response to the requests of the COM
nittec. These figures show that III lsSi-'S5
zG5 patients were taken TO the Western
Asylum by State officers at q cost OF
t3,3s7 .i6, while in isS9-'90 2i5 lunatics were
sent for by the asylum authorities and
conveyed to the asylum fer Sl,09l.i0.
In the fiscal year lsS0-'sl the conveyance
Of convicts cost the State s3,59z and in
lSSS-e9 the expense was $1,000.
LIMITING vESrRKs.
Bill No. amends section 1919 of the
Code in regard to the summoning OF yenire-
men in felony cases, but does not destroy
| the discretion of the Court TO have sum
moned more than two iuries when deemed
necessary, but when such IS dope the fact
with the judges reason for 80 doing must
be entered on the record and copy of the
order must be forwarded Dy the CLERK IN
his annual report to the State Auditor.
| In JSs0-'sl juries were paid over S2s. 900
in 1898 49, so, $50 was expended tor the
same purpose.
NAY WAIVE JURY.
The next bill gives to the accused in all
criminal cases the right to waive jury
and be tried BIZ the Judge, who is to be
authorized 10 render such judgment as
would DO embraced in the verdict of q
jury.
The committee. in framing this bill gave
careful consideration to tho Mays case re-
ported in 81 Virginia, in which the PRISON
er who waived jury at the time of tria
was released on a hdbeds corpus after he
had been sent to the penltentiary.
cosrMoNwRALTH's ATTORNEYS FEES.
An amendment TO section S52s OF The
Code is contained in the next bill. This
allows the Commonwealth attorney fet
II ten dollars in each felony case and tvC
dollars for a misie.neanOr, where the trla
| is prosecuted to u verdict and judgment
for the Commonwealth, to be charged
only once in each case. Where felony
indictment results in CONVICTION for mis-
demeauor only five dollars Is allowed.
Another bill amends tho section of Tho
Code relating to fees of sherifs and con
stables in arrestins and carrying prisoner:
10 jail.
WITNESS FEES ABOLISHED.
Section $3.50 OF tho Codo is so amended
! in the next bill as 70 provide that no fees
shall be allowed witnesses for the Com
monwealth for their attendance at police
or magistrates courts.
Another bill proposes TO amend sector
| $3.50 of the Code. making tho pay and mile
age of grand Jurors and witnesses before
| Grand lurieS payable ont OF the county
end corporation treasures instead OF iron
| the State treasury.
VALUABLE ASSISTANCE.
The committee collected great deal o.
| valuable information. which will be sub
mitted III its report. showing the methods
| that obtain in other States. In this the'
we're greatly assisted by Mr. s. l.. Bloom
berg. their clerk, who had compiled foi
their use a synopsis of the laws govern
ing criminal expenses IN the States o.
Massachusetts, Maryland, Georgia, dis
| souri,, and California.
They also had the benefit Of valuable
comparative statements of criminal ex
pcnses for the fiscal years l5S0-'sl .anC
| lSssiS9 This was compiled by Mrs
Bagby, clerk of the House Committee or
| the same subject, and vote of thanks wa
| rendered her by the senators for the nea
| and succinct manner in which the very
| tedious and laborious WORK was per
| formed.
COMPARATIVE STATEMENTS.
The criminal expenses of the state 70
| the fiscal years ending September 80. 1851
| and September 30, 1889. are as follows;
A