Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-02
THE roLIcE COURT BILL.
1t Has Passed the House and Now Awaits
Presidential Action.

Presidential Action.
! TWO orHKI BILLS OF LOCAL INTEREST WEIR
ALSO FAvoRABLY ACTED UPON sArURDAY-rHI
NORFOLK AND WESTERN RAILROAD ELL Axr
TIE ASrr-PooL SELLING MEASURE.
The House on Saturday evening devoted
some little time TO District business, not through
giving any time to the consideration of District
affairs. but because certain measures either
came from conference committees or were on
the Speakers table and in order to clear that
mythical piece Of furniture had to be passed.
| Mr.. Caswell presented the conference re-
port on the Police Court bill and it was passed
after he had explained that the only points OF
difference between the two houses had been OF
minor nature and related chiefly to typo
graphical errors. Providing the President adds
his signature, of which there is thought to be
no doubt, the new fct will provide that: The
Police Court of the District of Columbia shall
have original Jurisdiction, concurrently with
| the Supreme Court of the District, of all crimes
and offcnses hereafter committed against the
United States. not capital or otherwise in
| famous. and not punishable by imprisonment
| III penitentiary. committed within the Dis
trict Of Columbia, except libel: conspiracy and
violations of the post Office and pension laws of
the United States; and also Of all offenses here
after committed against the laws. ordinances
and regulations of the District of Columbia. and
shall have power to examine and commit or
hold to bail. either for trial or further exami-
nation. in all cases, whether cogn liable therein
or in the Supreme Court of the District of
Columbia.
Prosecutions in the Police Court shall be on
information by the proper prosecuting officer
In all prosecutions within the Jurisdiction of
said court in which, according to the Constitu-
ton OK the United States. the accused would be
entitled to jury trial the trial shall be by Jury
And also in all prosecutions in which such per
sons would not be by force of the Constitution
OF the United States entitled to trial by jury
but Ill which he fine or penalty may be $50 or
more or imprisonment for thirty days or more
the trial shall be by jury. unless the accused
shnli. In open court, expressly waive such trial
by jury and consent to a trial by the Judge. in
which case the trial shall be BY such Judge and
the judgment and sentence shall have the same
force and effect in all respects as if the same
had been entered and pronounced on the YER
dict OF q jury.
The jury for service in said court shall con-
slst of twelve men, who shall possess the legal
quail hcations necessary for jurors in the SUI
preme Court of the District of Colum bia and
such jurors shall he drawn and selected under
the laws concerning the drawing and selection
of jurors for service in said Supreme Court
The term of service of jurors drawn for service
in said Police Court shall be for three success
siye monthly terms of said court and. in any
| case on trial at the expiration of such time
until q verdict shall have been rendered or the
| jury shall be discharged. The said iury terms
shall begin on the first Monday in January.
the first Monday in April, the first Monday in
July and the first Monday in October of each
year. and shall terminate. subject to the fore
going provisions. on the last Saturday of each
of said jury terms; and section S07 of the Re-
vised Statutes, relating to the District of CO.
lnmbia. is h""eby made applicable to and shall
be in force in respect of said Police Court. At
least ten days before tile terms of service of
said jurors shall begin, AS in this act pro-
vided, such jurors shall be drawn in .he
manner In This act provided for. and at least
twsnty-slX names so drawn shall be certified bv
the clerk of said supreme Court to the said Po-
lice Conrt for service rs jurors for the then en-
suing jury term Deficiencies in any PANEL of
any such jury may he filed according 20 the
law applicable to jurors in said Supreme Court
and for this purpose the said police judge shall
possess all the powers of II judge of the Supreme
Court of said District ard of said court sitting
in special term. No person shall be eligible for
service on II jury iii said Police Court tor more
than one jury term In any period of twelve
consecutive months. but no verdict shall be Sc.
aside on such ground unless objection shall be
made before the trial begins. Service in said
jury shall not render any person serving
exempt. ineligible or disqualified for service us
a juror in said Supreme Court except during
his term of actual service in AID Police Court.
The marshal of said District, by himself or
deputy, shall have charge of said jury and
for that purpose lie is hereby authorized to ap-
point an additional deputy, who shall be paid
S3 per day while SO employed.
In ali cases tried before laid court the iudp-
ment of the court shall be final. EXCEPT as
hereinafter provided. IT, upon the trial of any
such cause an exception be taken by or on
behalf of any defendant to any ruling or in
struction of the court upon matter of law the
same shall be reduced to writing and stated in
a bill OF exceptions with so much of the evil
dence as may be material to the question or
questions raised, which said bill of exceptions
shall be settled and signed by the Judge: and
H. upon presentation to any justice of the
Supreme Court of the District of Columbia OF a
verified petition setting forth the matter OF
matters so excepted to. such justice shall be of
opinion that the same ought to be reviewed lie
may allow writ Of error in the cause, which
shall issue out Of the said Supreme Court atl-
dressed to the judge of the Police Court who
shall forthwith send up the information filed
III the cause and a transcript of the record
therein, certified under the seal of SAID court,
10 said Supreme Court III general term for re-
view and such action the law NAV require
Any defendant desiring the benefit of the pro-
visions of this section shall give notice
in open court Of his intention to
apply for a writ Of error upon such exceptions,
ard thereupon proceedings therein shall be
stayed for ten days. provided the defendant
shall then and there enter into recoynizanco
with sufficient surety. 10 be approved by the
ju lge of the Police Court, conditioned that in
the event Of ..eria. OF his application for writ
OF error he will, Within five days next after the
expiration of said ten DAYS. appear in said Po-
lice Court and abide by and perform its iudc-
IL emit. and that in the event OF the granting of
such writ of error he viii appear in said Su-
preme Court of the District of Columbia and
prosecute the writ OF error and abide by and
perform its judgment in the premises Upon
failure of any defendant to enter into the rec
ognizance provided for in this section the SEN
tence OF the Police Court shall stand and be
executed pending proceedings upon his appli-
cation FOR "a writ OF error and until the final
disposition thereof b. the said Supreme Court
If any such recogniZance shall be forfeited
| the Police Court shall have power on motion
of the prosecuting officer, to issue execution
| thereon for the amount Of such recognizance
| against the recognlzors, or any of them. But
said Police Court shall have power, on applica-
| ton made by the recogniZors. or any Of Them
| at any time before the final execution of such
| writ, TO remit such amoulit of any such recog-
nzance az he shall deem to be Just but not be-
| low the amount of any fine imposed and all the
| costs Of the proceedings.
| The President is authorized to appoint by
| and with the advice and consent of the Senate,
\ an additional judge of the Police Court of the
| District OF Columbia, learned in the law who
shall receive salary Of $1,000 per annum, to be
| paid in the same manner as now provided by
| law for payment of the judge OF said court.
The judge so appointed shall have and exercise
all the powers possessed by the Judge of SAID
court as is or may be provided by law in COM
mon with said existing judge, and the business
- No. h., = n