The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-02-19
NO MORE POLICE COURT.
The FreehoIders Agree That the City
Justice Can do the Work.
What the Board of Health May do
Under the Proposed New
Charter.

last night. Mr.. Weinstock presided in
the absence of Mr.. Green, and there were
present Freeholders Smith, Roberts,
Hall, Johnson, Hubbard, Knox, White,
Simmons and LaRue.
The Judicial Department report was
first taken up for consideration. Section
provides as follows: ''All the powers,
jurisdiction and authority which, prior
to the adoption of this charter, have been
exercised by the Police Judge and the
Police Court of the City of Sacramento,
or either of them, shall hereafter be vested
in and exercised by
THE CITY JUSTICE
OF the Peace, or if there be more than one
such City Justice, then by the one to be
designated by the Mayor; and it is hereby
made the duty Of said City Justice, in adj
clifton TO the duties otherwise required of
him by law, to hold a Police Court in
said city. Said City Justice and the court
so held by him shall have, in addition to
the civil jurisdiction conferred by law
upon Justices Courts, jurisdiction of the
following public otfenses committed
within the city, and which shall be pre-
scented IN the name Of the people OF the
State of California:
Petit larceny; assault or battery not
charged TO have been committed upon
public officer in the discharge of his du-
lies, or TO have been committed with such
intent as to render the same felony;
breaches of the peace, riots, routs, atfrays,
committing wrongful injury to prop
erty, and ali misdemeanors punishable
10y fine not exceeding five hundred dol
lars, or Imprisonment not exceeding six
months, or by both such fine and inn
Irlsonment; of all proceedings for the vi
Clation of any ordinance of the city, or of
sny provision of this charter: the exam
ination of-persons charged with the COM
uniting of any Otfense to be prosecuted by
indictment or information; such other
criminal jurisdiction as is, or may here
ffter be, conferred by law upon Police
Courts, Justices Courts or Justices Of the
J'eace; and in the exercise Of his juriSdic-
ton he may punish persons guilty of con-
tempt OF court, and may issue warrants
of arrest, subpenas, venires, writs, exc
Cutions, attachments and all other pro-
cesseS necessary and proper"
WHY No POLICE JUDGE.
Mr.. Smith wanted to know why the
police business should be handled by
justice rather than a Police Judge.
Mr.. White explained that under the
Constitution of the State the Freeholders
could not establish new court. The
supreme Court had already decided this
point. There was no general law pro-
Niding for the establishment Of Police
Courts in cities of the size of Sacramento,
and the Legislature would have to be
appealed to.
The section was adopted as it stood.
Section 2, providing that in case of alb
sence of the City Justice, the Mayor may
summon any other Justice in the county;
Section 3, providing for clerk of the
said court; Section 4, providing for con-
tInuous sessions of the court; Section B.
providing that the said court shall be a
court OF record; Section g, giving the
Justice power to sentence offenders to
imprisonment in the County Jail and to
labor in the chaingang; Section Z. giving
linn power to send offending minors to
the Preston and Whittier Reform
tory Schools; Section s, providing
nat the City Justices Court
shall be considered as a regular
Justice Court whenever necessary
ID conduct business coming before it as
such court; Section 9, providing that ac-
tions commenced before the adoption of
the new charter may be continued in the
City Justices Court; and Section 10, pro-
iding that the Justice presiding over the
Police Court shall not have any salary in
addition to that allowed by law for his
services, were all adopted without amend
Inent
Mr.. White offered new section. pro-
Viding that any Acts authorizing the APP
Tointment of aClerk of the Police Court
shall not apply to the city of Sacramento
after the adoption OF the new charter
FIR. White explained that the proposed
rev charter already provided for the an
Iointment of a Clerk, and his object was
ID do away with the one provided for by
the Legislature. 1t would prevent COM
plications.
The new section was adopted.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
The Health Department report was
next taken up. The first section pro-
xides that there shall be q Health Do
Hoard of Health. Said board shall con-
sist of five members, who shall be ap-
pointed by the Mayor. The President of
the Board of Trustees shall be exofficio
the President of the Board of Health, but
without the right to vote except in case
CT tie, when he shall have the right to
vote. Each member shall be a duly IL
Censed physician in accordance with the
laws of the State and qualified elector
end taxpayer OF the city for not less than
two years. Those first appointed shall so
classify themselves by lot that one shall
go out of office at the end of one year,
enc at the end of two years, one at the
end of three years, and one at the end of
four years. They shall receive no COM
pensation for their services, and their
term Of Office shall be four years.
NOT ACTUAL PRACTITIONERS.
An amendment was offered making
the term of office of the members of the
IL
enc shall go out each year, but the
amendment was voted down. An
ether amendment to this section, propos-
ing that members of the Board of Health
must be physicians actually practicing
their profession, was also voted down.
Section of the report provides that all
meetings of the board shall be public
sud was adopted without amendment.
Section 3, as adopted, provides that the
Board of Health shall have supervision
Of all matters appertaining to the sanitary
condition of said city and public institu-
tions thereof, and full powers are hereby
given to said board over all questions OF
foul or defective drainage, and of the dis
infection and sanitary cleaning of streets,
alleys, cellars, cesspools, sewers or nui-
sances of any description, and of low
places within the city limits calculated to
receive and retain unhealthy deposits
SANITARY PRECAUTIONS.
Section was adopted, as follows:
'The Board of Health shall exercise a
general supervision over and be the GUS
todian of all the death and cemetery rec
Crds now belonging to the city, aud they
shall cause to be kept in books, prepared
tor the purpose, complete records of ali
deaths, interments in the City Cemetery,
end births occurring in said city. They
shall adopt such forms and regulations
Tor the use Of physicians, undertakers
and superintendents of cemeteries as in
their judgment may be best calculated to
secure reliable, vital and mortality sta
tistics in said city, and prevent the spread
Of contagious and infectious disease.
they shall have power TO prevent or for
bid communication with infected families
or houses, and by the consent of the
mayor may establish a pest-house and
TrOvi1e he necessary attendants and sun