Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-09
NE NEEDS ASSISTANCE.
The Large Number OF Cases Falling
on the Assistant District Attorney

The Large Number OF Cases Falling
ON the Assistant District Attorney
Mr.. James J.. Pugh. jr., special assistant at
torney for the District OF Columbia, who prose-
cutes cases in the Police Court. gives sonse i'm
teresting figures concerning the work Of the
Police Court last year. and gives a comparative
statement showing the increase in the work
during recent wears.
The report Of the last fiscal wear shows that
there were Is, LOG cases Of alleged violation OF
the District ordinances disposed Of in court,
the offenses charged being follows:
Aiding and abetting in sale Of liquor, q
bathing IN Potomac. 20; building fire in the
street, 8: concealed weapons, Z; cruelty 10
animals SOS; destroying private propery, 177;
destroying public property, 81: disorderly
assembly, 6.s46; failure TO pay license tai "a;
failure to remove snow, 81; fast driving.
l4l; indecent exposure $50; Keeping
bar open after hours. s; nuisance, IS;
occupying public space for private purposes. 10;
PLAYING ball in street. %: profanity. 1889; re-
fusing to pay hack hire. "a: selling liquor to
minors IL; Sunday bar. l4l; throwing missiles.
f5e: trespass on park. IS; unlicensed bar. 100;
unlicensed cattle brokers. IL: unlicensed coal
dealer, i; unlicensed entertainments %; anil
censed hotels, Z: unlicensed intelligence Office Ii
unlicensed junk dealers. q; unlicensed hauor
dealers. ~ unlicensed livery stables, le: anli-
censed pawnbrokers, 2; unlicensed peddlers, 6;
estate agents, &c; unlicensed restaurants. %:
unlicensed shooting gallery, I; vagrancy, 2 1851
violations OF act of July 90 1892 CmisceIaneousl.
~; violating building regulations. 2es;
violating civil rights law. L; violating District
ordinances (miscellsneous). &c: violating hack
law, so; violating health ordinances, "a; viols.-
ing plumbing regulations, q: violating police
regulations, LOSS: wasting Potomac water, So
The total amount OF fines collected dining
the fiscal year was s44.l5L4s.
Large Increase.
81 desire also to call your attention 10 the
enormous increase OF business in the Pslics
Court" says the attorney.
Prom the LIST day Of January, 1876, 10 the
10th day Of May. 1855, period of nearly twelve
and half years. there were tried 6e .0e5 cases
in which the District OF Columbia was COM
plainant Between that date MAY l6, Isss.
and the S0th Of June. 1893, period Of shous
i've years, there have been tried 5Tel7
cases in which the District Of Colupbis
WAS complainant, which shows that for the
period Of the last Eve years the special assistant
district attorney has been required to prepare
and try only g. l4s cases less than in the preeed-
ing period of twelve and one-half years And
it appears from the following table that this in
crease is Of steady and constant growth.
Number of cases tried for the fiscal years was
as follows: District cases-lsso, 10, 646; 1891,
l2.445; 1892, 1867; 1888, Is. log. Total four
years, 81 .S54. United States cases--ls90 S, 1o1:
1881, 5,l47; 1892, 1855; 1888, s,3S7. Total,
2o,721.
Needs Assistance.
"Bya comparison OF the foregoing statement"
continues Mr.. PuRh. lit appears that the special
attorney for the District Of Columbia has been
required to prepare and try Bliss more csses
In the past four years than the assistant attorney
for the United States in the Police Court,
and moreover the assistant United States st-
torney In the Police Court is provided with
clerical assistance in the preparation of his
cases, while the immense amount OF labor inci-
dent TO the preparation OF cases in which the
District OF Columbia ID complainant devoIves
entirely upon the special assistant attorney.
The act Of March 8. 1881. creating Jury
trials in the Police Court has also ended grestly
- increase the work required Of the special
assistant attorney. and more especially is This
the case since the passage Of the act Of March 8,
1883. Regulating the sale Of Intoxicating iqaor
In the District OF Columbia, as owing to the
severe penalties under this act, nesrly
every one charged with violation OF it's pro-
visions demands trial by jury. And in osn-
clusion, permit me TO say, the increase shown
by this report necessitated the appointment Of
two additional clerks while your special
assistant attorney received no more assistahce
that when called upon in 1876. 10 prepare snd
try only 4,4s6 cases, which. as you are aware,
was none"