The morning call., 1893-05-12
IN SHARK ALLEY
Alfred Clarke Talks of It's
" BI0odhounds."
A Comical Screed Against Allowing
Special Counsel to Assist Prose-
cutting Attorneys.

Counselor Alfred Clarke filed one of his
characteristic illusions with the Board Of
Supervisors yesterday. in which he ami
madverts against the Police Court system
Of allowing special prosecutors TO do the
work of paid Prosecuting Attorneys in
order that private motives of spite and re-
venge might be effected.
He tells the story OF his client, Joseph
Cunningham OF 227 Douglass street, and
ma kes him speak of his wrongs as fol-
lows:
Il respectfully complain of persecution
under color of law, and which you have
power to prevent.
Il am peaceful man. and for four years
past have lived with my aunt as her corr
panion and protector at 227 Douglass
street. Our industry is raising chickens
and geese. and we are as harmless as the
birds we raise. We are poor and have a
very prosperous nelghbor, who sometimes
gets cut of temper.
ION April 10, 1898, he got warrant for
battery for me with bail at 5000. Me and
my aunt besought and got a neighbor to
give bail, and the Chief of Police was good
enough to defer the service until IA bond
could be procured
This very slight Indulgence inhamed
Lle anger Ol INC pTUSeCulUIs anu ne HtIeu Il
Police Court practitioner to push and force
the case.
THE result was that the Chief and off,
Gals were pestered by the clamoTs which
were renewed every ten minutes for my
arrest We offered n bond Tor 5000 TO the
Police Judge On April IL. 1898. but tn at
luminary raised his negative when in
formed that | was not in actual custody.
The hired prosecutor had all day of
April II to get in his work, and his in
dustry is proved by the annoyance which
the Chief received.
ION April u we presented our body in
the shadow Of the old hall. and cash bail
was deposited. About April % our neigh
Dor had another bad spell. and he got out
warrant for threats, bail $500. and dis
turning the peace, bail 500. He took care
that the warrants did not go to the Chief,
and we soon had handouts on and a club
to our nose, which greatly pleased our
neighbor, although it was entirely unnec-
esSary.
I'VE were kept at the Seyenteenth-street
station fora time and then sent to the old
CIty Hail, where we were released on bail.
Our friend needed his $780, so he sur
rendered us on April 2S in open court. so
as TO draw the money. We were promptly
hustled into the great Gstrich-cage there
situate.
The foresight of our prosecutor had
provided a very black man, who was then
in custody, and the burly bailff promptly
cuEed me 10 the darky, and we started
IN procession TO the dungeons. Our re-
mOnstrance against the Handwriting met
with no favor from the magistrate, W he
saw 1t all and smiled approval.
"A Roman citizen could not be chained
but clvis ROmanus sum don't 60 in the
old bail when the special prosecutor gets in
his deadly work.
Our prosecutor hired Counselor Mo-
gan, and lie earned mis- money well. He
rushed our case in the Superior Court and
IN the Police Court, aud succeeded in hav-
ing US tanked again on May S in default Of
$500 bail, which is most immoderate and
unreasonable.
The particular wrong of which COM
plain Is the admission of hired blood
hounds to supplant the regular officers OF
the law, even in petty cases.
he prosecuting officers chosen by the
people are uuder oath faithfully to dis
charge their duties. They are not the
servants or slaves of vindictive and
malicious prosecutors. This remoustrant
helps 10 pay their salaries, and they should
not allow the hired bloodhouads of Shark
alley to usurD their chairs of Office
we respectfully ask the passage of a
resolution inslructing the Prosecuting At
torney OF the P0lire Court to give per-
sonal attention TO oar case and to dismiss
Counselor Mogan from the case"