The herald., 1893-08-01
SEAMAN sCORCHES THE POLICE
The Police Justice Cites Facts
and Figures.
The Force Has Brought No Macs
Before His Court.
He Charges That Fallen women Arc
Treated Well by the Police while
the Poor and Friendless Have
No ohance-some Strong Talk.

osterday, containing an unjustifiable at
tack upon Justice Seaman of the police
court OF this city.
The article stated that the justice was
notorious for his leniency towards GRIM
inals Of the "mac," vagrant and disso-
lutte classes.
The article also stated that Deputy
District Attorney Davis moved to dis
miss two vagrancy cases, making use OF
words derogatory to the Justices meth
DDS Of procedure.
Deputy District Attorney Davis, in an
interview yesterday with HERALD re-
porter, denied using the words attribut-
cd to him.
Justice Seaman was seen by HERALD
reporter, and proved the accusations
against him to be without foundation,
the Justices criminal record showing an
entirely different state Of affairs.
Justice Seaman said:
"Mv attention was called this after
noon to tho article in the Times Of this
date. inspired, ~ Lhave good reason to
believe, by maliciously inclined police
officers Of this city, to the effect that
my department OF the police court ad-
ministers Justice too generously toward
Migrants and lewd women. While de-
light in being called humane judge,
yet there are portions OF the article 30
unjust and serious in their reflections,
that am prompted to reply.
Let me quote from the Times
article: ''During the current month
there appeared some 20 or %
persons Of the dive or mac class on
charges Of vagrancy."
The above statement 10 unquali6edly
false, 90. with the exception of some
alleged Chinese ''mscs" there has been
but one alleged mac" arraigned in my
court since have discharged the duties
OF police judge in this city.
II Deputy District Attorney Davis Ia
disappointed because he cannot convict
every defendant brought into my court,
20 much the worse for Mr.. Davis. 1t is
not the fret time Mr.. Davis has been
disappointed.
A short time ago George Carpenter
was arrested and brought into my court
on . charge of robbery. After prelimi-
nary examination discharged the de-
fendant, much to Mr.. Davis disappoint-
mont, and he was 80 positive of Carpen.
: ter's guilt that he had him re.arrested,
tried In the superior court considerably
to the county's expense, and after
careful trial the matter was submitted
TO the jury and q verdict of not guilty
returned in about 10 minutes.
cite this to show that Mr.. Davis
opinion does not always do to tie to.
q 1t is true that deal generously with
many persons brought into my court az
vagrants. For illustration: Two boys,
about Is and 20 years of age respect
lively, were brought into my court
charged with vagrancy, and their crime
contested In sleeping on top Of q pile Of
railway ties on Alameda street. They
had come to this city and were looking
for work and having but little money
. with which to buy food and procure
lodging, concluded to economize by max
ing their bed on the railroad ties. II
they had gone into box car or vacant
building they knew they would be ar
rested, 80 they concluded to try the shell
ter of the canopy of heaven only
but even here they were not permitted
to rest, - the vigilant police gathered
them in and charged them with vagran-5
cy: They were both discharged.
This 10 fair sample of the 27 mac va
article. However, when believe q de-
fendant charged with vagrancy is de-
serving of punishment have aimed to
impose upon him adequate and reasona-
BILE punishment. A vast majority OF
vagrants brought into my court are men
who are arrested for sleeping in box
cars. Others have been arrested for 90.
liciting aims, principally money.
Following 10 statement of the num-
Der Of vagrants, approximately, convict
ed in my court in July, and their several
sentences: July 1st, 2 vagrants, 10 days
each; 10th, 2, 20 days each, 1, 10 days;
11th. 8, 20 days each, 40 days, I15
dsys; 18th, 2, 10 days each; 14th, l,
30 days; 10Th, 2. 10 and 20 days; 18th,
5, 5 days each; .26th, l, 80 days; 28th,
2, 10 days each.
Besides these some vagrants were Civ
en- foaters, especially those found sleep
ing in box cars. There were also eight
or nine Chinansp srraisned for vagran-
cy. Two we're convicted and two ac-
Quilted. It was the acquittal of these
two alleged Chinese macs that caused
the remark Of the deputy district attor-
Judge McComss testified that he had
seen one Of them laboring in laundry
6 Santa Monica, and the other was
proven to be cigar dealer in China
town.
Aside from the Cinnamon, Tom Ward
IL the only alleged mac" that has been
before my court charged with vagrancy.
Ward. % many will recollect. was ar
rested and tried for homicide, resulting
from the death Of ex-Policemsn Ricken-
bach. When the complaint against
Ward WAS dismissed on motion Of DIG
trict Attorney Dillon, Ward had hardly
got out of the shadow of the police sta
-tion when he was arrested "a Z vagrant
and alleged ''mac."
When tried, the evidence showed that
he was real estate agent, but 35 days
from Oregon, and had in his possession
two commissions from the governor of
that state commissioning him notary
public-one commission had expired
and the other was unexpired. found
him not guilty.
The result caused . mad howl to ss-
/ cend from the police department, not
because the officers really thought Ward
avagvant, but because Rickenbach died
from ovsr-exertion resulting from COM
bat between the two. When the police
men fail to swear man into prison
under any other charge, they resort to
the vagranoy act in hopes OF railroad
Ing" (excuse the slang) the defendant
into jail.
Az to the favors shown to lewd women
ln my court, here 10 an illustration: