The morning call., 1894-03-11
Police Court Bonds in
Question.
ONE JUDGE TAKES ACTION.
He Orders a Defendant Into
Custody.
TWO VERY USEFUL SURETIEs.
They Go Bail for Many Prisoners,
but Fail TO Prove Their Worldly
POSSeSsiO

The usual election year crop of straw
bonds is springing up with a rank growth.
At least the police say so, and straw of
this character is a familiar vegetation to
them.
Police Judge Conlan yesterday found
fault with one bond, and expressed the de-
termiD alton to look very closely hereafter
into all papers of this character accepted
in his court. The case in which be took
action was that of Isaac Vogel, at
rested few days ago by Officers Dillon
and Crockett on a charge of vagrancy.
VOgel is a well-known character in police
circles. and has been repeatedly arrested
for offenses of varying degrees. He was
admitted to bail In the sum of $500 by
Clerk Gavigan of Police Court 1, and the
case was then transferred to Judge Con-
lan's court That official was not satisfied
with the bondsmen, John l.. Wchman.
saloon keeper. and S. jacobson of 124
OFarrell street. For that reason, and
also because Judge Conlan thinks that the
bond should have been In the sum of $500,
the defendant was ordered into custody.
There is also considerable question as to
the financial standing of Robert Spear
and Harry A. Hayward. who have re-
Gently qualified on a large number of
bonds in the Police courts. Spear
is the keeper of grocery store
at 40 Francisco street and Hay
ward has saloon, so the bonds
set forth, at Bay street. This would
probably enable them to qualify properly
on small bonds, but in order to become
responsible for the safe return into court
of large number of prisoners released
on high bail they would have to show that
they were possessed of more property
hon n nd q oil
Several days ago James Cantin, John
Watson, Thomas Brady and Abe Goldberg
were arrested by Detectives COffey and
Dawes. They are believed TO be bunkO-
strerers but we're charged with vagrancy
in default of specific offenSes.
They were taken into Police Court and
Clerk Gavigan fixed their bail at $500.
They at once secured bondsmen in the
persons of Spear and Hayward, each of
whom qualified in the sum of $500 in each
case.
Adam Stroh. notorious burglar and
pickpOcket, who once broke Jail and es-
capped from the old City Prison, was also
arrested and released by Judge Low on
bond upon which both Spear and Hay
ward qualified in the sum of $500.
The repeated appearance of the names
OF these two men on bail bonds gave rise
to discussion and yesterday an effort was
made to ascertain whether the property
described in the bonds as belonging to the
bondsmen was really theirs.
On some of the bonds Spear swore that
he owned piece of land fronting 100 feet
on Kearny street ana 80 feet on Francisco
street, ard located on the northeast cor
ner.
An inspection of the blockbook in the
lax Collectors Office showed that the
northeast corner of Kearny aad Fran
cisco streets was in the bay. The prop-
erty on the other three corners was in the
Ofbar In
ward swore that he owned a lot at the
corner OF Chestnut and Stockton streets.
The blockb0ok showed that all four
corners at the intersections of those streets
were owned by other parties.
The attorney who introduced these
bondsmen to Clerk Gavigan said yesterday
that be was sure the bondsmen were all
right as they had showed him deeds to
the property specified in the bonds.
He said that if the books did not
show that they owned the real
estate it must be because the property had
had been written up. and he promised TO
notify Spear and Hayward that their
financial status was being questioned.
and that IL they desired to
clear up the doubt they should call
at the City Hall last night and exhibit the
deeds. The lawyer notified the men by
letter. but last night they failed to appear
at the hall. though they sent word that
they would produce the deeds at some other
time.
Whatever may be the result of the in
vestigation into the cases Of Spear and
Hayward, the police are convinced that
there is laxlty in the acceptance of bonds in
the Police courts. Police Clerk Gavigan
says that he was convinced when he ac-
eepted the instruments in question that the
suretes were good. He had to rely upon
the oaths of the men. and he had always
understood that they were fully qualified
TO assume the responsibility