The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-09
NEEDN'TRIDEN RED MARIA
The Council Makes a Change In Police
Rules.

witnesses Need Not Ride IN the Pa
troll Wagon Hereafter-The Police to
Be Instructed Not to Compel Well
Known Citizens to Go TO the Bar
racks When the Matter rs Of Slight
Importance, but to Summons Them
20 Appear in Police Court-The APP
pealed Saloon Gases Postponed UD-
til September.
The city council held a brief session
yesterday afternoon. On account of the
inability Of City Attorney Adams to be
present the hearing Of the appealed
liquor cases was again postponed. Mayor
McDonough suggested that as several
Of the aldermen were out Of the city, and
as there we're others who contemplated
leaving the city for a greater or less
length of time, that the cases be post
pOned until the second meeting in Sep
TENDER, which was agreed to. No object
ment to the postpOnement was made by
the attorneys for the appellants.
The following resolution was introduced
by Alderman Myers:
Resolved, BY the mayor and aldermen Of
the city Of Savannah in council assembled,
that rule No. III OF the rules and regulations
governing the police force Of the city OF Sa-
vannah 90 be found on page 100 Of MaeDou-
ellis Code OF savannah be amended by add
ing TO the said rule the following:
Policemen must bear in mind that where
citizen is not disturbing the public peace or
threatening the person or property OF others
so as TO make his Incarceration necessary as
n preventive measure, the only object OF ar
rest and Imprisonment before conviction is to
secure the presence Of the .aCcusedat lifetime
and place appointed for his trial and that often
a summons OF notice is ample for the accom-
plishment OF this object.
Where the only ground for the arrest is an
alleged violation OF an ordinance OF the city
which has already taken place, and there is no
reason TO believe that summons or notice will
not be observed, 1t is not required nor ex-
pected that citizens shall be put to the IN
necessary indignity OF being transported TO
the police barracks as criminals.
In no case should q party be required,
against his objections, to go to the barracks
In the patrol wagon simply because he hap
pens 10 be a witness.
Resolved further. That his honor tho
mayor, be requested to have the police force
informed OF this resolution.
The resolution grew out of the recent
arrest Of Mr.. 5. X. Levin upon trivial
charge. Mr.. Levin was taken away
from his place of business at o'clock on
a Saturday night and carried around the
city in the patrol wagon before being
taken to the barracks. Mr.. levin
brought the matter TO the attention of
council and in the discussion which en-
sued 1t developed that it was the
sense of council that there was no
necessity for hauling of a citizen to the
barracks when the charge was an
unimpOrtant one and the only object in
making the arrest was to secure the at
tendance of the party in police court.
Several of the aldermen also expressed
themselves as considering 1t an indignity
10 be compelled to ride In the patrol
wagon and that the practice of compell-
Ing witnesses to do so against their will
should be put stop to.
Alderman Myers resolution, which was
adopted by council, remedies all this.
Prominent citizens who have charges to
prefer against disorderly parties will not
be compelled to ride to the barracks in
the police wagon hereafter, as was the
case with prominent clergyman some
time since. The only negative vote was
| that of Alderman O'Brien, which must
have been by mistake, as the alderman
| stated that the amendment of the rules
was a great relief 10 him, as he had been
| in constant dread of having TO take ride
in it ever since it was put in use by the
| city.
This amendment TO the police regula-
| ttons will no doubt meet with general ap-
! prevail.
There was no other business before the
meeting and the board adjourned. Those
! present were Mayor McDonough, and
! Aldermen Bohan, Screven, Myers. Fol
| lard, Remshart, Mcmillan and O'Brien