The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-10

every day, except Sundays and holidays.
While this section seems to be very broad,
it must be given a reasonable conStruc-
ton and interpreted in the light of other
laws and their policy. / do not think that
a citizen has an absolute right to inspect
these dockets without regard to his pur-
pose or object. / think the purpose Of
the law quoted was to confer the right
where some lawful and proper reason ex-
man desired to show that he, or some
one in whom he was interested. had been
acquitted of an offense charged against
nm IN the police court, he would nave
a right to inspect the docket for the pur-
pose of obtaining this information, or,
it might well happen that, for the pur-
pose OF some defense, or for other good
reason, he would desire to show that
some party had been convicted, and it
might be entirely proper that he eX-
anime the docket for this purpose. If,
for example, party desired to inspect
the records for the purpose of publishing
to the world the names of all persons who
had been convicted in the police court,
this purpose would not be within the pur
view of the statute giving the right TO
inspect Under the ordinances, the clerk
or council Is the custodian OF the dOcketS
and is charged with the duty of earthly
preserving them from injury. If the
principle were established that any appli-
cant could demand that the dOckets be
turned over to him for inspection, to be
examined ad lbitum, the duties of the
clerk of council would prevent his SUI
perVlSlon during protracted eXamina-
ton, and, in some cases, such super
vision might be required. Under the law
no chronological or other distinction can
be made, and, while the records would be
absolutely safe in the hands of one APP
plicant they might not be in the hands
of another. This view is suggested as
reason for the opinion that it could not be
the contemplation of the statute that any
citizen could have the right to inspect
the records, as long as he pleased during
office hours, and without regard to the
purpose of the inspection. 1t seems to
me that mere idle curiosity would not
be a sufficient reason to demand the right.
If q citizen gives a lawful and proper rea-
son for the inspection, then he is en-
titled, under the section quoted, to the
opportunity to inspect himself, and is
not put to the necessity of having GER
tilted copy made.
In the case Of Buck & Spencer VS.. Col
Inns, in 81 Ga, which involved the question
as to the right of a representative of an
abstract company to copy the records of
the clerk of the superior court without
his permission and without the payment
of any fees. this section of the code was
noticed, and the opinion which / express
is, / think, in accord with the observations
of Judge Mccoy in that case. / am aware
that the case in 81 Ga, is not that covered
by the request for my opinion, but the case
involved this section Of the code and the
meaning of the section was there dis
cussed.
Il do not think that the case reported
in n Ca, which went up from this county,
and which decided that the judge Of the
police court could not be required, by
subpoena duces tecum, to bring his docket
before the grand-jury bears upon the
question propounded.
1T Is, of course, not my province to pass
in any way upon the question as to what
is or is not a proper and lawful purpose,
or upon the merits of this particular appli-
cation. 1 can only indicate my views as
to the law. which, If accepted. may be of
some assistance in passing upon an applt-
cation when it comes before you"
In discussing the subject of the Bush
anti-barroom bill now before the legis-
lature yesterday, Chief McDermott call
ed attention to the police records of
arrests for drunkenness in Savannah, as
compared with other cities. A police en-
cyclopedia was issued about two years
ago, containing police reports from ev-
cry city in the United States for the year
1892. The total number Of arrests for all
causes in each city are given and in the
majority of instances the number of ar
rests ia each city for drunkenness. In
looking over this encyclopedia II struck
Chief McDermott very forcibly that Sa-
Vannah had a remarkably good record
on this line, as compared with other cities,
and of the same size or smaller, and he
requested the reporter TO tabulate the
figures of arrests for drunkenness in
cities of this class. The following result
was obtained. The cities in prohibition
states are indicated by a star:
augusta, Ne. population. 1887, arrests
for drunkenness, "a; Bridgeport, Conn.,,
population. ASSOC, arrests, 10; Charleston,
S. c.. population, 5s.s55, arrests, sol; Col