Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-01-18
SCALE DOWN THE CRIMINAL
CHARGES.

II tDls Legislature "iS
cuish itself and make record Tor Valu-
able service done the State, 1t could not
make a better beginning than by CIV
ing its earliest attention to reforming
the criminal charges abuses. Cover
nor MacCofKle, in his message, showed
that these charges for the fiscal year
1898 amounted to $50, s6905, for 1894,
s79, $50. II, and since last October, the
beginning Of the present fiscal year,
$40. OOO had been paid out on this &C
count already, with claims still out
standing.
These charges are prsposterous, yet
they are fact.
In suggesting remedy .he Governor
points out that many justices Of the
peace and constabIss practice the trick
Of instituting as felony cases, small
misdemeanors, which upon trial are de-
cided misdemsaRors, which is well
known beforehand, the felony charges
being made for the sole purpose OF max
ing large costs payable out OF the State
Treasury. Frequently the charge can
not even be sustained before the Justice.
The practice OK this trick Of milking
the State Treasury is almost universal,
and costs the State thousands OF dol
lars annually, which goes for nothing
and ia worse than wasted II is the
chief cause of the excessive criminal
charges.
The remedy. as the Governor sug-
gests, is to provide that under a JUS
tees commitment an Indictment and
trial q the Circuit Court for felony and
a verdict for misdemeanOr, the costs
should not DO payable out OF the State
Treasury. This not only would make
it improbable TO engage in this prac-
tice, but, the costs being paid by the
county, the indiscriminate institution
Of criminal proceedings for the sake
OF the costs would be sun,
marily stopped by the county,
which would at once feel the drain
and see the casse, whereas, now,
the charges coming out Of the general
State Treasury, the burden is felt but
not seen or understood. The Legisla-
ture should give this important matter
its earliest attention and enact legisla-
zion on the line suggested to put an end
to this fragrant abuse and waste OF the
peoples money.
In this connection the Governor has
pointed out another cause Of our excess
slve criminal charges. namely, the con-
veyance OF criminals TO the Penitentiary
by the Sheriffs, for which good round
sum is allowed for each prisoner, in
costs, fees aud expenses, which is large
ly in excess Of the actual costs OF
transportation Of the prisoner. In a
large county this Is one OF the chief
emoluments OF the Sheriff. The Cover
nor calls attention to the fact that M
der the old system the Sheriffs conveyed
also patients to the asylums, that then
the cost Of such transportation was two
or three times what it is under the
present system Of having the
patients conveyed by the
attendants of the asylum and that this
system could as we'll be carried out with
regard TO the penitentary as it has been
in the case Of the asylums, and thou
sands Of dollars saved TO the tax payers.
Again, attention is called to the fact
that court stenographers are used to an
extent that is unwarranted, and never
contemplated by the law making power.
LEGISLATION should be enacted that will
limit this work and pay to proper
bounds.
These are leading points, proper legis-
lation upon which would bring criminal
charges within reasonable limits, and
the Legislature should give the matter
the attention its importance demands.