The morning times., 1895-09-07
Attorney for the District Sub
mits His Annual Report.
WORK OF YEAR REVIEWED
Suggestions Made of Needed Legisla-
ion-BurgdOrf Case Text-As-
sistant Attorney Pugh's Report.
Work OF the Police Court-ExpIains
His Action in the Hall Case.

the year tBurgdOrf vs.. District, holding
that our water main assessments since 1888
are invalid, because not authenticated by
the water registrar, emphasizes the neCes
sity for legislation authorizing reassess-
ment In all cases where proceedings for
the collection OF general and special taxes
prove Intellectual
mo reasonable objection can be raised
TO such legislation 1t is 10 be met with
in the statutes OF many of the States
In the new proceedings the party concerned
will have the opportunity to watch che
various steps and to be heard in review of
the assessment, and will be precluded by
nothing that took place in the proceeding
that proved abortive"
STREET EXTENSION ACT.
The attorney reviews the cases heretofore
in which the District is interested, both
as plaintiff and defendant, with all OF
which the public is already familiar.
Referring to the suit of Tingle vs. the
District, under the street extension act,
Mr Thomas says:
1t is nIanifeSt that proceedings under this
act, which is an extraordinary one, viii
necessarily resulting in imposing upon this
office a great amount OF unusual labor.
THE language Of the last section OF the
act is comprehensive enough, 1 think, to
justify the employment of special counsel to
assist in executing the law; and 1, therefore,
suggest that you recommend TO Congress
the necessity Of an appropriation to enable
you to engage such counsel.
s.y4ff. tlg lion Of "a
District for general taxes, where IL has be-
come the purchaser, has been brought, and
that was compromised on satisfactory
bass, no money having been appropriated
to pay the costs ard expenses OF The neccs-
sary legal proceedings l renew my recom-
mcndation OF last year, that Congress be
asked for an appropriation Tor this pur-
pose, or that the law be changed 70 as 10
permit the District TO fell such property,
from time 10 time, at private sales and give
deeds therefor
AMEND INSURANCE LAWS.
| Il have to renew my suggestionof last
! wear that our law in regard 10 insurance
needs reform a bill designed To correct
j defects in existing laws on this subject
! which you submitted 10 Congress for
! enactment failed to become a law. The
( matter should be again pressed upon the
attention of Congress at its coming session.
There were 2OI lunacy cases since my
| last report, being decrease Of five as
! against the previous year. While there is
! a slight decrease In the number OF these
cases, there is yet enough OF them to sug
! gcst that we are being imposed upon by
having the Iunatics OF other places I'M
ported into this District l would sug
gest that the Commissioners recommend
to Congress such legislation as VIII tend
to prevent this abuse.
Congress should also be asked to con-
/ fer upon the Commits sioners power to make
such reasonable police regulations as in
their Judgment may be necessary for the
protection OF life and limb and the pro-
lection Of property within the District
POWER OF PARDON.
sThe Commissioners should also be in
vested with power To remit fines and pen
alties, and to pardon for all offenses
against the District, wherever, in their
Judgment executive clemency is expedient
and proper, and thus relieve the President
in such matters The law on that subject,
as it now stands, limits the Commissioners
TO pa rlun for conviction for viola
ton OF the ordinances of the City of Wash
ington, and the levy court and acts of the
District assembly. The power should be
extended so as to include offences against
the District, under acts OF Congress"
Special Assistant Attorney James l.
Pugh, whose duties pertain to police court
work, has also submitted his report from
which the following is extracted:
MR. PUGHS REPORT
You will observe that there is falling
off of cases in the police court, and The
fact that the largest percentage OF the Gle
crease is to be found in the class known
as drunk and disorderly' shows conclG
siveIy the good effects following the riSic
enforcement of the present liquor law anC
the opportunity for prompt and final tria
offered under the system now SoVernln;
i'll the police court.
The amount of fines and forfeiture
taken in by the court for the last fisca
wear was $24 1910, which is a fallin;
off of S12 ,032 SO, and is due TO the fac
that persons have been unable to pay thei
fines and were compelled 10 serve u tern
in the workhouse. 1t is also in part due t
the stoppage of the system of taking Co
lateral and allowing persons TO forfel
same In liquor cases.
1T is my experience that aslong as there
is not a record of conviction against {
liquor dealer uron which to predicate {
charge of second offense' they do no
object to forfeiting collateral for the
purpose of enabling them to continue vic
iating the law, forfeiture rot being |
conviction.
REFERS TO HALL CASE.
t ''In one case 1 still hold in abeSanc
: an affidavit of complaint, charging I
! certain person with selling liquor ol
Sunday. This was done with view o
: securing two offenses against the liceus
Il for the purpose of more effectually eI
: forcing the law in respect to this pal
e ticular case.
l This action on my part will compel hin
/ to strictly observe the law in the future
r and a failure on his part to do So wi
I work forfeiture of his license and preyen
him from securing q renewal of the sam
o thereafter This destroys his business
!; which, in my Judgment, is more effectud
than fines of forfeitures."
The Price of Sugar.
L Ladies who are putting up preserves WI