The record-union., 1895-02-02
FAVOR ANOTHER SUPERIOR JUDGE.
The Senate Committee Unanimous or
the Subject.
Some Lively Arguments for and
Against the Bill Last Night by
Lawyers and Laymen.

ate judiciary commune laSC nlSnb. Inc
bar of Sacramento was we'll represented,
prominent among whom were Superior
Judge A. P. Catlin and ex-Superior
Judge Armstrong. Besides those there
were present C. L. White, Frank d.
Ryan, J. w. Hughes, A. j. Bruner, A.
M. Seymour, w. NJ. Sims. @. Gardner,
c. II. Oatman, c. It. Jones, George e.
Bates and Il. o. Cravens.
Among the 1aymen present were Frank
Miller, DIR. w. A. Briggs, j. NJ. Avery,
J. Q. Coleman, V. S. McClatchy and w.
S. Leake.
Chairman MCGOWAN stated the object
of the meeting, and intimated that those
present who were opposed to the bill
should be heard first.
Frank Miller thereupon took the floor
and read the citizens protest against the
passage OF the bill. The petition, he said,
was signed by Ola citizens, all Of whom
were taxpayers, and that if more time
had been taken probably double The
number of names would have been
placed under the protest. He stood be-
fore the committee as attorney for these
GA people. He said that while the Judges
were said to be not at fault and the attor-
neys were not at fault, there was some
thing wrong somewhere.
r. O. CraVens appeared for the citizens
who had signed the protest, and who, he
said, paid the taxes. He was opposed 10
the bill. First, because of the enormous
expense that would thereby be entaile6
upon the county; second, because the de-
maud was not necessary, and, third, be-
cause the county was already loaded
down with debt. Sacramento, he as
serted, was the worst tax-ridden city in
the world, and its citizens were now
fighting to get their necks out of the
yoke. There was statutory provision
which called for three deputies for each
extra Superior Judge, with salaries of
SI25 a month. This alone in one year
amounted 10 1880 The salary OF the
Judge was $1,000 year. and he was in
formed that there was not room enough
in the Courthouse Tor the holding OF an
other court, which would entail an eX-
pense for rent of $1,000 more. Thus the
expense for the first year would amount
to $4,000 or $4,000, while fo1 each sue
ceeding year the cost would be from
$1,000 to $4,000.
The taxable property in the county
amounted TO $53, 600 600, which was about
evenly divided between the city and the
rest OF the county. The county and State
tax amounted to 81 40 and the municipal
tax to s. 20, a total Of $3 90 per 500, say
ing nothing about street and other taxes,
which in many cases doubled the
amount.
In proportion to the population. he said,
the county now has more Judges than
San francisco, Alameda or Santa Clara,
while san Diego and Fresno Counties
were asking to have their number of
judges reduced. The number OF cases
that had been brought in the county dur
ing the last two years numbered about
1000, and great many OF them had never
been litlgated.
Clinton l.. White cited the Palmer case
on q nd cix he of
the time of one of the Judges.
a. j. Bruner cited the Jefferis case,
which consumed six weeks of time.
Mr.. Cravens replied that such cases
came only once in the lifetime OF a lawyer,
which averaged about fifteen years. Not
per cent. OF the probate cases, he con-
tinued, ever came to trial, while most of
the long cases had been tried by foreign
Judges. He was not there to find fault
with either attorneys or Judges, but the
people were struggling TO get the city
clear from debt, and he stood for the peo-
pie who paid the taxes. People who
visited the State often asked him for in
formation with regard to settling here
permanently, but when they heard the
tax rate to be paid, they moved on to the
southern part OF the State or somewhere
else.
Cravens here turned pretty compli-
ments TO Judges Catlin and Johnson.
But still you say we have nothing to
do" spoke up Judge Catlin.
well, | don't think you are worked to
DEATH" retorted Judge Cravens.
1t was his wish, he continued, to lift
this "Old Man of the Sea" from the
shoulders of the city. Let the city once
get out Of debt, and then get another
Judge, if it were necessary, but not now,
He said that no lawyer cared to try a case
If he could get continuance, unless he
was sure of the result, and our lawyers,
while they were good ones, were no ex-
ception to the rule.
EX-Judge Armstrong said if one were
to go out upon the street and ask the
strikers if something were wrong, thew
would say yes" If you were to ask
them what it was, they would say,
bankers and capitalists" Such remarks
may always be heard. He pointed TO his
work upon the bench, and stated that the
increase of court business since 1882 had
been enormous. He had, before Judge
Catlin had been chosen to the position of
Judge, told him that he would not take a
life lease upon the position unless an
other Judge were provided.
He knew that Judge Catlin worked
every DAY in the week, as well as at night
when Judge Cravens was asleep. The
people mad no right to ask such work
from Judge. Good work could not be
done. Judge Johnson, who was a worker
was just as hard pushed. Sacramento
inals from Folsom, turned loose with So
in their pockets, dritted to Sacramento
and stopped here until returned to prison
by the courts. Criminals from the north
of Europe also centered here who garrote
man and then kick him because he has
no more money. Blame had been laid
upon the lawyers and the Judges, but
that was not just, as there were not
enough Judges to attend to the business
of the county.
Clinton l.. White said that there were
seventy-tWo lawyers in town, and the
petition TO have the bill passed had been
signed by seVeuty-one OF them, Law
yers should know what was needed
while Mr. Miller, one OF those opposed to
the bill, knew no more about courts than
the speaker knew about banks. The
county had been cursed by having a
prison located within its limits, and crIm-
inals from that point DRIFT into the CITY,
As a railI road center, Sacramento gets the
criminal element from the East, and in
order to expedite business there would be
an actual saving TO the county by having
another Superior Judge.
Senator McGowan invited Judge Catlin
to address the committee.
Judge Catlin said he had expected to
hear something more than had been said
by the opponents of the bill. Another
Judge would entail an annual expense of
$1,000 which Mr.. Miller would admit was
not a very serious reason. He had tried
many cases which had occupied a long
time, and almost without exception he
was at work all day and until IL or -
o'clock at night. There had been a great
deal OF suffering among litigants in the
county, because their cases had to be mt
OIL for the reason that the court was busy
with other matters. MIR. Miller knew no
more about the business of the courts
than II he had been born yesterday, while
lad F4erAl frnN yaVaG. L.,