The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-12
CLASH OF AUTHORITY.
Judge Glasgow Lays Down the
Law to Two Attorneys.
FINES DE sRuLeR FOR CONTEMPT
AFTER Falling Foul Of Norris. He OBJ
tects 20 Prosecutions Under
City Ordinances.

Yesterday was the nveliest day the
r-,nnf-fTsl court room has seen for long
while. Trouble has been brewing for
soma tine between Judge Glasgow on the
one hand and the prosecuting attorney
and the city attorney on the other. and
both issues were rrscipitated YESTERDAY.
The first clash came between Judge
Glasgow ana Deputy Prosecuting Attor
un~ Morris Detective s. O.. Crawford
had fled a complaint charging J. 7.
Mack with an infamous crime on Oscar
R-Tsreon last Sunday. When the CON-
plant came no Judge Glasgow sent for
DEPUTY Prosecuting Attorney Morris. and
in open court informed him OF the case.
Mr. Morris answered in respectful man
neT.
Morris Refuses to Obey.
IT have instructions from my superior
IN Office TO engage in the prosecution Of
no case in which the prosecuting attorney
has not had opportunity to examine the
witnesses and advise as 20 whether the
complaint should be fled
He then withdrew from the room.
Judge Glasgow then offered Mack the
privilege OF waving his preliminary
hearing, but as he preferred having the
hearing the case was set for go clock
i. H. today.
4 Question Under Which Law.
The trouble between the municipal Judge
and the city attorney took a more violent
form. and for a few minutes afforded
somewhat dramatic situation. The city
attorney had been instructed by the cor
poration counsel TO file ell cases OF as
sauIt and battery under the new city or
dinanee. The court had instructed the
clerk to file all complaints for that offense
under the state law. The first conflict OF
authority came to a head yesterday. when
on a petty case of assault and battery.
two separate complaints had been drawn,
one under the state law and the other
under the city ordinance When the case
came on. the court asked whether the
warrant in the state case had been served.
The city attorney inquired whether the
warrant In the city case had been served.
The clerk replied that neither warrant
had been served or returned The court
thereup0n ordered the city case dismissed
and ordered the clerk, as he had prev
iously doEe, not TO file any complaints or
issue any warrants charging the crime Of
assault and battery under the city ord-
nance.
Judge and Attorney Clash.
An excited colloquy then took place be-
tween City Attorney De Bruler and judge
Glasgow, the former insisting upon his
right 10 carry on a prosecution in the
court IN accordance with the instructions
of the city, while the judge insisted upon
having the prosecution carried on under
the state law. The excitement reached
fever heat when the city attorney ex-
claimed:
81 don't propose TO be bulldoZed by this
court / don't propose 10 have You die
tate to me in regard to the prosecution OF
cases / propose to file these complaints
and to prosecute them here"
The Judge was still Of a contrary mind,
and promptly fined the city attorney SIS.
The City Attorneys Position.
Mr.. De Bruler was seen by Post-In-
telligencer reporter. and after rehearslns
the history OF the ordinance and the law,
with the resulting conflict. said:
II came into court this forenoon and
asked the clerk II the defendant had been
arrested. whereupon the judge reprimand-
ed the clerk for issuing the warrant in
the city case, and / then stated that l
had so directed the clerk and that the
city had right TO prosecute cases COM
ing under any ordinance of the city, and
that l thought it my duty 10 see that
such cases were placed on file and the
warrants issued: whereupon the Judge
ordered the city case dismissed. to which
! took an exception in order to test the
matter in tho higher court. ] am sorry
to say that the Judge seems hostile to-
ward any proceeding in the name of the
city. and also 10 all parties looking after
the interests OF the city. In this matter
] have done only what the law demands
and what every good citizen demands.
The city asked me TO perform duty. and
that duty / must perform, although it
may not please the municipal judge"