The herald., 1896-12-27
THE JUSTICES JUSTICE.
How the Township Officials Fill the Jail
With Petty Offenders.

During and Immediately after the
boom the city justices and township
courts did land office business in deal
ing with vagrants. These unfortunate
scoundrels-and most of them were
such-were regarded much the same as
an orchardist regards his crop They
were crop, the harvesting of which
meant so much money per head, and
when business was dull the constables
could go down to the railroad yards-a
favorable haunt-and gather in any
where from two to six 'vags,' the price
upon each. paid by the county, not only
paying current expenses, but leaving a
good profit besides. Things went SO far,
indeed, that it was claimed that
''vags" were brought into the city for
the purpose of being run in, and a
"divvy" made on the proceeds. Be that
as it may, the board of supervisors took
the matter in hand, and a quietus was
put on the particular mode of operating
then in vogue.
The fee bill, passed by the last legisla-
ture, caused great discomfort through
out the state, for it further limited the
profit that could be made by justices
and the attaches of their offices. 1t does
seem, however, as If in the outside dis
trictS these officers were adapting them
selves to the new con%itions with most
praiseworthy zeal, and doing their best
to make as much money as the law Al
lows without any too close attention to
the interests of the community. There
are constantly being brought before
country justices a variety of cases that
demand certain amount of good horse
sense" rather than a heavy endowment
of legal knowledge, and in such cases
the demands of justice can be satisfied
on the spot without the county being put
to heavy and Altogether useless expense.
But several instances might be quoted
where the letter of the law has. perhaps.
been followed, but where the spirit of It
in the past has surely been ignored.
At San Fernando, for instance, within
the last month or two occurred num-
Der of cases which may have netted the
Justices offices some fees, but have put
the county to an expense of doubtful
utility. During November the following
cases were sent to the county Jail and
on the following dates: November IL,
four petty cases; 18th one petty case
18th, four petty cases; 10Th, one petty
case; 21st, one vagrant; 23d four mis-
demeanor cases; 2Sth, one petty case.
During part of December the record was
as follows: December H. six petty cases;
18th, one misdemeanor and five petty
cases; 18th, flour petty cases; 18th, three
petty cases.
NOW, II san FernanQO is such deS-
perately wicked place that all these pris-
oners were deserve6ly sent to the coun-
ty Jail, it is about time the place had a
Jail Of it's own. Or. should other county
justices follow the example of San Fer
nando, then the county Jail must be en-
larged and given up to the use and be-
hoof of the country districts. The SEN
tences imposed in almost all the cases
cited arouse a shrewd suspicion that
the case ought to have been settled out
| of hand and at home, without the county
being called upon to shoulder any other
| expense.
The justice is allowed SO for each
| criminal case handled; the constable is
| allowed 81 for making the arrest and
| bringing the party into court, and a
| further sum of 50 II a jury is summoned
| Then there IS cost of transportation to
the county Jail, etc. Each Of the cases
cited means, then, SO for the justice, 81, at
least, to the constable for services, and
about $3.50 for expenses of bringing q
prisoner to the county Jail and return
| By the provisions of the fee bill limit
is placed upon the amount that can be
made In one month by a Justices court
ard were 1t not for this limitation. there
is no telling what the rewards of some
country justices would scale to when ir
| the exuberance Of their wrath thew
| passed sentence upon friend Hodge fol-
having trodden on the tall of his honor's
|