Evening journal., 1896-02-11

OF discussion in circles interested In the
esonomlc dispensation of justice and
efficiency Of our penal system. Every
Legislature for several years has passed
upon bills Of prison reform, and at the
last session the reformers, led by Chief
Justice Lore, made an earnest but In
tfIsotual effort to secure the enactment
Of law providing for the establishment
of q state workhouse. Their failure
was due to the conservatism OF Kent aud
Sussex members. who based their negs-
tive position on tho ground that the
state treaIury Was not la condition to
justify the expense OF such penal
innovation. Il Is probable that their
real reason was that New Castle county
would be the chief beneficiary, even
under the pro rata provision contained In.
the bill.
For many Years IL has besn apparent
that sons spssdier method ahould be
devised FOR disposing OF the cases OF
petty offenders against the law. Much
Of the time OF the Court Of General Sss-
1ions has been consumed in trying cases
OF petty larceny, carrying concealed
deadly weapon and others equally trivial
The present system Is unfair to the
accused and both unfair and costly to the
county.
Let rs suppose. for sake Of example,
that the May term OF the Court Of
General Sessions is over. On the day
following it's adjournment man steals a
chicken, halter or something Of that
kind, worth less than fifty ceats. Heis
arrested aud taken before a committing
magistrate. There Is sun silent evidences
to justify his being held for the upper
court He is unable to give ball. There
is no course open but to send him TO
New Castle Jail. BE remains there dur
Ing May, June, July, August and part Of
September. before he can be tried, even
though Ia position to prove his limo
cence at tbs hrss opportunity For four
mouths he 10 deprived Of his llbsrsy, his
family Is deprived Of his support, aud
the taxpayers Of the county are paying
the sheriff to feed him and the all com
missioners to clothe and house him.
When September rolls around there
are three judges on the bench two state
prosecutors. grand inquest. full panel
OF petit Jurors, ssvsral bllllhs. court
crier, page and doorkseper, witnesses for
prosecution aud defense, costs OF trans
portaiion, and We know not what else,
srrsyed in SO, 600 Cour5 Hols1 to try
50-csnt offender. Ia case of'a hung
jury, there is dinner a. tbs expense OF |
the taxpsyers. and, II some members OF |
the jury are particularly stubborn. maybe
supper, nights lodging, breakfast and |
extra bailid fees Happily this Is SO ldom |
trus Of Jurors drawn 10 try pstty cases,
bu. It is not unknown In our courts.
Thus 1t will be sssn that the prosocu-
ton Of 80 cant thief often costs the
taxpayers from 800 to $780,
Under our constitution nearly all /
classes Of criminals sra entitled to srlal
BY jury. This is but right and just, but
Jury trials .oi petty offenders could be
accomplished ia a simpler and spesdler
manner Just how Is amltter FOR legal /
minds. u may be through the resident
judges or By extending the powers OF the
several magistrates We think the
former The safer, for there are magis-
trates, especially In the rural dietrlcts,
who are mentally and morally untitled
to be entrusted with the rights and /
liberties Of their neighbors. II a resident
judge we're to sit in his county for day
or two 10 each month, with q small Jury /
panel TO aid him. be might clean up al /
this petty business and lea 70 the Court |
OF General Sessions TO act upon matters
more in keeping with It's dignity and |
Importance. Under our present system
We are using legal cannon balls for
shooting criminal spsrrows and the tax.
payers are hurt mors than anyone else.
No blame can DO attached to the court
Il Is doing its duty. Under the able
guidance OF Chief Justice Lore the cost
OF It's maintenance has been reduced one
hsli, and be and his associates, In out
lining the work. not only il criminal but
also Ia civil business. always keep IN
mind the iatefeats OF the taxpayers. upol
whom falls the burden OF maintaining
both courts and prisoners.
mis- Is matter which the Oonstitu-
ilonal Convention should take up when
It convenes next December
Delaware Is In need OF prison reform
ia al three counties Not stone-pile and
gFanite-quarry reform, but something IN
keeping with modern Ideas and practices
relative to the sAfe-kseplrg, proper occn
patton and ultimate redemption Of the
criminal classes Thete need be no ex-
peIimente New York. Pennsglvan'e
and Maryland are right at our doors With
penitenliarles and reformatories which
are models IN their way. All We have 10
20 Is to modify them to suit our limited
criminal class The Maryland peniten
iiary is founded on such sound principles
that. instead OF being burden, it is
source Of revenue to the state. Why we
cannot have a small institution, with
Ike GOOD results. Is not parent.
After conviction our prisoners are sent