Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-04


certify cases to the Police Court for trial
by jury, and that such action constitutes
them auxiliarie5 of the Police Court. 1t
viii thus be seen that there is no such iden-
tity of jurisdiction, authority or procedure
as would justify the designation of these
magistrates courts any part of the Po-
lice Court, nor. indeed, could there well be
any indiscriminate comminglng of jurisdic-
ton between the Police Court and the
magistrates provided for by this bill. in
respect to cases triable by jury, without
such confusion as would initiate against
the proper administration of justice in
either court.
There is now bill pending in Congress
providing for review of judgments of the
Police Court. AS to the statement that
from fifty to 100 prisoners may be arrested
on Saturday night, in the summer time and
detained in the cells until Monday morning,
the bill provides no remedy against this.
AS 1 understand the bill If it becomes
law, prisoners arrested on Saturday morn
ing are 10 be tried by the magistrates I'M
less the magistrate should hold court on
Sunday. thing not to be presumed
ut is also submitted that persons de-
riandng a Jury trial and who cannot fur
nish bond or leave collateral for their ap-
pearance in The Police Court. would have
to be confined in cells until such trial could
be had. and they certainly would be more
numerous than those who now demand
trial by jury.
Police Officers Mt Court.
with respect to the detention of police
officers at the Police Court, 1 do not per-
ceive any provision in the original or the
proposed amendment of the bill which
would obviate an objection to the present
system. The number of police officers de-
tanned in the Police Court after IL am,
while now small for each day, would be
materially reduced by change in the pres
ent system requiring each officer, who
makes an arrest on warrant. to come to
court with the case regardless of the fact
whether he has any personal knowledge of
it or not Only officers having personal
knowledge of each case should attend
court.
'As to the items Of expense mentioned in
the letter of Major Moore it is difficult to
understand the calculation by which an in
crease OF $4,000 in the cost of administer
ing police justice in the District without
in any way lessening the expense of the
Police Court will become a saving. The
records of Police Court show that the re-
ceipts uniformly exceed the entire eX-
pense created by its administration.
AS to the necessity of this. as affording
speedy trials, etc. 1t may be said that the
Ponce Court disposes of it's business ca CHI
day. and there are no delaps in the dis
position of District cases except such as are
requisite for a proper defense by the par
ties charged-delays in the interest of JUS
tice, and which would occur in the mag
iStrateS' court necessarily.
Present Courts Are Sufficient.
when the population Of the District
has increased so that the number of cases
brought before the Police Court is too great
to be properly disposed Of by the present
system, it will be quite time to consider
the necessity of establishing such addl-
tlo1 al courts as will accommod the in
creased volume of business. Judge Kim
ball. who tries District cases. except where
trial by jury Is demanded, as a rule dis
poses of the business in his court before
midday. and Judge Miller, who tries United
States cases, and District cases where trial
by jury is demanded generally gets through
his work by noon. 1t is hardly necessary
for me to refer to the fact that the large
number of District ordinances and regula-
lions are important enough to require an
assistant attorney of the District at each
magistrates office to prepare the charges
and properly prosecute the cases. Certain
ly, violations of the liquor laws, building
regulations and the laws and regulations
affecting public health could not be for
mulated by police officers, as provided for
by this bill.
I'm my judgment, this bill should not re-
ceive the recommendation of the Commits
sfoners since. irrespective of the legal
objection to it, it would not remedy the
supposed defects in the present system
Its enactment would entail an additional
expense Of $2O.OOO annually upon the tax
payers of the District If any considerable
portion of this sum was appropriated to
| increase the police force this would ma
terially relieve the principal objection of the
police department to the present Police
Court system, and also afford tine commun-
ity better protection"