The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-11-13
MAKES A BRAVE MOVE.
County Attorney JetmOre Will
Stop Fee Grabbing
By Refusing to Approve Bills
for Trivial Cases.
If He Succeeds He Will Make Warm
Place for Himselfin Opinions
of Taxpayers.

County Attorney Jetmore today is
sued an order to put a stop to fee
grabbing, which he figures will save
the county at least $500 per month.
He has notified the justices of the
peace and police department that he
will not approve any costs bills in
suits for assault and battery, disturb
ances Of the peace and petit larceny
unless ne is consulted and approves the
complaint, and he says he will not ap-
prove them except in aggravated
cases.
It has been the custom of the po-
lice department to turn cases of this
character over to the justices for trial.
The reason is obvious. There are no
costs connected with proceedings in the
police court, and in the justice courts
the amount of costs depends upon the
activity of the cOnStables and depu-
ties and the conscience of the justice.
In speaking of the order today, COun-
ty Attorney JetmOre said:
4 mean just what L say, and in
tend to- put a stop to the practice of
fleeing the county, if 1 can. The pO-
lice department makes arrests, and
then turns the case over to some JUS
tice, and the police officers are sum
mOned as witnesses, and they get their
fees with the rest, and the county pays
the bills. There is no reason on earth
why the police court cannot try this
class of cases. No one doubts their
jurisdiction, and there are no costs to
the county.
THE constabIes and deputies are
very active in working up cases, and
in nearly every case the county pays
the costs, no matter which way it
goes. If the prisoner is sent to Jail to
work out his fine, the county is stuck
for the costs just the same. One of the
most fruitful sources of income along
this line are family quarrels. A wife
has trouble with her husband and tells
her troubles to a constable and has
him arrested. 1 don't believe that it is
very often wise to give complaints in
cases of this kind. When the case
comes to trial the wife has forgiven
her husband, and the suit fiZzles out.
We had an appeal case of that kind in
the district court this term. The wife
came into our office with her face COW
cred with blood and was terribly used
up, but when the case came to trial
she refused to testify against her hus-
band.
I do not believe it is right for the
county to pay the expenses of this
kind of litigation, and I intend to stop
it, if 1 can. The police court should
take care of these cases, and l want
to see it do it
1T is a shame that we were not Civ
en- city court by the legislature last
winter. There is surely a. crying need
for one"
A man who follows the business of
buying fees, in discussing the order to-
day, said:
1T is the worst thing that could hap
pen to US. 1t just knocks the bottom
out of our business. If assault, dis
turbance of the peace and petit lar
ceny cases are tried in police court,
there viii be few fees in justice courts
to buy
Justice of the Peace John L. Guy
said
I have no objection to the order
Anything to save money for the tax
payers meets with my approval"
When the next legislature meets ev-
cry effort should be made to put JUS
tees of the peace and their subOrdi-
nate officers on salaries. This will OBJ
viate the fee scandal.