The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-21
TO PUT A STOP TO COERCION.
JUDGE NORWOOD AFTER SOME OF
THE MAGISTRATES.

Those who Were in the Habit of
Holding Prisoners out of Jail on
Court Day to Make Them Give
Week, Are the Ones Aimed At-!The
Court Has n Letter Written All of
Them Directing That Warran Is
Must be Sent the Solicitor Within
Twenty-fOur HOurs-A Step in the
Right Direction.
Judge 7. M Norwood of the city court
has been getting after some of the magis-
trates who have not been doing their duty
just as they should. In fact there are
two or three of them, who, 1t appears,
have been doing things which they ought
not to have done, and hence letter from
Judge Norwood which gives them instruc-
lions as to what course they must pur-
sue hereafter with regard to misdemeanor
cases.
1t has been discovered recently that
some of the magistrates have a way of
attempting to force a party to give bond.
or remain in Jail longer than he other
wise would before his case is disposed of
this: A magistrate will send a negro to
jail under a warrant on Thursday, and
Friday, as is well known, is the day for
the trial Of misdemeanor criminals in the
city court Friday morning early the
magistrate will send for the prisoner, per-
haps under the pretense of giving him a
preliminary hearing, and keep him in his
office all day until the session of the city
court Is over. Then the negro Is sent
back to Jail and the consequence is If
he cannot give bond he has to remain in
jail another week before his case is heard
in the city court.
This thing was done several times with
out anything being said about it, and in
one or two instances it has been discovered
that the parties arrested were not guilty
of the crimes charged, but held apparently
without cause, the purpose being to make
them give bond. Another case of this kind
was brought to Judge Norwoods attention
Friday during tho trial of the usual crimi-
nal cases. The negro in question was not
in jail when the other prisoners were
brought up t. the city court, and it was
found that he had been kept in the magis-
trate's Office during the day, and sent back
to jail at night.
Judge Norwood has decided that he will
stop that sort of business, and with that
end in view he instructed Clerk J. S. Col
Inns to write all of the magistrates in the
city the following letter which all of them
received yesterday.
Savannah, Ga, March 10, 1897. Dear Sir:
l am directed by the judge of the city
court to notify you that Friday of every
week will be devoted to the trial of crimi-
nal matters.
Ghou1d anv ,arcop he so{
by you charged with a misdemeanor the
warrant must be returned to the solicitor
general of file within twenty-four hours
thereafter Should any person charged
with a misdemeanor be committed to Jail
on Thursday, you will notify the prose-
cutor and states witnesses to appear at
the city court on the next day at 10 O'clock
The warrant must be sent to the solicitor
general by the same time. Respectfully,
J. S. Collins,
Clerk c. c. S.
This practically requires that all justices
of the peace turn over AL misdemeanor
warrants to the solicitor gen.
eral within twenty-four hours after they
are issued and when arrests are made on
Thursdays they must also have the war
rants in the hands Of the solicitor in time
for the trial of the cases in the city court
on Friday morning.
The justices may dispute the right of the
court to compel them to turn over Grim
inal warrants within that space of time,
or to notify prosecutor and states wit
nesses to appear. but 1t Is likely the dis
putting will be done by those who are hit
by the action of the court. Those to whom
it does not refer will undoubtedly readily
comply with it as some of them have done
in the past
1t is undoubtedly a move in the right
direction. There have been too many triv-
ial prosecutions seemingly for no other
purpose than to compel a defendant to
give a bond and pay the magistrates fee.
Grand jury after grand jury has called at
tention to this matter, but little appears
to have been accomplished.
If this letter of instructions does not
have the desired effect it may be that
other steps will be taken. 1t should be
understood, however, that while the let
ter was sent to all of the Justices it does
not mean that all of them have been
making a habit of these practices; but
those who are concerned probably know
who they are and will no doubt act ac-
cordingly.
CAVALRY PREPARING FOR CAMP