The San Francisco call., 1897-03-29
Sleepy justices Aroused by
the Action of the Su-
pervisors.
Ordered to Have All Cases
Placed on Their Calendars
at Olce.
Many Curious Incidents Revealed
When the Official Records
Were Inspected.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL,
eos Broad way, March %.

OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL,
90S Broadway, March %. !
The Justices of the Peace of Alameda
County, especially those in the interior
districts, where the wheels of justice fre-
quently get clogged and move slowly, are
consid erably perturbed over a recent or
der of the Board of Supervisors.
During the past few months many COM
plants have been made OF the tardiness OF
litigation in some parts of the county.
The District Attorneys Office, it was ad-
mtted, did everything in its power to help
out the Justices, but the Justices in some
instances neglected TO make an attem pt
to clear their calendars. and OF course the
District Attorneys Office knew nothing o1
their business.
About two weeks ago the Board of Su.
pervisors ordered an examination of the
ockets Of all the country Justices of the
Peace. Some of the officials rather
doubted the power of the board to order
any snch examination, and see med to con-
slider that the Supervisors were exceeding
Shook ruled that the board in passing
such a resolution was acting entirely
within its power, and the result is now
manifest.
All the dockets have been taken from
the shelves, where some of them shared
possession with the dust for months, and
carefully inspected, and now it is believed
everv case at bar, so far as the Justices OF
the Peace are concerned, Is on the calen-
dar and will be taken up as soon as posi-
BILE and finally disposed of.
Some of the instances of delayed litiga-
ton are very peculiar and were 1t not for
the fact that the Grand Jury has just ad-
iourned there might be material for some
rigid investigation. In the remote parts
of the county cases were discovered which
the Justices had no dou bt unintentioDally
forgotten, and there are several other in
stances in which it is hard to think that
the slowness or Indifference Of the JUS
tices was altogether unintentional.
As most of these offices are paid by fees
it might be supposed that the Justices
W ould settle as speedily as possible all the
ases that come before them. This is not
so, however, and county official recently
re marked that if all the Justices were not
known 10 be above suspicion the charac, or
OF some of the dockets might lead any
body TO suppose that it was more advis-
able to relard Justice than to ex xpedite it.
Under the circumstances 1t would not
perhaps be Just to mention specific in
stances of cases that have been hanging
fire, but the result of the Supervisors or
er has been very noticeable in the int.
rior Justices courts amt a source of salts
faction 10 the District Attorneys Office.
One of the cases that attracted particular
attention is that of Ward at Haywards.
Ward went out one night and without any
provocation fired nearly score of bullets
from rifle into laundry where were
four helpless Chinese. Some of them
were badly hurt and Ward was arrested
for assault with a deadly weapon, and was
finally admitted TO bail pending examina-
ton. He has cleared out and left his
bondsmen IN the lurch. His case has
been set for April II, and If he is not pres
ent suit will be begun against his sureties.