The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-21
FLANNELS.
GLOVES.
THE BILL WILL BE OPPOSED.
Many Object TO Putting Criminal
business in the Recorders Court.

Many object to Putting Criminal
business in the Recorders Court.
It may be that the bill recently introduce
ed in the legislature providing for the re-
moval of the trials of misdemeanor cases
in which indictments are not demanded.
from the city court to the recorders court
will be withdrawn.
An unusual amount of opposition to the
measure has been manifested and yester-
day the justices of the peace in the city
held a meeting for the purpose of taking
steps to oppose the measure
Through the influence of certain Jus
tices, who thought it about time to
take some action, the meeting was called
to forecast the possible effects of such a
measure upon the magistrates, and their
business. The Chatham county represen-
tatives are to be in Savannah to-day and
the magistrates thought it best 70 take
Immediate steps toward formulating pro-
test against the bill, and presenting 1t to
the members before they return to At
lanta.
The opinion of the magistrates is that
the passage of the bill would seriously in
terfere with their business. The reason
is that hasty trials after commitment to
jail, would operate against them in many
ways. Their revenue in criminal cases
depends entirely upon the issuance of APP
pearance bonds. 1t is said that in many
cases where commitments are made, the
prisoner has to await trial until Fridays,
which sometimes insures ample time for
his friends to look up bond. IT, however
the recorder is given the proposed juris-
diction, trials Will in all probability come
off the day following commitment. and
chances of obtaining bond before being
sentenced or dismissed. Another reason
Is that the police might turn to making
wholesale arrests and thus throw "A large
lump of the criminal business into the
city and recorders courts, to the exclu-
ton of the magistrates 1t is said they
would favor the bill If IL only provided
that the recorder have jurisdiction of such
cases as now come before him.
1t Is claimed the city court was created
for trying just such cases as are now
sought to be relegated to the recorder. OF
course, there Is no question, it was as
serted, that most all prisoners would
waive a jury trial and go before the re-
corder to save time If the magistrate
did not issue the bond before the prisoner
left the office, there would be practically
no use expecting 1t afterward, for the
reason that the case would be disposed Of
too quickly.
upon the Otner naHd some ma glStrates
insist that the bill would not injure them
as nothing need be expected from prison
ers who cannot make bond before commit
ment. They say bond Is rarely made aft
erward.
Letters of protest have been written to
the representatives, who may be called up
on to-day IL the bill should be introduce
ed, Il IS said there will be a red hot fight
against its passage
In addition to this Judge T. NJ. Norwood
who was formerly heartily In favor Of the
bill has undergone a change on the sub
ject, and has written letter to Chatharn's
representatives In which he withdraws his
approval from the bill. Judge Norwood
considered that such measure would re-
lieve the city court perhaps of considera-
bic work, but he stated In his letter with
drawing his approval from the measure
that he did not know before there would
be so much opposition to It. The sheriff OF
the city court is also opposed to the meas
ure It Is stated, though he has said little
about 1t. A goodly portion of the sheriff I
fees comes from criminal business. ana
with that cut Off the difference would IN
felt. n
There has also been considerable obtec-
ton on the part Of some members OF tie