The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-12-19

Tho date ~ each visit. except N Vciy
few cases. In which the charge lot
c,re was either 81 or % cents
FRIVOLOUS OR TECHNICAL
without going further into details me
committee unanimously reports lhtt 'i
ms iudrront the criminal expenses OF the
county OF Warwick. Us shown 10y the r.
norris a.. the Auditors Office, and otner IT.
formation received. have arisen not 50
much from prevailing lawlessness es rom
"a dlepos.tOn on the part ~ certain olh-
Gers to use every frivolous or technical
o0enses as a means OF pocuniary benefit
That fhis evil could be largely diminish
cd by a firm. careful and intelligent dis
charge OF the duties devo.vng upon the
nudge az the County Court we firmly be-
Ueve. bat 10 what extent. the excessive
expenscq Of this county are due 20 the
action OF the present Judge Of the County
Court. We are not prepared 20 say.
AS vet we have been unable 90 examine
into the criminal expenses OF the other
counties named IN thu resolution, except
the county Of Scott, which We have eX-
amined partially and indeed the character
and amount Of the work involved is sucn
that 70 Will be wholly impracucable 20
complete such an investigated for some
weeks 10 come.
Freu a hurried examination OF the
accounts Of Scott county. covering several
months. we found the condition even
worse than in Warwick county. In many
cases the same parties were repeatedly
arrested .0r stea,'rr peaches and other
frivolous charges. and almost in every case
vTous charges and almost in every case
there were charges Tor boarding anl
guarding for two or three days before the
+r,qf This was the case even where the
defendants were women.
Ia cass where prisoners were sent q
i9u under guard Tor mlsdemeanors. o.
physician was almost Invariably called
n. as evidenced hy his bills Tor attend
ance and medicine.
The charge Tor medicine IN Scott, how
ever was twenty-five cents Tor eacn Nlsit
Tchrc ie nothing So far as we have been
able 10 find % Justify the contention that
the excessive criminal expenses Of the
county arc attributed 10 its being a
border county and subject so the incur
-i0ns OF criminal hOrdcs from the adjoin-
ing State. in fact the same names repeat
elIv occur ln the various accounts Tor
,r.mina. expenses and the names Of some
soon became az familiar as old acqualni-
anccs.
TrrrR RECOMMENDATIONS
r1r made. we most respectfully recon-
rord the following amsndents % GER
tain sections Of the Code.
First acndment. section 1882 or the code.
20 ae 90 reduce the charges for Keeping
prisoners I'm iaH when % is remember
"a that prisoners in the pen.tenuaries
II the various States are properly Ted
for from 10 cents day each u
must be- apparent that the rates now es-
tqbushed by the code for prisoners IN
jan are too high.
Second amendment. section $3.50 Of the
Code by striking out the hfty cents al
lowed Justices for issuing warrants 90
criminal cases. The Zee Tor all services
reformed by q justice in "a civil case
IS only fifty cents under section 800 or
the code ard there can be no good reason
uhv the Common wealth should have 10
nav more than an Individual
Third amendment, section ss6, which
nr0yfdes for the payment of costs In pros
ecutious against Migrants. by adding
thereto this proylso but IN no case shall
any such costs and expenses be paid by
the Commonwealth
Fourth amendment that section 1850 be
SO amended as t0 prevent the allowance
~ any fee 20 Witnesses DO criminal cases
before justices NJ the peace.
Fourth amendment, that section 1850 be
amended as 90 prevent an officer from
going out of his county 20 make arrests
except upon an order from the Circuit
Court OF Corporation IN which the offence
was committed. or of the judge OF such
court in vacation.