The San Francisco call., 1897-02-19
JOACHIMSEN WILL
FIGHT IT OUT
The Police Court Attorneys
Must Give Him His
Way.
Chinese Highbinders and Their
Counsel Still on the
Aggressive.
Heather Gamblers May Have tc
Stand Upon Trial if it Takes a
Lifetim-.

Judge Joachimsen held another levee
yesterday afternoon in his court.
The hinese who were arrested last Sat-
urday night in their hiGhbinder and
milling resorts were there just as they
were the day before, with a determination
to thwart justice and make things thor
oughly disagreeable.
There were more than ten score OF the
heathens crowded into the courtroom,
and they, like their fellow defendants of
the day before, were ready to be con-
tumacious in refusing to plead guilty or
otherwise.
Five defendants were called to the bar,
and Interpreter Louis Locke translated TO
them individually the complaint as filed.
The court was obliged to take the same
course observed in the cases.of Lee Chung,
vious, calling for jury trial, which in
wolves the attendance OF nearly 500 tales
men 10 make up the juries-
The breach between Major Smith, who
represents the Chinese, and ex-Judge
Louderback, who represents the prose
cution as special counsel, has not closed
Louderback refuses absolutely to try ali
the defendants at one time, because he
says that conviction obtained that way
would be sure of a reversal or new trial
if appealed to the Superior Court. Hence
he insists upon an individual trial or a
plea of guilty that would settle the cases
by the payment of a Tine.
On the other side, ATTORNEY Smith ex-
poets to clear his clients, and while he is
willing to try any one of them as a test
TO go for all, be declares he will try each
mans case from the reading of the COM
plant to the Judges charge to the jury if
the prosecution insists it should be done
that way.
The spirit of antagonism shown at the
present tine between the contending par
lies must necessarily involve the expendi-
ture of some years of criminal trials in
Judge Joachimsen's court if those con-
cerned stick to the line they have drawn
This Is true for the reason that no one
case can Be carried to a conclusion, with
the usual delays to which a defendant is
entitled inside of a week, and there are
over 232 defendants now at the bar.
Judge Joachimsen, in speaking of the
dilemma which threatens to block his
court said yesterday:
''Of course l am opposed to having the
affairs of my court clogged. l want to at
tend TO the affairs as thew come along in
the usual way and work night and day to
do so if necessary. But in these cases it is
quite different. There is no necessity for
any clogging and l Will not permit it if |
can do otherwise. The law requires that
the complaints be made separately and
they have been drawn in that wav, but l
do not see why it is necessary for The de-
Tense to demand the reading of the com
plant in English and in Chinese in each
case. Then the defendant remains mute
and contumacious, compelling the court
to give him plea of rot guilty and jury
trial.
such proceedings sre wrong and the at
torneys them selves could avoid il. Still,
am here as the servant of the people and
if it is necessary l will continue to the
end of my term trying these Chinese
cases. l hardly believe that the attorneys
for the defense can afford to do as much
for their clients"