The San Francisco call., 1898-01-11
NO RULES FOR POLICE COURTS Meeting of the Judges Ends in a Complete
 Fizzle. Judge COnlan Positively Re- fused to Concur in the
 Suggestions.
The Points Raised by Chief Lees Proved Veritable Stun1 bling
 Block to the Judges.

The well-meant efforts of the police judges to formulate a set of rules for their guidance have ended in smoke
 Judge Conlan was the first stumbling block in the way. He did not attend the meeting on Saturday afternoon when the suggestions were made by the other three judges and prosecuting at- torneys.
 A copy of the suggestions had been sent to him and yesterday he expressed his opinion very strongly against them.
 T am perfectly satisfied" he said yesterday, with the existing order of things. The proposal to take the as- signment of cases out of the hands of the police department is, in my opin- ion, unconstitutional. An ordinance of the Board of Supervisors gives the Chief of Police power to depute one of his officers for that duty and to fur nish a transcript of the cases to each judge every morning. This has been going on very satisfactorily and I see no reason for changing it.
 "The proposition to equally divide the cases whether the arrests are made by warrant or not is absurd. The swear | ing to the complaint and the issuance of warrant in court gives that par
 
 | change were made as suggested it would not only be illegal, but would in- volve us in maze of complications and disputes.
 "I am also unalterably opposed to any proposition to limit the rights of per l son arrested by refusing to accept | bonds for his release at any time, 1 whether midnight or not. I shall re- | lease a man whenever satisfactory l bonds are submitted to me no matter what time of night he Is arrested. In regard to the releasing of a man on his l own recognizance unless the case is in my own court I shall continue to do | as I have been doing. The old rule is all right if judges will only take the trouble to ascertain the class of citi- zens they are dealing with.
 | T am agreeable to take my turn at remaining in chambers until p. m. I would also agree to the suggestions regarding the interpreters of the court. the order of business and giving the prosecuting attorneys alone power to permit an attorney to assist them in the prosecution of a case. Outside of these propositions I think all the others are | wrong"
 At o'clock in the afternoon Judges Campbell, Low and Joachimsen, with their prosecuting attorneys, met in Judge Joachimsen's chambers to con- slider the suggestions made at the meeting on Saturday. They had be- 1 come conversant with Judge Conlan's opinion and 1t was at once seen that he | had made them ponder. The first Sug- l gestion taken up was the changing of the assignment of cases. Judge Camp | bell intimated that he was not to be at the dictation of Chief Lees or the Po- lice Department as to running his court and he thought the change should be adopted. He admitted, however, that the department could easily work its own ends by keeping a man arrested for a felony in the tanks" until the entry on the prison register would come in the regular rotation to the court where they wanted the case taken.
 Judge Low referred to the Hoff case az an illustration of how the depart ment could get case assigned to a particular court, which brought forth a remark from Judge Joachimsen of mo personalities"
 An attempt was made to pass that particular suggestion until the others were considered, but Judge Low in- sisted that 1t should be decided upon at once.
 After some desultory discussion there was a general feeling that without Judge Conlan's consent nothing defi- nite could be done, ana as he positively refused to attend any of the meetings 1t was decided to adjourn sine die
 Chief Lees, whose opinion was ex- pressed in yesterdays Call, smiled
 when he learned of the outcome of the meeting. He pointed out that he was by law the executive officer of the Po- lice Courts. and that by an ordinance , of the Board of Supervisors he was au-
 thoriEed to detail an officer to assign . the cases to the different courts, which
 had always been done equitably and | without bfaS