Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-06-28
GIVEN TICK
Practice in Vogue in BenwOod Police
Court.

U0urt.
It is Not Necessary for a Law
Breaker to Have Ready Cash to
Pay His Fines in Benwood-A
Promise to Pay is Just the
Same and Every Persons Credit
is Good-An Evil In Official
Management That Will Likely
Be Taken Charge of by the Ben
wood Council -Night-Sevefal
Instances Of the Practice Yester-
day-Other Benwood Notes.
There is much talk in Benwood and
considerable stir in official circles on
account of the peculiar policy that is
in vogue in the management Of the
police affairs of the town The policy
referred to is one that is not new, and
is one of the institutions concerned
and first practiced by the previous Re
publican city administration of Ben
wood. 1t is the credit or installment
plan of business that is used by some
business houses. 1t is no new thing
for a credit business to be conducted
by merchants in the sale and purchase
of goods, but it is indeed an excep-
rional custom for this plan to be
adopted by a town corporation in the
discipline and punishment of it's law
breakers.
Yesterday the Mayor presided over
quite an extensive police court and
quite number of offenders were before
his honor on charges of fighting, drunk
nd
tunately, none had money to pay their
fines. This, however did not matter.
They were released after making the
solemn promise to pay sometime in the
long and distant future. Of course
this promise was accepted just the
same as gold. Benwood is supposed
to have a superior class of criminals.
among whose principles is the strict
observance Of the truth and keeping
Of promises. If they should disr\ard
the trust. however, that is generously
reposed in them and fail to come to
time, as an occasional debtor does who
is hard pushed, the city could find no
way to collect the money or force its
payment, as the law specifies that this
shall be done before they are released
or ample security BE- given So much
faith has been placed in the offenders.
who are familiar figures in the Ben
wood police cOnrt. that the Mayor. who
Is ig-hearted individual and does not
like TO see even the humblest or the
most erring Of his constituents incon~
venienced. that it would be terrible
shock indeed to his honor if some dis
honorable miscreant should take adj
vantage of this loose way of dealing
out Justice and fail to pay at the time
agreed
No blame is attached TO the police.
They have been doing their dutv as
few BenwoCd policemen have done.
and no fault has been found with the
administration of Marshal Forbes sand
his assistants. But they have been
frequently discouraged lately by the
manner in which evil-doers have been
punished after being arrested and
brought to trial After making an ar
rest it is no uncommon occurrence. as
happened yesterday, for the offender to
he tried and released con tick" when
he had no money TO paw his fine in
stead Of being sent to Jail, as the law
provides. As no man can be arrested
twice for the same offense and forced
to paw after he has been reloas ed. it is
merely optional with him whether he
paws the nne or not. He rarely HneS
and the city IS the loser for not getting
the fine, and the officer and MAJOR
loOser for not getting their costs. The
matter raised considerable forciful
criticism on the part of a number of
citizens in BenwOod yesterday One
Councilman said the matter would be
aired at to-nights meeting of the Coun-
Gil and that Council would very likely
decide to hold the Mayor responsible
for all fines not paid