The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-18
BUT CRIMINAL COURTS
WILL BE REORGANIZED AND
NEW COUNTIES ADDED
TO THEM.
RUSSELL WOULD APPOINT REPUBLICANS
In One of the New Districts. Caucus Decides
that It Wants None of that. Only 73
Additional Weeks Needed. Plan
Devised to Provide Them.
Devised to Provide Them.

No new Superior court districts will be
created.
The two existing criminal court dis
tricts will be reorganized and enlarged.
This was practically the decision
reached by the Democratic joint caucus
last night though the formal resolution
only provided that the whole matter
should be re-referred to committee.
The weight that decided which way the
balance should tip came in the shape of
an announcement that Governor Russell
had stated that if two more Superior
court districts were created he would APP
point one Democratic judge and one
Democratic solicitor and one Republican
Judge and solicitor; if three districts
were created he would appoint two
Democratic judges and solicitors and one
Republican judge and solicitor. Mr..
ROuntree approached the Governor on
the matter yesterday and discovered that
such was his purpose.
Apart from this however it is doubtful
that any change would have been made
except to abolish the criminal court dis
lllCIS anu ClCult LNO khDNLIOi COu1l ulo-
tricts in their places, though the commit
tee had practically decided to report in
favor of three new districts.
Judge Conner took the floor and argued
at some length against increasing the
number of Superior courts under the cir
cumstances. He thought that the crimi-
nal courts could be reorganized and those
counties that have congested dockefs
could be put in the new criminal court
districts so that the situation would be
materially relieved.
Senator Glenn was OF the cpiaion that
if only two Superior court districts were
to be ordered in any case il would be
just as well to keep the criminal courts
and make no changes.
In order to ascertain The sentiment of
the caucus a roll call OF the counties
was ordered on motion of Mr.. Fousllee
by Superior court districts. As each
county was called the representative sta
ted the number of weeks Of court want
ed in addition to those already held. The
roll call showed that seventy -three addi-
tional weeks of court were wanted in
the entire State, while about two-thi"ds
of the counties did not desire any addi-
tional weeks of court Most of the ad6i-
tional weeks are needed in those districts
where large towns are situated. The
Winston district requires thirteen addi-
tional weeks, the Charlotte district eight
cen, and the Asheville district twelve
weeks.
Mr.. Ray offered a resolution to APP
point three from the House and two from
the Senate to draw bill abolishing
criminal courts and apportioning the
courts among the present judges, without
electing any more.
Mr.. Craig moved to amend by dividing
the State into fourteen districts with
no pay for the extra terms.
Mr.. Bryan moved to add the counties
in need of more weeks of courts to the
criminal court districts.
Mr.. u. j. Justice suggested that the
passage of the bill to require off foreign
corporations to become domestic would
throw a large amount of additional liti-
cation into the Superior courts.
Mr.. Clarkson offered a resolution abol-
ishing two new districts.
Mr.. Rountree moved to abolish the
western district.
Finally the decision was reached to
refer the whole matter back to the COM
mlttee for a further report.
A tolerably safe forecast of what the
ultimate action in the matter will be.
is that the criminal courts will be abol-
ished as now constituted. They will then
be recognized, the salaries of the judges
fixed at the same figure as the salaries
OF Superior court judges. and counties
IN need of more weeks of court will be
placed in these districts. There will also
most probably be some changes made TO
facilitate appeals, though just what has
not been determined. The Superior
court judges may also be asked to aid
in clearing up matters by holding forty
weeks of court year, instead of thirty
four as at present. 1t is believed that
this will enable counties where litigation
is accumulated to Tighten their dockets
and would involve no additional cost to
the State. There are some counties, also,
that can spare a week year from the
courts allotted them, and these could be
given TO counties in need of longer terms.
So far as the Democratic caucus is
concerned the question Of court districts
was practically settled The joint COM
mittee will draft bill emb0dying the
ideas as given above, it will be submit
ted, amended and approved in caucus
and duly passed.
1t is expected that shortly the caucus
will be called on to deal with the knotty
questions Of an election law and a con-
cAst al Il