The San Francisco call., 1899-05-15
A SHARP CRITICISM ON
POLICE COURT METHODS
REV. F. c. LEES FEARLESS
UTTERANCES.
He Deplores the Weakness of Judges
and the Worthlessness of Their
Clerks-Other Thoughts.

In a prelude to his regular sermon last
evening the Rev. Frederick G. Lee of the
California Methodist Episcopal Church
delivered a sharp criticism on the meth
DDS in vogue in the criminal courts. He
stated that the latter were the refuge of
criminals. In part he said:
From recent decisions it would appear that
those who sit for the upholding Of the law and
for the punishment OF crime are laboring
under the delusion that they the attorney
for the defendant: the bench not to
punish crime but to protect it; that the Police
Courts are the ''eities of refuge" for rogues
and rascals. Like a certain judge whose
poriIm. they ''crucify Christ and release
Barabas Now Barabas was a robber.
Look at the clerk of the Police Court. so
anxious to accommodate the touts and gam
there carrying the court in his hat. Look at
Kelly, taking straw bail for the negro Wilson.
the very thugs who are violating the law; ac-
cepting bonds not worth the ink they We're
written with. Tell me that a Police Judge who
understood his business would not be aware
of such rascality and percentage game with
criminals? Look at the wholesale discharge
of Chinese gamblers and lottery men, arrested
with enough evidence to hang every one-if
gambling was capital ofense Look at the
Jones case Taking three Judges to try
agreement; second, Judge Treadwell-result,
sickness: third, Groezinger-result, three
In the police raids on Market street among
the gamblers arrested was one HOFFMAN. In
eside of ten days Hoffman was sent up Tor SIX
months, but the proprietor OF the den where
the gambling was going on was discharged.
Hoffman was ''vag, the proprietor a per
centage politician" with a pull. Consider the
decision given during the last week by the
acting (good word) Justice of the Peace
that the ordinance passed by the Supervisors
and signed by the Mayor was unconstitutional.
A decision so rank and foul as to lead us to
believe that 1t issued from the sub-basement
of the City Hall and not from court room
Why this uniform tendency and unseemly
haste on the part of clerks and Judges to
favor the thugs and backlegs? These law
breakers and criminals are favored and toadied
to at every turn. Technicalities twisted in
their behalf. but no technicaiity can count
the court takes delight in declaring GO and
sin some more"
How can one help but feel that the whole
machinery of our police system from curb to
court stands for the protection and not Tor the
punishment of a certain class of criminals. In
place of the law being a terror to the evil
doer the evil-doer rushes Into court knowing
that there he can find sanctuary rights
and any sixbit police court pettifogger can
stand between him and the punishment he de-
serves.
That crime is on the increase all over our
land is beyond denial, and lay the fault at
the doors of courts-in their delays, retrials
and acquittals of the guilty: What mean
these lynchings and mob-murders North as
well as South? They due to the fact that
the faith of the people in the courts to do JUS
tice and punish crime has been shaken. and
a result men have taken the law into their
own hands. Lynch law is to be deplored-but
whipped of Justice
ASK some old '49er about the vigilance COM
mittees from 81 to Sc. Ask about old Fort
Gunnybags," and find out If there was any
juggling with juries, any questioning of the
records, any browbeating by a shyster criminal
lawyer of the Judge who hung Jenkins and
Stuart, Casey and Cora Three taps on the
old engine house bell meant the court was in
session, and woe be to the man who inter-
feredi
What we need right here and now is a
irmer. prompter, surer administration of law
against crimes Of all character and in all our
courts. Whether the law shall act as de-
terrent to crime depends entirely upon the
certainty of its execution, but our whole Judi
ciary is brought into weN -merited contempt
when the criminal knows that in the courts
and behind the law he finds his best protec-
ton
wonder what influence the new charter and
the coming election had upon these recent
"Dogberry decisons?" Verify I believe some
of these dispensers of Justice must have
been reading Holy Writ and following literally
the exhortation, Make to yourselves friends of
the Mammon of unrighteousness. that when We
are cast out they may receive you