The evening times., 1900-02-03
POLICE JUDGES SALARIES
An Increase of $1,000 a Year
Asked from Congress.
The Statement of the Judicial 0hi-
questiuE Greater Recommendation.
The Pay i'm the District Compared
With That in other Large Cities.

The Commissioners Of the District Of Co
lumbia have asked Congress TO increase
the appropriation for the salaries OF the
Judges of the Police Court for the next fis-
cal year to $4,000 per annum each.
Judge l. G. Kimball and Judge Charles
T. Scott of the Police Court. in a com
munication upon the subject of higher sal
aries, say:
NO other court in the District of Colum-
bia reaches into the every day life OF tie
citizens and is so necessary for the proper
and orderly government of the District as
the Police Court. The judges Of that court,
either as trial or committing magistrates.
hear every case arising under the criminal
laws of the United States, except murder
and violations of the postal and pension
laws, in addition to which they try ali
cases arising under the laws known as
municipal laws and all laws relating TO
building, plumbing, health, pure fcoi, and
q multitude of other subjects.
The questions of law presented to them
for decision are as difficult and require as
great legal knowledge as those arising in
any other of the courts Of the District, and
in addition the judges must be men Of
large experience to enable them TO cor
rectly determine the multitude OF lntrl-
cate questions which are daily brought be-
fore them for decision Not only do the
requirements OF the position fully sustain
the justice of the proposed increase, but
an examination of the work done shows
how inadequate the salary now is
The law providing for the Police Court
requires the judges to sit on all legal holi-
days, except Sundays. so that the court IS
held 3l3 days in each year Congress ap-
propriates $500 to each for an acting judge.
which, as they get SO per day, allows
substitute for thirty days, including Sun
days, in each year. The judges of each
OF the other courts in the District receive
a vacation of about three months in each
year
The report of the business done by the
Police Court for the year 1899 shows that
1888 cases were heard. The statement
continues:
IF we average The number Of witnesses
as six for each case, or three for each
side. which is a small average, it would
make 101 .3JS witnesses sworn, and their
evidence carefully heard and considered by
the judges. judgement arrived at, and
final judgement taken. In addition is
to be taken into consideration the thou
sands of legal arguments heard every
year, and the hearings on motions for new
trials. besides the constant visits made
10 the judges at their homes at all hours
Of the night TO fix bonds for prisoners.
The statement, in conclusion, says:
''WIll anyone contend that the amount
heretofore paid to the Judges Of the Po-
lice Court is an adequate salary for the
learning required and the work done, and
that il should not be increased as re-
quested by the Commissioners? In addi-
tion 10 what has been said can be urged
the fact that every year the Police Court
turns into the Treasury many thousands
Of dollars in excess of its expenses. APP
pended Is a statement Of the salaries piid
judges of police courts in other cities:
New York city $4,000 each: borough Of
Queens. 5000 each; borough O. ri h
mCud, 5000 each, Buffalo. $1,000;
Boston chief justice, $4.Soo. and
five associate justices. $4 600 each;
Cincinnati, $4,000 eaob Cleveland. $4,000
each San Francisco, judges appointed
since January l. 1900 S3.600 each; Rocdes-
ter So 500 each. Philadelphia. Chicago.
and Piltsburg do not have police judges.
but instead have a large number OF police
magistrates