The Washington times., 1902-01-10

There was an extended conference al
the District Building yesterday between
Commissioner Macfarand. Judges Charles
+. Scott and I. G. Kimball, and Prosecut-
ing Attorney \. Il. Mullowny, relative to
holding court for juvenile offenders in
the District. The conference lasted
more than an hour. and resulted in the
development of a plan by which the
youthful prisoners kept in the House OF
Detention will be tried at given hour
in the afternoon, after the adult cases
are disposed of.
The matter was brought to the atten-
tion of the judges and of Commissioner
Macfarland by the Board of Children S
Guardians, which asserted that the
present plan OF trying juvenile Of
tenders was not working we'll. At Com
missioner Macfarland's suggestion, the
conference was held yesterday. and a new
plan was suggested which will be given
a trial.
Explains Present Method.
Judges Scott and Kimball explained
to Commissioner Macfarland that at pres
ent telephone message is sent TO the
House of Detention each day when the
courts are about through with the morn
ing business. Then the Juvenile Offend
ers are brought down and are tried after
the rooms have been cleared of idlers
and spectators. The judges explain that
this worked well sometimes, but that
frequently some unforeseen delay will
keep the children or women waiting sew
eral hours
The worst feature of the present plan
is that the witnesses against juvenile
prisoners are summoned to appear in
court at 3 o'clock in the morning. There
they have to linger sometimes until 4
in the afternoon.
The judges and Mr.. Mullowny stated to
the Commissioners that in other cities
court was held for juveniles one or two
days each week. They expressed the opin-
ion that il would be good thing to adopt
a similar practice here. Then the wit
nesses could be summoned, and not be
obliged to wait for long docket of
adult cases taking up the morning hours.
Opposes the Plan. --.---
Commissioner Macfarland opposed this
plan for two reasons. The first was that
children arrested and taken to the House
of Detention should be tried promptly He
said that many times they were innocent
of the charges brought against them. He
thought they ought not to be kept in dur
ance three or four days until their cases
could be brought up on the day set for
trial. Mr.. Macfarland also objected on
the ground that the accommodations at
the House of Detention are not such as
to enable the department TO keep a large
number of prisoners. He thought that,
under the plan suggested by the judges,
the institution might be overcrowded. He
also thought the expense of caring for
the children, under the plan proposed,
would entail an expense greater than the
funds appropriated would allow.
Commissioner Macfarland then suggest
ed that one of the judges each day ad-
jOurn his court at O'Clock in the after
noon. He proposed that the witnesses
should be summoned for that hour, and
that the van with the juvenile offenders
should be at the court. He thought on
the majority of days the court would be
through with all pressing business and
could call session of the juvenile court
Mr.. mcfarland proposed a separate dock
et, and. in fact, separate court, with
strangers excluded, and the case tried
with closed doors.
The Court Agrees.
The judges fell in with the views Of the
Commissioners. and the plan proposed
is to be put to the test, beginning to-
dav ia hoped I'm avoid tho ohio, tiop-