The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-01-27
RECENT CASES IN POINT

The lax supervision OF bonds IN the Pc
lice Court IS likely TO become the subject
of Official Investigation. For years but
little attention has been given to the
character of the bondsmen, and when "a
bond has been declared forfeited out lit
tie attempt has been made 90 collect, but
duTing the past six months the conditions
have bccc.nc particularly aggravated.
In several prominent cases bonds have
been declared forfeited, only to find that
there was nothing against which the Gov
eminent could levy. The first attempt TO
correct the evil was made at the instance
OF the Police Department in the case of
Eugene Kenaerly. the negro who was re-
Gently brought back from Detroit to an
swer a charge OF perjury in connection
with the bond Of Alfred Thompson. Had
not the Police Department taken the in
itiative in this instance it is likely that
the matter would have been hushed up
and no action taken, as has been done
in many other cases.
Oath Promptly Accepted
Bonds are accepted in the Police Court
almost without question if the person
offering to qualify Will only swear that
he is the owner Of real estate in the Dis
trict Of Columbia Of a greater value than
the amount Of the bond, and that the
holding is unencumbered. The bond is
filed away and no investigation under
taken until such time as the person who
has been released on the paper fails to
appear for trial. When il is too late to
do otherwise than to accept the loss and
proceed against the bondsman for perjury
r. Is frequently discovered that the bond
is not worth the value CT the paper il is
written on.
Too Much Trouble to Prosecute.
The officials seem TO have been salts
FED TO let such matters rest there with
cut any attempt to prosecute. one Of the
officials OF the court having remarked
that II all Of the cases OF perjury com
mitted in that court were to receive Off
cial recognition it would require the en-
tire time Of enc court TO henr those cases
alone
The force ct the command Of the Police
Court officials has but little time to in
vosugate the sureties offered on bonds
the organization Of this portion Of the
governmental machine when such condi-
tiCns can continue indefinitely.
The most serious error, it is charged
is in accepting a ,.oadsman without in
esuEation-persons whom the officials
have reasonable grounds to believe are
not possessed Of the means claimed. Re
Gently two men charged with larceny from
the person were released on the bond
OF man whom the authorities were NOR
ally certain was without means.
Only Temporary Ownership.
The men failed TO appear for trial, and
or investigation Il was found that the
person who had qualified on the bond had
gone TO the unusual trouble to have
transferred to him certain property,
which was redeeded TO the real owner
Immediately following his acceptance on
the bend The fugitives we're caught in
England and brought back TO this couu-
try at great expense to the Government.
In the case OF Eugene Kennerly this
trouble was not taken When Alfred
Thompson was arrested On a charge of
having stolen several diamonds from the
jewelry store Of Gait & Bro. every effort
was made to secure a boRdsman for him
in the sum OF 81 800. and finally Kennerly
was prevailed upon to swear that he was
the owner Of certain piece OF property
On Florida Avenue northwest which was
free Of remembrance.
on securing his release Thompson i'm
mediately left town and failed 10 appear
at the time OF his trial shortly after
wards Kennerly also disappeared and
nothing was heard OF him until his ar
rest In Detroit. Ii had been found that
The Florida avenue property was mort
gagged 70 its full value. Thompson was
quickly captured around his old haunts
A. Chicago and brought back 10 the city.
Kennerly was placed within the District
jail several weeks later, and on being
searched very fine saws Of the best tenn
pered steel were found concealed in the
lining Of his hat KeElerly claimed that
they were given him oy a boy. but could
not explain thei= presence IN such a place
Of cOncealment-
Warden Harris believes that it was his
r. purpose 90 saw the iron bars 70 the win
dow OF his cell and feet his escape and
q extra precautions eiu hereafter be taken
IN guarding him
SUIT FOR $4,000.